Cost of Living Comparison Between Samsun and Skopje Cost of Living Comparison Between Samsun and Skopje

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $996 in Samsun versus $1,087 in Skopje.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,500 in Samsun versus $1,634 in Skopje.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,004 in Samsun versus $2,180 in Skopje.

Living in Samsun costs roughly 8% less than in Skopje, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Samsun 25% lower, Skopje 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.52 ₺354

$7.58 MKD 407

-0.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.50 ₺1,202

$33.45 MKD 1,794

-23.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ₺409

$6.70 MKD 359

29.55%

Cappuccino

$2.82 ₺133

$2.27 MKD 122

24.23%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 ₺61.0

$2.03 MKD 109

-36.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 ₺11.21

$1.29 MKD 69.2

-81.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.94 ₺139

$2.66 MKD 143

10.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 ₺142

$3.35 MKD 180

-9.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 ₺49.72

$1.29 MKD 69.4

-18.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.40 ₺18.75

$0.76 MKD 40.80

-47.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.88 ₺183

$1.67 MKD 89.6

132.34%

Eggs

$1.66 ₺78.0

$2.21 MKD 119

-24.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.70 ₺410

$9.13 MKD 490

-4.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.17 ₺479

$7.78 MKD 417

30.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.86 ₺889

$13.71 MKD 735

37.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.29 ₺60.9

$1.06 MKD 57.1

21.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 ₺54.4

$1.43 MKD 76.8

-19.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.88 ₺41.31

$1.35 MKD 72.5

-34.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 ₺61.2

$2.17 MKD 116

-40.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₺30.53

$0.89 MKD 47.75

-26.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₺30.82

$0.90 MKD 48.45

-27.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 ₺36.76

$0.69 MKD 36.92

13.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₺33.67

$0.55 MKD 29.70

29.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 ₺99.6

$3.18 MKD 170

-33.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.34 ₺440

$7.26 MKD 389

28.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 ₺96.4

$1.07 MKD 57.2

90.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 ₺116

$1.52 MKD 81.5

61.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ₺27.95

$0.76 MKD 40.94

-22.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.63 ₺454

$28.58 MKD 1,533

-66.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.30 ₺108

$0.96 MKD 51.6

139.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 ₺30.21

$0.48 MKD 26.01

33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.44 ₺209

$7.41 MKD 397

-40.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ₺52.4

$1.49 MKD 79.7

-25.50%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$43.7K ₺2.1M

$33.7K MKD 1.8M

29.85%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$48.6K ₺2.3M

$29.3K MKD 1.6M

66.05%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$49.85 ₺2,350

$160 MKD 8,574

-68.81%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$10.88 ₺513

$18.05 MKD 968

-39.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.64 ₺549

$19.13 MKD 1,026

-39.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.1 ₺3,915

$38.66 MKD 2,074

114.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.36 MKD 931

Cinema Ticket

$5.64 ₺266

$6.62 MKD 355

-14.80%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$501 ₺23.6K

$320 MKD 17.2K

56.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,757 ₺177.1K

$4,642 MKD 249.0K

-19.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.41 ₺1,810

$77.5 MKD 4,157

-50.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.16 ₺2,129

$40.16 MKD 2,154

12.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 ₺4,154

$100 MKD 5,364

-11.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.77 ₺2,110

$110 MKD 5,913

-59.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$499 ₺23.5K

$425 MKD 22.8K

17.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$327 ₺15.4K

$310 MKD 16.6K

5.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 ₺34.4K

$645 MKD 34.6K

12.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$514 ₺24.2K

$463 MKD 24.8K

11.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$751 ₺35.4K

$2,731 MKD 146.5K

-72.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$430 ₺20.3K

$1,740 MKD 93.3K

-75.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$969 ₺45.7K

$886 MKD 47.5K

9.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

43.33

4.54

854.41%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Samsun: July 13, 2026

Last update for Skopje: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $499 in Samsun and $425 in Skopje. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Samsun pays 9% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $25.00 in Samsun vs $33.00 in Skopje. Groceries flip the comparison at $242 vs $210, with Skopje cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Samsun vs Skopje: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Samsun is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 9% higher in Samsun, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $499 in Samsun versus $425 in Skopje. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Samsun – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $33.00 in Skopje. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $996 per month in Samsun versus $1,087 in Skopje – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $996 in Samsun versus $1,087 in Skopje, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Samsun but tight or insufficient in Skopje. The gap between the two cities makes Samsun the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Samsun is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Skopje, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Samsun and Skopje are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Samsun gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Skopje. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.