Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Astrakhan Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Astrakhan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,112 in Skopje versus $1,040 in Astrakhan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,621 in Skopje versus $1,531 in Astrakhan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,130 in Skopje versus $2,022 in Astrakhan.

Living in Skopje is roughly 7% more expensive than Astrakhan, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Skopje 17% lower, Astrakhan 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.57 MKD 399

$10.92 ₽797

-30.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.02 MKD 1,793

$34.29 ₽2,503

-0.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.65 MKD 350

$7.82 ₽571

-14.96%

Cappuccino

$2.19 MKD 115

$1.86 ₽136

17.74%

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

$1.94 MKD 102

$0.93 ₽68.0

108.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 MKD 67.5

$0.53 ₽38.73

141.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 MKD 142

$1.29 ₽94.4

109.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 MKD 183

$2.48 ₽181

39.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 MKD 70.7

$1.28 ₽93.5

4.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 MKD 43.38

$1.01 ₽74.0

-18.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 MKD 92.4

$1.05 ₽77.0

66.67%

Eggs

$2.19 MKD 115

$1.81 ₽132

20.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 MKD 486

$24.61 ₽1,796

-62.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 MKD 421

$5.01 ₽366

59.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.63 MKD 719

$6.69 ₽489

103.74%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 MKD 53.4

$1.58 ₽115

-36.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 MKD 74.5

$1.75 ₽127

-19.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 MKD 69.6

$1.57 ₽115

-15.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MKD 115

$2.44 ₽178

-11.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 MKD 46.57

$0.96 ₽69.9

-8.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 MKD 48.53

$0.60 ₽44.06

53.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 MKD 37.43

$1.41 ₽103

-49.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MKD 30.60

$0.65 ₽47.47

-10.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 MKD 166

$1.86 ₽136

69.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.41 MKD 391

$4.22 ₽308

75.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 MKD 55.9

$1.10 ₽80.4

-3.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 MKD 79.8

$1.86 ₽136

-18.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MKD 40.44

$0.49 ₽35.79

57.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.67 MKD 1,458

$21.67 ₽1,582

27.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MKD 51.5

$2.47 ₽181

-60.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 25.61

$0.35 ₽25.74

40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.60 MKD 400

$3.90 ₽285

94.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 MKD 77.3

$0.94 ₽68.5

56.38%

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

$34.0K MKD 1.8M

$33.8K ₽2.5M

0.66%

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

$29.6K MKD 1.6M

$31.7K ₽2.3M

-6.74%

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

$160 MKD 8,446

$104 ₽7,598

53.96%

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

$18.34 MKD 966

$6.26 ₽457

192.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.13 MKD 1,008

$5.52 ₽403

246.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.37 MKD 2,022

$47.74 ₽3,485

-19.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.56 MKD 925

$24.53 ₽1,790

-28.41%

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 MKD 354

$5.47 ₽400

22.85%

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

$312 MKD 16.5K

$115 ₽8,423

170.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,509 MKD 237.6K

$7,102 ₽518.4K

-36.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 MKD 4,067

$57.5 ₽4,194

34.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.43 MKD 2,131

$32.32 ₽2,359

25.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 MKD 5,275

$89.1 ₽6,505

12.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 MKD 5,810

$129 ₽9,424

-14.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 MKD 22.6K

$413 ₽30.1K

3.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 MKD 16.3K

$315 ₽23.0K

-1.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 MKD 34.0K

$447 ₽32.6K

44.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$459 MKD 24.2K

$374 ₽27.3K

22.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,801 MKD 147.6K

$1,370 ₽100.0K

104.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,829 MKD 96.4K

$685 ₽50.0K

166.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$913 MKD 48.1K

$448 ₽32.7K

103.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.54

15.33

-70.38%

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

Last update for Skopje: May 31, 2026

Last update for Astrakhan: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $429 in Skopje and $413 in Astrakhan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Skopje pays 104% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $34.00 in Skopje vs $34.00 in Astrakhan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $213 vs $225 per month, with Skopje cheaper across the board.

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

Skopje vs Astrakhan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Skopje and Astrakhan differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($1,112 vs $1,040 including rent). Astrakhan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Skopje pays 104% more on average, 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: $429 in Skopje versus $413 in Astrakhan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Astrakhan runs roughly 28% less than in Skopje. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $312 in Skopje versus $115 in Astrakhan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,040 in Astrakhan versus $1,112 in Skopje, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Astrakhan but tight or insufficient in Skopje. The gap between the two cities makes Astrakhan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Astrakhan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Skopje. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.