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: $1,182 in Skopje versus $836 in Astrakhan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,723 in Skopje versus $1,263 in Astrakhan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,263 in Skopje versus $1,690 in Astrakhan.

Living in Skopje is roughly 41% more expensive than in Astrakhan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Skopje 14% lower, Astrakhan 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.68 MKD 511

$8.56 ₽719

13.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.37 MKD 1,816

$35.43 ₽2,977

-2.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.65 MKD 351

$6.42 ₽540

3.58%

Cappuccino

$2.23 MKD 118

$1.97 ₽165

13.20%

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

$1.86 MKD 98.5

$1.08 ₽90.4

72.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 MKD 67.6

$0.64 ₽54.1

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 MKD 148

$1.14 ₽95.7

146.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 MKD 172

$2.28 ₽192

42.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 MKD 70.4

$1.13 ₽95.2

17.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 MKD 41.46

$0.59 ₽49.41

32.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 MKD 102

$0.80 ₽67.5

142.50%

Eggs

$2.47 MKD 131

$1.58 ₽133

56.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.73 MKD 461

$10.36 ₽871

-15.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.49 MKD 396

$4.17 ₽350

79.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.07 MKD 796

$5.69 ₽479

164.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.53 MKD 80.7

$1.23 ₽104

24.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MKD 79.0

$1.61 ₽136

-6.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 MKD 73.0

$1.45 ₽122

-4.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MKD 110

$1.85 ₽155

12.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 MKD 48.78

$1.00 ₽84.5

-8.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 MKD 44.24

$0.69 ₽58.2

21.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 MKD 32.51

$0.85 ₽71.3

-27.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MKD 30.31

$0.42 ₽35.55

35.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.63 MKD 192

$1.72 ₽145

111.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.37 MKD 389

$3.43 ₽288

114.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MKD 57.5

$0.83 ₽69.6

31.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 MKD 82.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 MKD 42.10

$0.51 ₽42.55

56.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.14 MKD 1,487

$20.51 ₽1,724

37.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 MKD 58.4

$2.24 ₽188

-50.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 MKD 35.75

$0.59 ₽50.0

15.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.98 MKD 422

$3.57 ₽300

123.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MKD 81.2

$0.76 ₽64.0

102.63%

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

$37.0K MKD 2.0M

$25.5K ₽2.1M

45.22%

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

$28.4K MKD 1.5M

$27.9K ₽2.3M

1.83%

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

$168 MKD 8,854

$58.1 ₽4,883

188.47%

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

$19.55 MKD 1,033

$5.86 ₽493

233.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.73 MKD 1,042

$8.18 ₽688

141.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.05 MKD 2,010

$20.47 ₽1,720

85.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.83 MKD 942

$4.57 ₽384

290.15%

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 MKD 377

$4.19 ₽352

70.17%

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

$389 MKD 20.5K

$105 ₽8,852

269.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,501 MKD 290.6K

$6,335 ₽532.4K

-13.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.6 MKD 4,837

$40.10 ₽3,370

128.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.71 MKD 2,098

$35.31 ₽2,967

12.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MKD 5,629

$68.7 ₽5,777

55.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 MKD 6,023

$52.1 ₽4,376

119.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 MKD 23.4K

$465 ₽39.0K

-4.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 MKD 17.9K

$347 ₽29.2K

-2.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$750 MKD 39.6K

$649 ₽54.5K

15.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 MKD 28.3K

$519 ₽43.7K

3.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,778 MKD 146.8K

$1,186 ₽99.7K

134.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,892 MKD 99.9K

$581 ₽48.8K

225.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$906 MKD 47.9K

$372 ₽31.3K

143.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

-77.63%

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

Last update for Skopje: September 6, 2026

Last update for Astrakhan: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $443 in Skopje and $465 in Astrakhan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Skopje pays 143% 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 $35.00 in Astrakhan. Groceries flip the comparison at $217 vs $150, with Astrakhan 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

Skopje vs Astrakhan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Skopje and Astrakhan differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($1,182 vs $836 including rent). Astrakhan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 143% higher in Skopje, 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: $443 in Skopje versus $465 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 37% less than in Skopje. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $389 in Skopje versus $105 in Astrakhan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $836 in Astrakhan versus $1,182 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 41% less than in Skopje. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.