Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Bandar Seri Begawan Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Bandar Seri Begawan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,112 per month in Skopje vs $1,148 in Bandar Seri Begawan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,621 per month in Skopje vs $1,748 in Bandar Seri Begawan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,130 per month in Skopje vs $2,347 in Bandar Seri Begawan, rent included.

Skopje is about 3% cheaper than Bandar Seri Begawan, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Skopje and Bandar Seri Begawan are more affordable than the global median – Skopje 17% lower, Bandar Seri Begawan 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.57 MKD 400

$3.79 BND 4.86

99.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.02 MKD 1,798

$27.46 BND 35.22

23.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.65 MKD 351

$5.99 BND 7.68

11.02%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 BND 2.45

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 BND 3.07

Cappuccino

$2.19 MKD 116

$3.73 BND 4.79

-41.29%

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

$1.94 MKD 103

$0.97 BND 1.24

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 MKD 67.7

$0.56 BND 0.72

128.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 MKD 142

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 MKD 184

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 MKD 70.9

$1.89 BND 2.42

-29.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 MKD 43.49

$1.70 BND 2.18

-51.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 MKD 92.7

$1.29 BND 1.66

35.66%

Eggs

$2.19 MKD 116

$2.23 BND 2.86

-1.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 MKD 487

$7.18 BND 9.21

28.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 MKD 422

$4.50 BND 5.78

77.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.63 MKD 720

$11.26 BND 14.44

21.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 MKD 53.5

$3.18 BND 4.08

-68.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 MKD 74.7

$2.66 BND 3.41

-46.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 MKD 69.8

$3.15 BND 4.04

-58.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MKD 115

$2.87 BND 3.69

-24.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 MKD 46.69

$1.64 BND 2.10

-46.34%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 MKD 48.66

$2.15 BND 2.76

-57.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 MKD 37.53

$3.51 BND 4.50

-79.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MKD 30.68

$0.75 BND 0.97

-22.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$13.09 BND 16.79

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.36 BND 4.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 BND 1.95

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 MKD 167

$15.59 BND 19.99

-79.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.41 MKD 392

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 MKD 56.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 MKD 80.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MKD 40.54

$0.76 BND 0.97

1.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.67 MKD 1,462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MKD 51.6

$4.55 BND 5.84

-78.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 25.68

$2.66 BND 3.42

-81.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.60 MKD 401

$11.82 BND 15.17

-35.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 MKD 77.5

$0.41 BND 0.52

258.54%

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

$34.0K MKD 1.8M

$39.2K BND 50.3K

-13.22%

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

$29.6K MKD 1.6M

$36.2K BND 46.5K

-18.36%

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

$160 MKD 8,469

$61.0 BND 78.2

162.87%

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

$18.34 MKD 969

$22.79 BND 29.23

-19.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.13 MKD 1,011

$65.4 BND 83.9

-70.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.37 MKD 2,027

$37.66 BND 48.31

1.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.56 MKD 928

$2.85 BND 3.65

516.14%

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 MKD 355

$5.31 BND 6.81

26.55%

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

$312 MKD 16.5K

$157 BND 201

99.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,509 MKD 238.3K

$9,544 BND 12.2K

-52.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 MKD 4,078

$94.4 BND 121

-18.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.43 MKD 2,136

$69.0 BND 88.5

-41.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 MKD 5,289

$107 BND 138

-6.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 MKD 5,825

$64.7 BND 83.0

70.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 MKD 22.7K

$727 BND 933

-40.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 MKD 16.4K

$464 BND 595

-33.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 MKD 34.1K

$1,323 BND 1,697

-51.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$459 MKD 24.2K

$827 BND 1,061

-44.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,801 MKD 148.0K

$3,105 BND 3,983

-9.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,829 MKD 96.6K

$2,340 BND 3,002

-21.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$913 MKD 48.2K

$1,937 BND 2,485

-52.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.54

4.06

11.82%

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

Last update for Skopje: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bandar Seri Begawan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $429 in Skopje versus $727 in Bandar Seri Begawan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 112% higher in Bandar Seri Begawan, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Skopje versus $27.00 in Bandar Seri Begawan. Groceries tell a different story – $213 in Skopje vs $219 in Bandar Seri Begawan – so Skopje wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Bandar Seri Begawan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bandar Seri Begawan is pricier by about 3%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,667 per month in Skopje and $1,721 in Bandar Seri Begawan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Skopje, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Skopje and $27.00 in Bandar Seri Begawan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Bandar Seri Begawan, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Skopje, where all-in costs run around $1,112, than in Bandar Seri Begawan at $1,148. In Skopje it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bandar Seri Begawan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Skopje – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Skopje. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bandar Seri Begawan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.