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 $1,087 per month in Skopje vs $1,148 in Bandar Seri Begawan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,634 per month in Skopje vs $1,727 in Bandar Seri Begawan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,180 per month in Skopje vs $2,306 in Bandar Seri Begawan, rent included.

Skopje is about 5% 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 19% lower, Bandar Seri Begawan 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.58 MKD 407

$3.75 BND 4.84

102.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.45 MKD 1,794

$27.73 BND 35.82

20.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.70 MKD 359

$6.24 BND 8.06

7.37%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 BND 2.57

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 BND 2.94

Cappuccino

$2.27 MKD 122

$3.81 BND 4.93

-40.42%

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

$2.03 MKD 109

$1.00 BND 1.29

103.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 MKD 69.2

$0.58 BND 0.74

122.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.66 MKD 143

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 MKD 180

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MKD 69.4

$1.92 BND 2.49

-32.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 MKD 40.80

$1.79 BND 2.31

-57.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MKD 89.6

$1.23 BND 1.59

35.77%

Eggs

$2.21 MKD 119

$2.20 BND 2.84

0.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.13 MKD 490

$7.47 BND 9.65

22.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.78 MKD 417

$4.53 BND 5.85

71.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.71 MKD 735

$11.09 BND 14.33

23.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 MKD 57.1

$3.28 BND 4.24

-67.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MKD 76.8

$2.55 BND 3.29

-43.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 MKD 72.5

$3.20 BND 4.14

-57.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MKD 116

$2.85 BND 3.68

-23.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 MKD 47.75

$1.70 BND 2.19

-47.65%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 MKD 48.45

$2.16 BND 2.79

-58.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 MKD 36.92

$3.57 BND 4.61

-80.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MKD 29.70

$0.83 BND 1.07

-33.73%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.67 BND 16.36

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.35 BND 4.33

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 BND 2.04

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 MKD 170

$15.63 BND 20.19

-79.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.26 MKD 389

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MKD 57.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MKD 81.5

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MKD 40.94

$0.74 BND 0.96

2.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.58 MKD 1,533

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MKD 51.6

$4.82 BND 6.23

-80.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MKD 26.01

$2.64 BND 3.40

-81.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.41 MKD 397

$11.49 BND 14.85

-35.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 MKD 79.7

$0.38 BND 0.49

292.11%

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

$33.7K MKD 1.8M

$39.3K BND 50.8K

-14.47%

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

$29.3K MKD 1.6M

$36.6K BND 47.3K

-20.00%

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

$160 MKD 8,574

$60.4 BND 78.0

164.59%

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

$18.05 MKD 968

$22.12 BND 28.57

-18.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.13 MKD 1,026

$64.2 BND 82.9

-70.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.66 MKD 2,074

$37.32 BND 48.20

3.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.36 MKD 931

$2.84 BND 3.67

511.27%

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 MKD 355

$5.56 BND 7.19

19.06%

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

$320 MKD 17.2K

$161 BND 208

98.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,642 MKD 249.0K

$9,584 BND 12.4K

-51.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.5 MKD 4,157

$97.0 BND 125

-20.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.16 MKD 2,154

$69.0 BND 89.2

-41.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 MKD 5,364

$108 BND 139

-7.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 MKD 5,913

$64.1 BND 82.8

71.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 MKD 22.8K

$739 BND 954

-42.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 MKD 16.6K

$458 BND 592

-32.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 MKD 34.6K

$1,324 BND 1,710

-51.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$463 MKD 24.8K

$812 BND 1,049

-43.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,731 MKD 146.5K

$3,009 BND 3,887

-9.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,740 MKD 93.3K

$2,268 BND 2,929

-23.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$886 MKD 47.5K

$1,954 BND 2,524

-54.67%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Bandar Seri Begawan: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Skopje versus $739 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 121% 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 $33.00 in Skopje versus $28.00 in Bandar Seri Begawan. Groceries tell a different story – $210 in Skopje vs $222 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 6%, 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 $1,631 per month in Skopje and $1,722 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 $33.00 in Skopje and $28.00 in Bandar Seri Begawan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% 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 $1,087, 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.