Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Bialystok Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Bialystok

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,081 per month in Skopje vs $1,424 in Bialystok, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,622 per month in Skopje vs $2,048 in Bialystok, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,163 per month in Skopje vs $2,672 in Bialystok, rent included.

Skopje is about 24% cheaper than Bialystok, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Skopje sits 19% below the global median, while Bialystok is 7% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.56 MKD 400

$9.71 zł 35.43

-22.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.21 MKD 1,759

$47.70 zł 174

-30.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.70 MKD 355

$7.79 zł 28.44

-13.99%

Cappuccino

$2.23 MKD 118

$3.24 zł 11.84

-31.17%

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

$2.03 MKD 107

$1.89 zł 6.90

7.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 MKD 64.8

$1.69 zł 6.18

-27.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 MKD 139

$3.18 zł 11.60

-17.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 MKD 184

$2.96 zł 10.79

17.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 MKD 70.6

$1.09 zł 3.97

22.02%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 MKD 41.05

$1.22 zł 4.46

-36.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 MKD 88.0

$1.21 zł 4.43

37.19%

Eggs

$2.24 MKD 119

$3.10 zł 11.33

-27.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.23 MKD 489

$8.35 zł 30.46

10.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.08 MKD 428

$6.03 zł 22.00

34.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.49 MKD 714

$10.78 zł 39.34

25.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 MKD 56.6

$0.91 zł 3.34

17.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 MKD 71.5

$1.73 zł 6.30

-21.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 MKD 72.1

$1.74 zł 6.34

-21.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 MKD 114

$2.14 zł 7.80

0.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 MKD 43.84

$0.86 zł 3.15

-3.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 MKD 52.8

$1.06 zł 3.87

-5.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 MKD 38.21

$1.16 zł 4.23

-37.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MKD 29.01

$0.60 zł 2.18

-8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.16 MKD 167

$5.20 zł 18.98

-39.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.72 MKD 409

$6.62 zł 24.16

16.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 MKD 58.6

$1.24 zł 4.53

-10.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 MKD 82.1

$1.62 zł 5.90

-4.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MKD 40.74

$1.11 zł 4.06

-30.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.72 MKD 1,468

$35.20 zł 128

-21.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 MKD 47.46

$2.15 zł 7.83

-58.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MKD 28.17

$0.52 zł 1.90

1.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.71 MKD 408

$11.97 zł 43.68

-35.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 MKD 78.2

$1.77 zł 6.44

-16.38%

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

$34.5K MKD 1.8M

$33.8K zł 123.5K

1.85%

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

$29.4K MKD 1.6M

$29.8K zł 108.7K

-1.35%

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

$164 MKD 8,679

$311 zł 1,136

-47.37%

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

$18.26 MKD 967

$8.53 zł 31.13

114.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.08 MKD 1,010

$16.95 zł 61.8

12.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.38 MKD 2,085

$37.61 zł 137

4.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.51 MKD 927

$19.22 zł 70.1

-8.90%

Cinema Ticket

$6.45 MKD 342

$6.88 zł 25.11

-6.25%

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

$324 MKD 17.1K

$333 zł 1,216

-2.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,636 MKD 245.5K

$9,539 zł 34.8K

-51.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 MKD 4,087

$88.9 zł 324

-13.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.10 MKD 2,071

$31.29 zł 114

24.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MKD 5,335

$76.3 zł 278

32.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 MKD 5,886

$93.3 zł 341

19.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$421 MKD 22.3K

$546 zł 1,991

-22.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 MKD 16.8K

$495 zł 1,808

-36.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 MKD 33.1K

$853 zł 3,111

-26.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 MKD 24.0K

$726 zł 2,651

-37.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,829 MKD 149.8K

$2,852 zł 10.4K

-0.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,827 MKD 96.7K

$2,425 zł 8,850

-24.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$886 MKD 46.9K

$1,612 zł 5,881

-45.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.54

6.47

-29.83%

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

Last update for Skopje: June 14, 2026

Last update for Bialystok: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $421 in Skopje versus $546 in Bialystok. 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 82% higher in Bialystok, 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 $48.00 in Bialystok. Groceries tell a different story – $213 in Skopje vs $200 in Bialystok – so Bialystok 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 Bialystok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bialystok costs about 32% more than Skopje, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,622 per month in Skopje and $2,136 in Bialystok. 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.

Kindergarten costs $324 per month in Skopje and $333 in Bialystok. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Bialystok – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Skopje, where all-in costs run around $1,081, than in Bialystok at $1,424. In Skopje it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bialystok it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Skopje costs $1,081 versus $1,424 in Bialystok. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Bialystok makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.