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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,094 per month in Skopje vs $1,421 in Bialystok, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,636 per month in Skopje vs $2,002 in Bialystok, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,178 per month in Skopje vs $2,582 in Bialystok, rent included.

Skopje is about 23% cheaper than Bialystok, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Skopje sits 18% below the global median, while Bialystok is 7% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.42 MKD 397

$9.69 zł 36.14

-23.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.79 MKD 1,806

$47.92 zł 179

-29.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.65 MKD 355

$8.21 zł 30.63

-19.00%

Cappuccino

$2.24 MKD 119

$3.18 zł 11.85

-29.56%

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

$2.04 MKD 109

$1.82 zł 6.81

12.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 MKD 69.1

$1.65 zł 6.14

-21.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.60 MKD 139

$3.30 zł 12.31

-21.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 MKD 183

$2.95 zł 10.99

16.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 MKD 68.1

$1.09 zł 4.05

16.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 MKD 44.80

$1.23 zł 4.58

-31.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MKD 90.5

$1.23 zł 4.58

37.40%

Eggs

$2.17 MKD 116

$3.13 zł 11.67

-30.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 MKD 495

$8.48 zł 31.64

9.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.00 MKD 428

$6.10 zł 22.76

31.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.41 MKD 717

$10.69 zł 39.87

25.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 MKD 54.6

$0.95 zł 3.56

7.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MKD 73.0

$1.80 zł 6.70

-23.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 MKD 73.0

$1.75 zł 6.53

-21.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MKD 111

$2.18 zł 8.13

-4.59%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 MKD 46.92

$0.92 zł 3.44

-4.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 MKD 51.6

$1.02 zł 3.79

-4.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 MKD 39.00

$1.15 zł 4.29

-36.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MKD 31.42

$0.55 zł 2.06

7.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.26 MKD 174

$5.08 zł 18.95

-35.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.56 MKD 404

$6.33 zł 23.63

19.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MKD 56.3

$1.25 zł 4.67

-16.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 MKD 82.9

$1.62 zł 6.03

-4.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MKD 41.13

$1.12 zł 4.18

-31.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.16 MKD 1,505

$35.00 zł 131

-19.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MKD 52.3

$2.19 zł 8.18

-55.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MKD 28.28

$0.49 zł 1.83

8.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.71 MKD 412

$12.10 zł 45.14

-36.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 MKD 78.6

$1.76 zł 6.55

-16.48%

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

$34.2K MKD 1.8M

$34.1K zł 127.1K

0.51%

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

$29.4K MKD 1.6M

$29.3K zł 109.2K

0.57%

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

$160 MKD 8,529

$305 zł 1,139

-47.72%

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

$17.94 MKD 959

$8.15 zł 30.40

120.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.42 MKD 1,038

$16.58 zł 61.8

17.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.64 MKD 2,065

$37.14 zł 139

4.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.95 MKD 959

$19.20 zł 71.6

-6.51%

Cinema Ticket

$6.44 MKD 344

$6.98 zł 26.04

-7.74%

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

$312 MKD 16.7K

$340 zł 1,268

-8.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,479 MKD 239.3K

$9,556 zł 35.6K

-53.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.2 MKD 4,071

$90.8 zł 339

-16.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.60 MKD 2,116

$31.01 zł 116

27.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 MKD 5,358

$75.4 zł 281

32.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 MKD 5,948

$96.1 zł 359

15.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$422 MKD 22.5K

$549 zł 2,049

-23.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 MKD 16.5K

$492 zł 1,837

-37.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 MKD 34.3K

$873 zł 3,256

-26.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 MKD 25.0K

$733 zł 2,735

-36.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,687 MKD 143.6K

$2,719 zł 10.1K

-1.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,745 MKD 93.3K

$2,351 zł 8,769

-25.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$882 MKD 47.1K

$1,474 zł 5,499

-40.16%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bialystok: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $422 in Skopje versus $549 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 67% 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 $34.00 in Skopje versus $48.00 in Bialystok. Groceries tell a different story – $212 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 30% 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 $1,641 per month in Skopje and $2,132 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 $312 per month in Skopje and $340 in Bialystok. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% 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 $1,094, than in Bialystok at $1,421. 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 $1,094 versus $1,421 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.