Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Calarasi

For one person, living is cheaper in Calarasi: $884 a month against $1,115 in Skopje, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

54

Cost of Living Index in Skopje
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Skopje Living Index
43

Cost of Living Index in Calarasi
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Calarasi Living Index

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Skopje

🇲🇰 North Macedonia

$1,115

/mo nomad

Calarasi

🇷🇴 Romania

$884

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Skopje and in Calarasi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Skopje and in Calarasi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,115 per month in Skopje vs $884 in Calarasi, rent included.

Skopje $1,115
Calarasi $884

A couple spends around $1,664 per month in Skopje vs $1,371 in Calarasi, rent included.

Skopje $1,664
Calarasi $1,371

A family of three spends $2,214 per month in Skopje vs $1,858 in Calarasi, rent included.

Skopje $2,214
Calarasi $1,858

Skopje costs about 26% more than Calarasi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Skopje and Calarasi are more affordable than the global median – Skopje 18% lower, Calarasi 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.34 MKD 509

$8.99 RON 42.55

3.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.35 MKD 1,874

$34.27 RON 162

0.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.54 MKD 357

$7.82 RON 37.01

-16.37%

Cappuccino

$2.04 MKD 112

$2.09 RON 9.90

-2.39%

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

$1.88 MKD 103

$1.85 RON 8.77

1.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 MKD 74.3

$1.63 RON 7.73

-16.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.77 MKD 151

$1.62 RON 7.65

70.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 MKD 165

$1.49 RON 7.04

103.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MKD 70.4

$1.45 RON 6.88

-11.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 MKD 40.03

$0.96 RON 4.52

-23.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 MKD 98.8

$1.49 RON 7.06

21.48%

Eggs

$2.44 MKD 133

$2.75 RON 13.00

-11.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 MKD 422

$7.59 RON 35.91

1.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.60 MKD 415

$4.16 RON 19.69

82.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.91 MKD 813

$8.62 RON 40.77

72.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 MKD 81.1

$1.10 RON 5.19

35.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 MKD 76.5

$1.39 RON 6.59

0.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 MKD 75.0

$1.27 RON 6.02

7.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 MKD 103

$1.45 RON 6.87

29.66%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 MKD 48.99

$0.43 RON 2.06

109.30%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 MKD 45.65

$0.60 RON 2.85

40.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 MKD 31.66

$0.40 RON 1.89

45.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MKD 30.17

$0.77 RON 3.65

-28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.50 MKD 191

$6.27 RON 29.65

-44.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.13 MKD 389

$4.19 RON 19.84

70.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MKD 58.6

$0.98 RON 4.64

9.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 MKD 81.9

$1.39 RON 6.58

7.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 MKD 38.54

$0.44 RON 2.08

61.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.22 MKD 1,485

$12.59 RON 59.6

116.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 MKD 61.1

$0.60 RON 2.85

86.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MKD 31.57

$0.61 RON 2.87

-4.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.50 MKD 409

$6.21 RON 29.37

20.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MKD 87.0

$1.63 RON 7.74

-2.45%

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

$33.6K MKD 1.8M

$28.1K RON 132.8K

19.56%

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

$26.5K MKD 1.4M

$25.1K RON 118.6K

5.72%

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

$157 MKD 8,569

$164 RON 777

-4.32%

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

$18.34 MKD 1,000

$6.23 RON 29.48

194.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.32 MKD 1,054

$6.75 RON 31.92

186.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.60 MKD 2,105

$47.96 RON 227

-19.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.11 MKD 933

$53.2 RON 252

-67.83%

Cinema Ticket

$7.37 MKD 402

$8.23 RON 38.94

-10.45%

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

$356 MKD 19.4K

$399 RON 1,888

-10.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,733 MKD 312.7K

$5,817 RON 27.5K

-1.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.7 MKD 4,512

$73.4 RON 347

12.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.07 MKD 2,022

$21.12 RON 99.9

75.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MKD 5,508

$90.8 RON 430

11.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 MKD 6,107

$96.8 RON 458

15.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$421 MKD 23.0K

$310 RON 1,465

35.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$321 MKD 17.5K

$186 RON 880

72.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$734 MKD 40.0K

$414 RON 1,958

77.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$504 MKD 27.5K

$321 RON 1,517

57.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,703 MKD 147.4K

$1,187 RON 5,614

127.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,854 MKD 101.1K

$946 RON 4,474

96.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$875 MKD 47.7K

$714 RON 3,380

22.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.23

7.85

-46.11%

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

Last update for Skopje: October 18, 2026

Last update for Calarasi: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Skopje

$321 28.8%

Calarasi

$186 21% 42.1% $135

Groceries & Markets

Skopje

$210 18.8%

Calarasi

$166 18.8% 20.9% $44

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Skopje

$195 17.5%

Calarasi

$177 20% 9% $18

Eating Out

Skopje

$152 13.6%

Calarasi

$146 16.5% 4.1% $6.2

Clothing & Footwear

Skopje

$150 13.4%

Calarasi

$127 14.4% 15.2% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Skopje

$53 4.8%

Calarasi

$64 7.3% 20.8% $11

Getting Around

Skopje

$34 3.1%

Calarasi

$18 2% 47.2% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $421 in Skopje versus $310 in Calarasi. 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 22% higher in Skopje, 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 $34.00 in Calarasi. Groceries tell a different story – $210 in Skopje vs $166 in Calarasi – so Calarasi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇲🇰 Skopje

🇷🇴 Calarasi

🕒 Local time

13:40 1:40 PM

14:40 2:40 PM

1 h ahead of Skopje

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

422,540 Capital

65,181

💱 Currency

North Macedonian Denar MKD ден

Romanian Leu RON lei

📈 Exchange rate

100 MKD = 1.83 USD

100 MKD = 1.63 EUR

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.188 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RON, USD, EUR to MKD – North Macedonian Denar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇰 North Macedonian Denar (ден)

North Macedonian Denar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 54.55 MKD (100 MKD = 1.83 USD). 1 EUR = 61.33 MKD (100 MKD = 1.63 EUR).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.32 RON (1 RON = 0.188 EUR).

USD to MKD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Skopje Calarasi 540 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Skopje
Calarasi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Calarasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,115 in Skopje, $884 in Calarasi – roughly 26% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,672 per month in Skopje and $1,326 in Calarasi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $356 per month in Skopje and $399 in Calarasi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% more in Skopje, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Calarasi, where all-in costs run around $884, than in Skopje at $1,115. In Calarasi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Skopje it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Skopje has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $884 in Calarasi to $1,115 in Skopje. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Calarasi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Skopje makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.