Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Iasi Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Iasi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,087 per month in Skopje vs $1,156 in Iasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,634 per month in Skopje vs $1,753 in Iasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,180 per month in Skopje vs $2,350 in Iasi, rent included.

Skopje is about 6% cheaper than Iasi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Skopje and Iasi are more affordable than the global median – Skopje 19% lower, Iasi 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.58 MKD 407

$10.39 RON 47.70

-27.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.45 MKD 1,796

$51.6 RON 237

-35.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.70 MKD 360

$7.12 RON 32.67

-5.90%

Cappuccino

$2.27 MKD 122

$2.63 RON 12.09

-13.69%

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

$2.03 MKD 109

$2.11 RON 9.67

-3.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 MKD 69.3

$1.71 RON 7.86

-24.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.66 MKD 143

$2.47 RON 11.35

7.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 MKD 180

$3.36 RON 15.43

-0.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MKD 69.5

$1.43 RON 6.55

-9.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 MKD 40.83

$1.22 RON 5.59

-37.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MKD 89.7

$1.89 RON 8.66

-11.64%

Eggs

$2.21 MKD 119

$3.09 RON 14.16

-28.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.13 MKD 490

$8.12 RON 37.29

12.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.78 MKD 418

$6.93 RON 31.79

12.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.71 MKD 736

$10.88 RON 49.95

26.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 MKD 57.1

$1.23 RON 5.66

-13.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MKD 76.8

$1.55 RON 7.14

-7.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 MKD 72.6

$1.71 RON 7.86

-21.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MKD 116

$1.92 RON 8.80

13.02%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 MKD 47.79

$0.94 RON 4.31

-5.32%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 MKD 48.49

$1.00 RON 4.60

-10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 MKD 36.95

$1.00 RON 4.59

-31.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MKD 29.72

$0.86 RON 3.94

-36.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 MKD 171

$6.28 RON 28.81

-49.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.26 MKD 390

$6.39 RON 29.32

13.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MKD 57.3

$1.10 RON 5.04

-2.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MKD 81.5

$1.92 RON 8.83

-20.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MKD 40.98

$0.79 RON 3.65

-3.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.58 MKD 1,534

$27.96 RON 128

2.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MKD 51.6

$0.94 RON 4.31

2.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MKD 26.03

$0.71 RON 3.26

-32.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.41 MKD 398

$8.14 RON 37.36

-8.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 MKD 79.7

$1.68 RON 7.71

-11.31%

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

$33.7K MKD 1.8M

$28.5K RON 130.9K

18.02%

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

$29.3K MKD 1.6M

$27.7K RON 127.2K

5.59%

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

$160 MKD 8,580

$157 RON 718

2.13%

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

$18.05 MKD 969

$8.51 RON 39.08

112.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.13 MKD 1,027

$10.26 RON 47.09

86.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.66 MKD 2,075

$47.27 RON 217

-18.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.36 MKD 932

$18.50 RON 84.9

-6.16%

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 MKD 356

$8.00 RON 36.74

-17.25%

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

$320 MKD 17.2K

$471 RON 2,160

-31.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,642 MKD 249.2K

$6,866 RON 31.5K

-32.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.5 MKD 4,160

$61.0 RON 280

27.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.16 MKD 2,156

$43.56 RON 200

-7.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 MKD 5,368

$86.8 RON 398

15.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 MKD 5,918

$87.5 RON 401

26.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 MKD 22.8K

$473 RON 2,172

-10.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 MKD 16.6K

$359 RON 1,649

-13.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 MKD 34.6K

$742 RON 3,405

-13.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$463 MKD 24.8K

$533 RON 2,448

-13.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,731 MKD 146.6K

$2,911 RON 13.4K

-6.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,740 MKD 93.4K

$1,932 RON 8,869

-9.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$886 MKD 47.6K

$1,182 RON 5,426

-25.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.54

7.37

-38.40%

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

Last update for Skopje: July 11, 2026

Last update for Iasi: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Skopje versus $473 in Iasi. 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 33% higher in Iasi, 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 $52.0 in Iasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $210 vs $211 – making Skopje the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Iasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,087 in Skopje, $1,156 in Iasi – roughly 6% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,631 per month in Skopje and $1,734 in Iasi. 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.

Public transport costs about 2% less in Skopje. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $320 per month in Skopje and $471 in Iasi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Skopje, where all-in costs run around $1,087, than in Iasi at $1,156. In Skopje it covers expenses comfortably, while in Iasi 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 $1,087 in Skopje to $1,156 in Iasi. 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 Skopje. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Iasi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.