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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,182 per month in Skopje vs $1,287 in Iasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,723 per month in Skopje vs $1,944 in Iasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,263 per month in Skopje vs $2,601 in Iasi, rent included.

Skopje is about 8% cheaper than Iasi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Skopje and Iasi are more affordable than the global median – Skopje 14% lower, Iasi 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.68 MKD 511

$11.18 RON 50.6

-13.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.37 MKD 1,816

$44.31 RON 201

-22.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.65 MKD 351

$7.84 RON 35.52

-15.18%

Cappuccino

$2.23 MKD 118

$2.97 RON 13.45

-24.92%

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

$1.86 MKD 98.5

$2.21 RON 10.02

-15.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 MKD 67.6

$1.91 RON 8.66

-32.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 MKD 148

$3.38 RON 15.30

-16.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 MKD 172

$3.90 RON 17.65

-16.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 MKD 70.4

$1.67 RON 7.55

-20.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 MKD 41.46

$1.38 RON 6.26

-43.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 MKD 102

$2.05 RON 9.29

-5.37%

Eggs

$2.47 MKD 131

$3.52 RON 15.94

-29.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.73 MKD 461

$8.36 RON 37.88

4.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.49 MKD 396

$6.64 RON 30.08

12.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.07 MKD 796

$10.43 RON 47.22

44.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.53 MKD 80.7

$1.45 RON 6.58

5.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MKD 79.0

$1.71 RON 7.72

-12.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 MKD 73.0

$1.78 RON 8.06

-22.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MKD 110

$2.26 RON 10.25

-7.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 MKD 48.78

$0.88 RON 4.00

4.55%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 MKD 44.24

$0.90 RON 4.07

-6.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 MKD 32.51

$1.22 RON 5.51

-49.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MKD 30.31

$1.01 RON 4.58

-43.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.63 MKD 192

$6.82 RON 30.90

-46.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.37 MKD 389

$6.51 RON 29.47

13.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MKD 57.5

$1.40 RON 6.33

-22.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 MKD 82.3

$2.22 RON 10.05

-29.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 MKD 42.10

$0.85 RON 3.84

-5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.14 MKD 1,487

$28.56 RON 129

-1.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 MKD 58.4

$0.93 RON 4.20

19.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 MKD 35.75

$0.92 RON 4.14

-26.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.98 MKD 422

$8.71 RON 39.44

-8.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MKD 81.2

$1.84 RON 8.35

-16.30%

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

$37.0K MKD 2.0M

$30.0K RON 135.7K

23.56%

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

$28.4K MKD 1.5M

$28.6K RON 129.6K

-0.78%

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

$168 MKD 8,854

$191 RON 865

-12.26%

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

$19.55 MKD 1,033

$7.82 RON 35.41

150.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.73 MKD 1,042

$9.07 RON 41.07

117.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.05 MKD 2,010

$46.91 RON 212

-18.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.83 MKD 942

$16.58 RON 75.1

7.54%

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 MKD 377

$8.78 RON 39.77

-18.79%

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

$389 MKD 20.5K

$414 RON 1,874

-6.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,501 MKD 290.6K

$7,254 RON 32.8K

-24.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.6 MKD 4,837

$74.3 RON 337

23.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.71 MKD 2,098

$40.27 RON 182

-1.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MKD 5,629

$94.5 RON 428

12.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 MKD 6,023

$96.1 RON 435

18.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 MKD 23.4K

$558 RON 2,525

-20.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 MKD 17.9K

$448 RON 2,031

-24.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$750 MKD 39.6K

$932 RON 4,222

-19.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 MKD 28.3K

$692 RON 3,135

-22.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,778 MKD 146.8K

$2,998 RON 13.6K

-7.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,892 MKD 99.9K

$1,996 RON 9,041

-5.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$906 MKD 47.9K

$1,203 RON 5,450

-24.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

7.18

-40.81%

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

Last update for Skopje: September 6, 2026

Last update for Iasi: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $443 in Skopje versus $558 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 $34.00 in Skopje versus $44.00 in Iasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $217 vs $224 – 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: $1,182 in Skopje, $1,287 in Iasi – roughly 9% apart. Iasi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,774 per month in Skopje and $1,931 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 1% less in Skopje. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $389 per month in Skopje and $414 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 $1,182, than in Iasi at $1,287. 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 $1,182 in Skopje to $1,287 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.