Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Koh Samui Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Koh Samui

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,087 per month in Skopje vs $1,241 in Koh Samui, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,634 per month in Skopje vs $2,231 in Koh Samui, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,180 per month in Skopje vs $3,221 in Koh Samui, rent included.

Skopje is about 12% cheaper than Koh Samui, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Skopje and Koh Samui are more affordable than the global median – Skopje 19% lower, Koh Samui 7% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Skopje
Koh Samui
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.58 MKD 407
$4.60 ฿154
64.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$33.45 MKD 1,794
$45.95 ฿1,543
-27.20%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.70 MKD 359
$8.54 ฿287
-21.55%
Cappuccino
$2.27 MKD 122
$3.03 ฿102
-25.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03 MKD 109
$0.68 ฿22.96
198.53%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.29 MKD 69.2
$0.36 ฿12.17
258.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.66 MKD 143
$2.52 ฿84.5
5.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.35 MKD 180
$3.79 ฿127
-11.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Skopje
Koh Samui
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.29 MKD 69.4
$2.23 ฿75.0
-42.15%
White Bread (500g)
$0.76 MKD 40.80
$1.83 ฿61.5
-58.47%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.67 MKD 89.6
$2.27 ฿76.2
-26.43%
Eggs
$2.21 MKD 119
$2.24 ฿75.2
-1.34%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.13 MKD 490
$19.51 ฿655
-53.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.78 MKD 417
$3.75 ฿126
107.47%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.71 MKD 735
$13.49 ฿453
1.63%
Apples (1kg)
$1.06 MKD 57.1
$3.36 ฿113
-68.45%
Banana (1kg)
$1.43 MKD 76.8
$1.68 ฿56.5
-14.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.35 MKD 72.5
$2.31 ฿77.7
-41.56%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.17 MKD 116
$2.08 ฿69.8
4.33%
Potato (1kg)
$0.89 MKD 47.75
$1.59 ฿53.3
-44.03%
Onion (1kg)
$0.90 MKD 48.45
$1.50 ฿50.4
-40.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.69 MKD 36.92
$1.01 ฿33.95
-31.68%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 MKD 29.70
$0.52 ฿17.59
5.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.18 MKD 170
$4.33 ฿145
-26.56%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.26 MKD 389
$18.53 ฿622
-60.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 MKD 57.2
$1.77 ฿59.5
-39.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.52 MKD 81.5
$2.81 ฿94.2
-45.91%
🚌 Getting Around
Skopje
Koh Samui
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.76 MKD 40.94
$1.42 ฿47.81
-46.48%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.58 MKD 1,533
$45.97 ฿1,543
-37.83%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.96 MKD 51.6
$3.17 ฿106
-69.72%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.48 MKD 26.01
$1.05 ฿35.11
-54.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.41 MKD 397
$14.69 ฿493
-49.56%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 MKD 79.7
$1.42 ฿47.71
4.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.7K MKD 1.8M
$29.5K ฿991.0K
14.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.3K MKD 1.6M
$35.0K ฿1.2M
-16.48%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Skopje
Koh Samui
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$160 MKD 8,574
$129 ฿4,331
23.90%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.05 MKD 968
$14.14 ฿475
27.65%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.13 MKD 1,026
$19.57 ฿657
-2.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Skopje
Koh Samui
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.66 MKD 2,074
$63.5 ฿2,131
-39.10%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.36 MKD 931
$17.73 ฿595
-2.09%
Cinema Ticket
$6.62 MKD 355
$9.28 ฿311
-28.66%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Skopje
Koh Samui
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$320 MKD 17.2K
$763 ฿25.6K
-58.06%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,642 MKD 249.0K
$17.2K ฿578.3K
-73.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Skopje
Koh Samui
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$77.5 MKD 4,157
$58.9 ฿1,976
31.67%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.16 MKD 2,154
$34.45 ฿1,156
16.57%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100 MKD 5,364
$116 ฿3,896
-13.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 MKD 5,913
$85.6 ฿2,875
28.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Skopje
Koh Samui
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$425 MKD 22.8K
$515 ฿17.3K
-17.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$310 MKD 16.6K
$371 ฿12.5K
-16.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$645 MKD 34.6K
$1,735 ฿58.2K
-62.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$463 MKD 24.8K
$1,278 ฿42.9K
-63.80%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,731 MKD 146.5K
$2,973 ฿99.8K
-8.14%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,740 MKD 93.3K
$2,121 ฿71.2K
-17.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Skopje
Koh Samui
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$886 MKD 47.5K
$392 ฿13.1K
126.23%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.54
5.33
-14.82%

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

Last update for Skopje: July 11, 2026

Last update for Koh Samui: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Skopje versus $515 in Koh Samui. 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 126% higher in Skopje, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Skopje versus $46.00 in Koh Samui. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $210 vs $293 – 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 Koh Samui: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Skopje and in Koh Samui compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,087 in Skopje, $1,241 in Koh Samui – roughly 14% apart. Koh Samui costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Skopje compared to Koh Samui?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,631 per month in Skopje and $1,861 in Koh Samui. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Skopje and Koh Samui?
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.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 39% more in Koh Samui, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Skopje and $46.00 in Koh Samui. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Skopje, where all-in costs run around $1,087, than in Koh Samui at $1,241. In Skopje it covers expenses comfortably, while in Koh Samui it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Skopje and Koh Samui?
It depends on your priorities. Koh Samui has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,087 in Skopje to $1,241 in Koh Samui. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Skopje or Koh Samui safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Skopje and Koh Samui?
If budget matters most, go with Skopje. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Koh Samui makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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