Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Makhachkala Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Makhachkala

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,094 per month in Skopje vs $978 in Makhachkala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,636 per month in Skopje vs $1,472 in Makhachkala, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,178 per month in Skopje vs $1,966 in Makhachkala, rent included.

Skopje costs about 12% more than Makhachkala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Skopje and Makhachkala are more affordable than the global median – Skopje 18% lower, Makhachkala 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.42 MKD 399

$15.75 ₽1,256

-52.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.79 MKD 1,817

$40.00 ₽3,191

-15.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.65 MKD 357

$4.96 ₽395

34.07%

Cappuccino

$2.24 MKD 120

$3.27 ₽261

-31.50%

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

$2.04 MKD 110

$0.78 ₽62.5

161.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 MKD 69.5

$0.33 ₽26.31

290.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.60 MKD 140

$1.36 ₽108

91.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 MKD 184

$2.50 ₽200

37.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 MKD 68.5

$1.55 ₽124

-18.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 MKD 45.08

$0.61 ₽48.70

37.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MKD 91.0

$1.37 ₽109

23.36%

Eggs

$2.17 MKD 117

$1.43 ₽114

51.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 MKD 498

$3.05 ₽243

203.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.00 MKD 430

$4.92 ₽392

62.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.41 MKD 721

$4.98 ₽397

169.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 MKD 55.0

$1.72 ₽137

-40.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MKD 73.4

$1.75 ₽140

-21.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 MKD 73.5

$2.71 ₽216

-49.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MKD 112

$1.82 ₽145

14.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 MKD 47.21

$0.83 ₽66.0

6.02%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 MKD 51.9

$0.46 ₽36.38

110.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 MKD 39.24

$2.39 ₽191

-69.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MKD 31.62

$0.59 ₽46.81

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.26 MKD 175

$3.19 ₽254

2.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.56 MKD 407

$3.78 ₽302

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MKD 56.7

$1.00 ₽79.7

5.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 MKD 83.5

$1.93 ₽154

-19.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MKD 41.38

$0.43 ₽34.22

79.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.16 MKD 1,514

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MKD 52.6

$2.23 ₽178

-56.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MKD 28.46

$0.20 ₽16.14

165.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.71 MKD 415

$6.53 ₽521

18.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 MKD 79.1

$0.66 ₽52.5

122.73%

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

$34.2K MKD 1.8M

$35.7K ₽2.8M

-4.03%

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

$29.4K MKD 1.6M

$30.1K ₽2.4M

-2.29%

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

$160 MKD 8,582

$53.9 ₽4,297

196.32%

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

$17.94 MKD 965

$6.37 ₽508

181.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.42 MKD 1,044

$9.78 ₽780

98.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.64 MKD 2,078

$47.75 ₽3,809

-19.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.95 MKD 965

Cinema Ticket

$6.44 MKD 346

$5.12 ₽408

25.78%

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

$312 MKD 16.8K

$168 ₽13.4K

86.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,479 MKD 240.8K

$6,929 ₽552.7K

-35.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.2 MKD 4,096

$105 ₽8,352

-27.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.60 MKD 2,129

$45.18 ₽3,604

-12.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 MKD 5,391

$105 ₽8,362

-4.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 MKD 5,984

$144 ₽11.5K

-22.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$422 MKD 22.7K

$510 ₽40.7K

-17.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 MKD 16.6K

$304 ₽24.3K

1.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 MKD 34.5K

$706 ₽56.3K

-9.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 MKD 25.1K

$404 ₽32.2K

15.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,687 MKD 144.5K

$1,638 ₽130.6K

64.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,745 MKD 93.8K

$1,181 ₽94.2K

47.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$882 MKD 47.4K

$814 ₽64.9K

8.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.54

11.33

-59.93%

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

Last update for Skopje: July 27, 2026

Last update for Makhachkala: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $422 in Skopje versus $510 in Makhachkala. 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 8% 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 $40.00 in Makhachkala. Groceries tell a different story – $212 in Skopje vs $157 in Makhachkala – so Makhachkala 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 Makhachkala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Skopje is pricier by about 12%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,641 per month in Skopje and $1,468 in Makhachkala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,094 in Skopje and $978 in Makhachkala. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $312 per month in Skopje and $168 in Makhachkala. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Makhachkala, where all-in costs run around $978, than in Skopje at $1,094. In Makhachkala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Skopje it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Makhachkala – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Makhachkala. 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.