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 $966 in Makhachkala, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,600 per month in Skopje vs $1,476 in Makhachkala, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,107 per month in Skopje vs $1,987 in Makhachkala, rent included.

Skopje costs about 13% more than Makhachkala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Skopje and Makhachkala are more affordable than the global median – Skopje 19% lower, Makhachkala 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.64 MKD 400

$15.62 ₽1,188

-51.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.25 MKD 1,791

$38.69 ₽2,943

-11.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.76 MKD 354

$5.19 ₽395

30.25%

Cappuccino

$2.27 MKD 119

$3.24 ₽246

-29.94%

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

$1.94 MKD 102

$0.84 ₽63.6

130.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 MKD 67.9

$0.35 ₽26.81

271.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.58 MKD 135

$1.37 ₽104

88.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 MKD 175

$2.57 ₽195

30.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 MKD 67.0

$1.51 ₽115

-15.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 MKD 42.75

$0.65 ₽49.55

26.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MKD 87.9

$1.38 ₽105

21.74%

Eggs

$2.26 MKD 118

$1.38 ₽105

63.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.94 MKD 468

$2.99 ₽227

199.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.06 MKD 421

$4.81 ₽366

67.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.89 MKD 726

$5.05 ₽384

175.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.05 MKD 55.2

$1.82 ₽138

-42.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 MKD 74.5

$1.77 ₽134

-19.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 MKD 68.7

$2.80 ₽213

-53.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 MKD 111

$1.91 ₽145

11.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 MKD 42.34

$0.82 ₽62.2

-1.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 MKD 47.55

$0.49 ₽36.98

85.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 MKD 38.15

$2.48 ₽189

-70.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MKD 29.18

$0.60 ₽45.39

-6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.14 MKD 164

$3.23 ₽245

-2.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.51 MKD 393

$8.61 ₽655

-12.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 MKD 55.5

$1.00 ₽76.3

6.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 MKD 80.9

$1.86 ₽142

-16.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 MKD 40.60

$0.42 ₽32.02

85.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.59 MKD 1,495

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 MKD 47.44

$2.23 ₽170

-59.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 25.73

$0.22 ₽16.69

122.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.55 MKD 395

$6.50 ₽494

16.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 MKD 79.0

$0.71 ₽53.9

112.68%

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

$34.4K MKD 1.8M

$35.5K ₽2.7M

-3.08%

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

$30.1K MKD 1.6M

$30.0K ₽2.3M

0.53%

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

$161 MKD 8,414

$54.3 ₽4,130

196.28%

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

$17.82 MKD 932

$6.32 ₽481

181.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.01 MKD 994

$9.94 ₽756

91.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.45 MKD 2,063

$47.60 ₽3,620

-17.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.52 MKD 917

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 MKD 336

$5.02 ₽382

27.89%

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

$324 MKD 16.9K

$169 ₽12.9K

91.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,476 MKD 234.1K

$6,894 ₽524.3K

-35.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.3 MKD 4,040

$103 ₽7,818

-24.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.77 MKD 2,080

$44.15 ₽3,358

-9.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 MKD 5,225

$104 ₽7,877

-3.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 MKD 5,763

$145 ₽11.1K

-24.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$422 MKD 22.0K

$498 ₽37.9K

-15.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 MKD 16.2K

$304 ₽23.1K

1.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$642 MKD 33.6K

$700 ₽53.2K

-8.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$457 MKD 23.9K

$411 ₽31.3K

11.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,873 MKD 150.2K

$1,683 ₽128.0K

70.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,881 MKD 98.4K

$1,217 ₽92.6K

54.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$875 MKD 45.8K

$621 ₽47.3K

40.89%

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Makhachkala: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $422 in Skopje versus $498 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 41% 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 in Skopje versus $39 in Makhachkala. Groceries tell a different story – $213 in Skopje vs $168 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 13%, 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 $1,448 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 $966 in Makhachkala. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $324 per month in Skopje and $169 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 $966, 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.