Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Piatra Neamt Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Piatra Neamt

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,087 in Skopje versus $936 in Piatra Neamt.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,634 in Skopje versus $1,444 in Piatra Neamt.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,180 in Skopje versus $1,952 in Piatra Neamt.

Living in Skopje is roughly 16% more expensive than in Piatra Neamt, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Skopje 19% lower, Piatra Neamt 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.58 MKD 407

$10.22 RON 46.86

-25.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.45 MKD 1,794

$36.92 RON 169

-9.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.70 MKD 359

$7.97 RON 36.54

-15.93%

Cappuccino

$2.27 MKD 122

$2.93 RON 13.43

-22.53%

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

$2.03 MKD 109

$1.99 RON 9.14

2.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 MKD 69.2

$1.95 RON 8.92

-33.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.66 MKD 143

$3.19 RON 14.62

-16.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 MKD 180

$2.84 RON 13.02

17.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MKD 69.4

$1.55 RON 7.11

-16.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 MKD 40.80

$1.12 RON 5.15

-32.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MKD 89.6

$1.83 RON 8.39

-8.74%

Eggs

$2.21 MKD 119

$3.36 RON 15.39

-34.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.13 MKD 490

$2.59 RON 11.89

252.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.78 MKD 417

$7.09 RON 32.53

9.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.71 MKD 735

$12.08 RON 55.4

13.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 MKD 57.1

$1.13 RON 5.18

-6.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MKD 76.8

$1.70 RON 7.78

-15.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 MKD 72.5

$1.60 RON 7.35

-15.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MKD 116

$2.40 RON 11.02

-9.58%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 MKD 47.75

$0.97 RON 4.43

-8.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 MKD 48.45

$1.08 RON 4.95

-16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 MKD 36.92

$0.94 RON 4.31

-26.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MKD 29.70

$0.79 RON 3.63

-30.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 MKD 170

$5.74 RON 26.33

-44.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.26 MKD 389

$4.85 RON 22.25

49.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MKD 57.2

$0.72 RON 3.30

48.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MKD 81.5

$1.14 RON 5.22

33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MKD 40.94

$0.66 RON 3.01

15.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.58 MKD 1,533

$20.06 RON 92.0

42.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MKD 51.6

$0.72 RON 3.29

33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MKD 26.01

$0.70 RON 3.23

-31.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.41 MKD 397

$6.85 RON 31.40

8.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 MKD 79.7

$1.58 RON 7.26

-5.70%

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

$33.7K MKD 1.8M

$28.3K RON 129.9K

18.84%

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

$29.3K MKD 1.6M

$27.7K RON 127.2K

5.51%

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

$160 MKD 8,574

$116 RON 533

37.64%

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

$18.05 MKD 968

$7.66 RON 35.14

135.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.13 MKD 1,026

$5.67 RON 26.02

237.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.66 MKD 2,074

$41.66 RON 191

-7.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.36 MKD 931

$9.08 RON 41.65

91.19%

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 MKD 355

$11.14 RON 51.1

-40.57%

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

$320 MKD 17.2K

$446 RON 2,048

-28.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,642 MKD 249.0K

$6,571 RON 30.1K

-29.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.5 MKD 4,157

$67.9 RON 312

14.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.16 MKD 2,154

$43.60 RON 200

-7.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 MKD 5,364

$95.0 RON 436

5.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 MKD 5,913

$100.0 RON 459

10.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 MKD 22.8K

$342 RON 1,570

24.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 MKD 16.6K

$206 RON 945

50.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 MKD 34.6K

$580 RON 2,662

11.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$463 MKD 24.8K

$339 RON 1,554

36.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,731 MKD 146.5K

$2,381 RON 10.9K

14.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,740 MKD 93.3K

$1,928 RON 8,842

-9.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$886 MKD 47.5K

$1,379 RON 6,322

-35.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.54

6.5

-30.15%

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

Last update for Skopje: July 11, 2026

Last update for Piatra Neamt: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $425 in Skopje and $342 in Piatra Neamt. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Piatra Neamt pays 56% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Skopje vs $37.00 in Piatra Neamt. Groceries flip the comparison at $210 vs $195, with Piatra Neamt cheaper for home cooking.

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 Piatra Neamt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Skopje and Piatra Neamt differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($1,087 vs $936 including rent). Piatra Neamt is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 56% lower in Piatra Neamt. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $425 in Skopje versus $342 in Piatra Neamt. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Piatra Neamt – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $33.00 in Skopje. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,087 per month in Skopje versus $936 in Piatra Neamt – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Piatra Neamt gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Skopje and Piatra Neamt are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Piatra Neamt gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Skopje. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.