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: $1,168 in Skopje versus $894 in Piatra Neamt.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,738 in Skopje versus $1,344 in Piatra Neamt.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,308 in Skopje versus $1,794 in Piatra Neamt.

Living in Skopje is roughly 31% more expensive than in Piatra Neamt, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Skopje 15% lower, Piatra Neamt 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.46 MKD 499

$11.49 RON 51.9

-17.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.97 MKD 1,793

$34.65 RON 157

-1.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.73 MKD 355

$7.92 RON 35.77

-15.03%

Cappuccino

$2.13 MKD 113

$2.79 RON 12.59

-23.66%

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

$1.88 MKD 99.1

$2.31 RON 10.42

-18.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 MKD 68.7

$1.82 RON 8.23

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.77 MKD 146

$2.49 RON 11.26

11.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 MKD 166

$2.69 RON 12.15

17.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MKD 68.1

$1.60 RON 7.22

-19.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 MKD 43.13

$0.96 RON 4.36

-14.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MKD 100

$1.85 RON 8.38

2.70%

Eggs

$2.47 MKD 130

$3.70 RON 16.71

-33.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.81 MKD 465

$8.03 RON 36.29

9.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.56 MKD 399

$6.23 RON 28.13

21.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.11 MKD 797

$10.19 RON 46.03

48.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 MKD 78.0

$1.21 RON 5.46

22.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MKD 79.1

$1.42 RON 6.43

5.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 MKD 72.7

$1.30 RON 5.89

6.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MKD 109

$2.40 RON 10.86

-14.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 MKD 46.31

$0.59 RON 2.66

49.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 MKD 44.23

$0.63 RON 2.85

33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 MKD 34.17

$0.90 RON 4.09

-27.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MKD 30.81

$0.71 RON 3.23

-18.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.66 MKD 193

$5.99 RON 27.08

-38.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.47 MKD 394

$5.03 RON 22.71

48.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MKD 55.1

$0.94 RON 4.27

10.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 MKD 83.5

$1.15 RON 5.21

37.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 MKD 41.28

$0.65 RON 2.93

20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.82 MKD 1,468

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 MKD 59.1

$0.71 RON 3.21

57.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 MKD 35.49

$0.71 RON 3.21

-5.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 MKD 416

$6.77 RON 30.58

16.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MKD 85.3

$1.70 RON 7.68

-4.71%

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

$37.5K MKD 2.0M

$29.8K RON 134.4K

25.91%

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

$28.0K MKD 1.5M

$27.5K RON 124.2K

1.64%

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

$166 MKD 8,735

$130 RON 586

27.52%

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

$19.14 MKD 1,010

$7.48 RON 33.81

155.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.69 MKD 1,039

$5.91 RON 26.72

233.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.57 MKD 2,036

$33.23 RON 150

16.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.23 MKD 962

$8.61 RON 38.92

111.73%

Cinema Ticket

$7.31 MKD 386

$5.90 RON 26.65

23.90%

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

$390 MKD 20.6K

$468 RON 2,116

-16.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,550 MKD 292.9K

$7,274 RON 32.9K

-23.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.6 MKD 4,727

$53.7 RON 243

66.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.15 MKD 2,119

$36.85 RON 166

8.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MKD 5,671

$77.7 RON 351

38.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 MKD 6,142

$84.3 RON 381

38.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 MKD 23.5K

$292 RON 1,321

52.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 MKD 17.8K

$195 RON 882

72.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$764 MKD 40.3K

$432 RON 1,950

76.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$530 MKD 28.0K

$273 RON 1,233

94.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,710 MKD 143.0K

$2,410 RON 10.9K

12.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,869 MKD 98.6K

$1,964 RON 8,873

-4.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$896 MKD 47.3K

$1,415 RON 6,394

-36.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

6.63

-35.90%

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

Last update for Skopje: August 29, 2026

Last update for Piatra Neamt: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Skopje and $292 in Piatra Neamt. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Piatra Neamt pays 58% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $34.00 in Skopje vs $35.00 in Piatra Neamt. Groceries flip the comparison at $218 vs $198, 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 31% in total monthly costs ($1,168 vs $894 including rent). Piatra Neamt is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 58% 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: $445 in Skopje versus $292 in Piatra Neamt. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Skopje. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,168 per month in Skopje versus $894 in Piatra Neamt – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $894 in Piatra Neamt versus $1,168 in Skopje, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Piatra Neamt but tight or insufficient in Skopje. The gap between the two cities makes Piatra Neamt the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 31% less than in Skopje. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.