Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Piestany Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Piestany

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,087 in Skopje versus $1,376 in Piestany.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,634 in Skopje versus $1,955 in Piestany.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,180 in Skopje versus $2,535 in Piestany.

Living in Skopje costs roughly 21% less than in Piestany, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Skopje is 19% below, Piestany is 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.58 MKD 407

$7.89 €6.91

-3.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.45 MKD 1,794

$29.51 €25.82

13.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.70 MKD 359

$10.52 €9.21

-36.31%

Cappuccino

$2.27 MKD 122

$3.13 €2.74

-27.48%

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

$2.03 MKD 109

$2.15 €1.88

-5.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 MKD 69.2

$1.65 €1.44

-21.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.66 MKD 143

$1.53 €1.34

73.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 MKD 180

$3.38 €2.96

-0.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MKD 69.4

$1.01 €0.88

27.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 MKD 40.80

$1.32 €1.15

-42.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MKD 89.6

$0.96 €0.84

73.96%

Eggs

$2.21 MKD 119

$2.88 €2.52

-23.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.13 MKD 490

$12.23 €10.70

-25.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.78 MKD 417

$7.00 €6.12

11.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.71 MKD 735

$12.75 €11.15

7.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 MKD 57.1

$2.05 €1.79

-48.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MKD 76.8

$1.46 €1.28

-2.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 MKD 72.5

$2.27 €1.99

-40.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MKD 116

$4.81 €4.21

-54.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 MKD 47.75

$1.90 €1.67

-53.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 MKD 48.45

$1.82 €1.59

-50.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 MKD 36.92

$1.54 €1.35

-55.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MKD 29.70

$0.66 €0.58

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 MKD 170

$5.49 €4.80

-42.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.26 MKD 389

$5.18 €4.53

40.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MKD 57.2

$1.17 €1.02

-8.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MKD 81.5

$1.88 €1.64

-19.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MKD 40.94

$1.01 €0.89

-24.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.58 MKD 1,533

$28.81 €25.20

-0.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MKD 51.6

$1.37 €1.20

-29.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MKD 26.01

$1.06 €0.93

-54.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.41 MKD 397

$31.79 €27.81

-76.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 MKD 79.7

$1.76 €1.54

-15.34%

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

$33.7K MKD 1.8M

$27.7K €24.2K

21.58%

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

$29.3K MKD 1.6M

$30.3K €26.5K

-3.49%

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

$160 MKD 8,574

$244 €213

-34.43%

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

$18.05 MKD 968

$17.55 €15.36

2.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.13 MKD 1,026

$17.59 €15.39

8.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.66 MKD 2,074

$43.00 €37.62

-10.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.36 MKD 931

$17.22 €15.07

0.81%

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 MKD 355

$8.14 €7.12

-18.67%

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

$320 MKD 17.2K

$668 €584

-52.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,642 MKD 249.0K

$12.8K €11.2K

-63.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.5 MKD 4,157

$46.61 €40.78

66.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.16 MKD 2,154

$24.89 €21.78

61.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 MKD 5,364

$58.5 €51.2

70.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 MKD 5,913

$46.92 €41.05

134.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 MKD 22.8K

$593 €519

-28.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 MKD 16.6K

$487 €426

-36.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 MKD 34.6K

$964 €843

-33.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$463 MKD 24.8K

$741 €648

-37.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,731 MKD 146.5K

$3,418 €2,991

-20.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,740 MKD 93.3K

$2,487 €2,176

-30.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$886 MKD 47.5K

$1,154 €1,010

-23.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.54

4.25

6.82%

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

Last update for Skopje: July 11, 2026

Last update for Piestany: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $425 in Skopje and $593 in Piestany. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Piestany pays 30% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Skopje vs $30.00 in Piestany. Groceries flip the comparison at $210 vs $244, with Skopje 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 Piestany: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Skopje is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 30% lower in Piestany. 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 $593 in Piestany. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Skopje – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $30.00 in Piestany. 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 $1,376 in Piestany – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,087 in Skopje versus $1,376 in Piestany, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Skopje but tight or insufficient in Piestany. The gap between the two cities makes Skopje the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Skopje is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Piestany, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Skopje and Piestany 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 Skopje gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Piestany. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.