Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Prilep

For one person, living is cheaper in Prilep: $730 a month against $1,112 in Skopje, rent and utilities included – about $4,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Skopje, North Macedonia
Prilep, North Macedonia
Skopje
🇲🇰 North Macedonia
$1,112
/mo nomad
Prilep
🇲🇰 North Macedonia
$730
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Skopje and in Prilep

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Skopje and in Prilep actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,112 per month in Skopje vs $730 in Prilep, rent included.

  • Skopje $1,112
  • Prilep $730

A couple spends around $1,657 per month in Skopje vs $1,110 in Prilep, rent included.

  • Skopje $1,657
  • Prilep $1,110

A family of three spends $2,202 per month in Skopje vs $1,489 in Prilep, rent included.

  • Skopje $2,202
  • Prilep $1,489

Skopje costs about 52% more than Prilep, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Skopje and Prilep are more affordable than the global median – Skopje 18% lower, Prilep 46% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Skopje
Prilep
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.68 MKD 532
$3.90 MKD 215
148.21%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.35 MKD 1,889
$27.36 MKD 1,505
25.55%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.52 MKD 359
$5.77 MKD 317
13.00%
Cappuccino
$2.14 MKD 118
$1.43 MKD 78.6
49.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.81 MKD 99.6
$1.61 MKD 88.4
12.42%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 MKD 75.9
$1.18 MKD 64.8
16.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.68 MKD 147
$1.58 MKD 87.1
69.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.03 MKD 167
$1.96 MKD 108
54.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Skopje
Prilep
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.28 MKD 70.2
$1.13 MKD 62.3
13.27%
White Bread (500g)
$0.74 MKD 40.78
$0.67 MKD 37.09
10.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.85 MKD 102
$1.55 MKD 85.4
19.35%
Eggs
$2.50 MKD 137
$2.04 MKD 112
22.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.11 MKD 446
$6.95 MKD 383
16.69%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.36 MKD 405
$5.88 MKD 323
25.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.00 MKD 825
$11.23 MKD 618
33.57%
Apples (1kg)
$1.43 MKD 78.5
$0.85 MKD 46.53
68.24%
Banana (1kg)
$1.41 MKD 77.3
$1.34 MKD 73.8
5.22%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.31 MKD 72.3
$1.00 MKD 55.2
31.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.86 MKD 103
$1.24 MKD 68.3
50.00%
Potato (1kg)
$0.88 MKD 48.32
$0.75 MKD 41.43
17.33%
Onion (1kg)
$0.78 MKD 42.75
$0.85 MKD 46.76
-8.24%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.63 MKD 34.65
$0.58 MKD 32.03
8.62%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.59 MKD 32.34
$0.44 MKD 24.38
34.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.36 MKD 185
$2.89 MKD 159
16.26%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.48 MKD 411
$5.09 MKD 280
46.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.06 MKD 58.4
$1.01 MKD 55.4
4.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50 MKD 82.3
$1.18 MKD 64.9
27.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Skopje
Prilep
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.71 MKD 38.83
$0.35 MKD 19.07
102.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.73 MKD 1,415
$18.30 MKD 1,006
40.60%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.08 MKD 59.2
$1.11 MKD 60.8
-2.70%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.57 MKD 31.62
$0.60 MKD 33.14
-5.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.50 MKD 413
$6.47 MKD 356
15.92%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.59 MKD 87.5
$1.47 MKD 81.1
8.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.3K MKD 1.9M
$33.1K MKD 1.8M
3.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1K MKD 1.4M
$26.5K MKD 1.5M
-1.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Skopje
Prilep
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$158 MKD 8,710
$123 MKD 6,778
28.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.80 MKD 1,034
$17.30 MKD 952
8.67%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.20 MKD 1,056
$13.82 MKD 760
38.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Skopje
Prilep
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.03 MKD 2,037
$20.03 MKD 1,102
84.87%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.35 MKD 954
$8.23 MKD 452
110.81%
Cinema Ticket
$7.44 MKD 409
$5.12 MKD 282
45.31%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Skopje
Prilep
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$369 MKD 20.3K
$277 MKD 15.2K
33.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,668 MKD 311.8K
$1,158 MKD 63.7K
389.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Skopje
Prilep
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.6 MKD 4,707
$37.29 MKD 2,051
129.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.99 MKD 2,035
$36.81 MKD 2,024
0.49%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 MKD 5,582
$67.2 MKD 3,695
51.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$112 MKD 6,176
$80.1 MKD 4,405
40.19%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Skopje
Prilep
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$394 MKD 21.6K
$229 MKD 12.6K
72.14%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$314 MKD 17.2K
$166 MKD 9,113
89.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$715 MKD 39.3K
$497 MKD 27.3K
43.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$483 MKD 26.6K
$276 MKD 15.2K
75.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,745 MKD 151.0K
$1,029 MKD 56.6K
166.77%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,844 MKD 101.4K
$807 MKD 44.4K
128.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Skopje
Prilep
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$876 MKD 48.2K
$603 MKD 33.2K
45.19%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.23
4.23
-

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

Last update for Skopje: October 24, 2026

Last update for Prilep: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Skopje
$314
Prilep
$166 47.2% $148
Groceries & Markets
Skopje
$211
Prilep
$168 20.3% $43
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Skopje
$196
Prilep
$154 21.4% $42
Eating Out
Skopje
$155
Prilep
$89 42.8% $66
Clothing & Footwear
Skopje
$151
Prilep
$100 34.2% $52
Sport & Entertainment
Skopje
$52
Prilep
$30 41.7% $22
Getting Around
Skopje
$33
Prilep
$24 26.8% $8.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $394 in Skopje versus $229 in Prilep. 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 45% 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 $27 in Prilep. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $211 vs $168 – making Prilep the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇰 Skopje
🇲🇰 Prilep
🕒 Local time
03:23 3:23 AM
03:23 3:23 AM
Same time as Skopje
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
422,540 Capital
63,308
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MKD – North Macedonian Denar Converter

North Macedonian Denar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 55 MKD (100 MKD = 1.82 USD). 1 EUR = 61.41 MKD (100 MKD = 1.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Skopje Prilep 73 km
From you
  • Skopje
  • Prilep

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Prilep: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Skopje or Prilep?
Skopje costs about 52% more than Prilep, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Skopje and in Prilep?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,667 per month in Skopje and $1,096 in Prilep. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Skopje or Prilep?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Prilep, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $229 there versus $394 in Skopje.
How do childcare costs compare in Skopje and in Prilep?
Kindergarten costs $369 per month in Skopje and $277 in Prilep. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Skopje or in Prilep?
Groceries cost about 26% more in Skopje, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Prilep – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Should I move to Skopje or to Prilep?
If budget matters most, go with Prilep. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Skopje makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Skopje vs other spots: cost of living compared

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