Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Resen Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Resen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,083 in Skopje versus $909 in Resen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,616 in Skopje versus $1,378 in Resen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,149 in Skopje versus $1,846 in Resen.

Living in Skopje is roughly 19% more expensive than Resen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Skopje 19% lower, Resen 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.47 MKD 394

$5.52 MKD 291

35.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.48 MKD 1,818

$33.15 MKD 1,748

4.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.60 MKD 348

$6.55 MKD 345

0.76%

Cappuccino

$2.29 MKD 121

$2.20 MKD 116

4.09%

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

$1.96 MKD 103

$1.94 MKD 102

1.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 MKD 68.0

$1.22 MKD 64.6

5.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 MKD 135

$2.59 MKD 137

-0.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 MKD 174

$2.77 MKD 146

19.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 MKD 70.5

$1.28 MKD 67.3

4.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 MKD 40.43

$0.73 MKD 38.68

5.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MKD 89.1

$1.69 MKD 89.4

Eggs

$2.25 MKD 118

$2.06 MKD 108

9.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.97 MKD 473

$9.44 MKD 498

-4.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.11 MKD 428

$7.23 MKD 381

12.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.90 MKD 733

$13.61 MKD 718

2.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 MKD 54.0

$1.01 MKD 53.4

0.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 MKD 71.9

$1.41 MKD 74.6

-3.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 MKD 71.9

$1.27 MKD 66.9

7.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 MKD 114

$1.61 MKD 84.9

34.16%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 MKD 44.15

$0.81 MKD 42.75

3.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 MKD 51.8

$0.96 MKD 50.7

2.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 MKD 37.48

$0.58 MKD 30.68

22.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MKD 29.19

$0.53 MKD 27.79

3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.20 MKD 169

$3.03 MKD 160

5.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.53 MKD 397

$7.77 MKD 410

-3.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MKD 55.6

$0.96 MKD 50.4

9.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 MKD 83.1

$1.52 MKD 80.1

3.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 MKD 40.93

$0.67 MKD 35.51

16.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.32 MKD 1,493

$20.30 MKD 1,071

39.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 MKD 48.28

$0.92 MKD 48.33

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MKD 26.25

$0.53 MKD 27.70

-5.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.32 MKD 386

$6.71 MKD 354

9.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MKD 81.0

$1.49 MKD 78.5

3.36%

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

$34.4K MKD 1.8M

$31.9K MKD 1.7M

7.97%

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

$30.0K MKD 1.6M

$29.5K MKD 1.6M

1.36%

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

$160 MKD 8,457

$146 MKD 7,706

9.75%

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

$18.02 MKD 950

$17.41 MKD 918

3.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.00 MKD 1,002

$15.43 MKD 813

23.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.49 MKD 2,082

$25.94 MKD 1,368

52.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.78 MKD 938

Cinema Ticket

$6.38 MKD 336

$4.75 MKD 250

34.32%

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

$322 MKD 17.0K

$222 MKD 11.7K

44.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,517 MKD 238.2K

$1,208 MKD 63.7K

273.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.5 MKD 4,137

$77.0 MKD 4,061

1.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.91 MKD 2,105

$39.53 MKD 2,084

0.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MKD 5,327

$75.8 MKD 3,999

33.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 MKD 5,813

$109 MKD 5,765

0.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 MKD 22.3K

$280 MKD 14.8K

50.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$311 MKD 16.4K

$197 MKD 10.4K

57.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 MKD 33.0K

$555 MKD 29.3K

12.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MKD 24.5K

$315 MKD 16.6K

47.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 MKD 149.8K

$1,535 MKD 80.9K

85.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,883 MKD 99.3K

$1,122 MKD 59.2K

67.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$888 MKD 46.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.54

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

Last update for Skopje: April 28, 2026

Last update for Resen: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $423 in Skopje and $280 in Resen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $34.00 in Skopje vs $33.00 in Resen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $213 vs $203 per month, with Resen cheaper across the board.

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 Resen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Resen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,625 in Skopje and $1,364 in Resen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $423 in Skopje versus $280 in Resen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Skopje. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Resen – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $34.00 in Skopje. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $909 in Resen versus $1,083 in Skopje, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Resen but tight or insufficient in Skopje. The gap between the two cities makes Resen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Skopje and Resen 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 Resen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Skopje. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.