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: $1,143 in Skopje versus $988 in Resen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,720 in Skopje versus $1,492 in Resen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,296 in Skopje versus $1,997 in Resen.

Living in Skopje is roughly 16% more expensive than in Resen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Skopje 16% lower, Resen 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.35 MKD 501

$9.48 MKD 507

-1.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.06 MKD 1,876

$35.55 MKD 1,903

-1.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.78 MKD 363

$6.80 MKD 364

-0.29%

Cappuccino

$2.18 MKD 117

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

$1.90 MKD 102

$1.89 MKD 101

0.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 MKD 73.0

$1.31 MKD 70.2

3.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 MKD 148

$2.63 MKD 141

4.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 MKD 179

$2.65 MKD 142

26.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 MKD 67.6

$1.33 MKD 71.4

-5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 MKD 43.51

$0.76 MKD 40.91

6.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MKD 101

$1.83 MKD 98.0

3.28%

Eggs

$2.52 MKD 135

$2.45 MKD 131

2.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MKD 455

$8.27 MKD 443

2.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.38 MKD 395

$7.34 MKD 393

0.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.17 MKD 812

$14.84 MKD 794

2.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.47 MKD 78.6

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 MKD 75.8

$1.47 MKD 78.8

-3.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 MKD 72.0

$1.37 MKD 73.2

-1.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 MKD 113

$2.09 MKD 112

0.48%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 MKD 45.57

$0.91 MKD 48.77

-6.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 MKD 43.29

$0.86 MKD 46.23

-5.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 MKD 34.15

$0.60 MKD 32.12

6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 MKD 32.76

$0.63 MKD 33.68

-3.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.47 MKD 185

$3.65 MKD 195

-4.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 MKD 392

$7.48 MKD 400

-2.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 MKD 56.5

$1.08 MKD 57.9

-1.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MKD 81.5

$1.54 MKD 82.3

-1.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MKD 41.14

$0.77 MKD 41.23

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.58 MKD 1,529

$24.07 MKD 1,288

18.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MKD 61.4

$1.12 MKD 59.9

2.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 MKD 33.44

$0.63 MKD 33.81

-1.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.97 MKD 426

$7.99 MKD 427

-0.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MKD 84.9

$1.61 MKD 86.0

-1.24%

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

$36.7K MKD 2.0M

$36.4K MKD 1.9M

0.77%

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

$28.4K MKD 1.5M

$27.9K MKD 1.5M

1.80%

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

$160 MKD 8,556

$165 MKD 8,816

-2.95%

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

$18.86 MKD 1,009

$18.71 MKD 1,002

0.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.61 MKD 1,050

$19.33 MKD 1,034

1.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.62 MKD 1,960

$25.43 MKD 1,361

44.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.67 MKD 946

$18.76 MKD 1,004

-5.81%

Cinema Ticket

$7.73 MKD 414

$7.67 MKD 411

0.78%

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

$364 MKD 19.5K

$369 MKD 19.7K

-1.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,701 MKD 305.1K

$5,800 MKD 310.4K

-1.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.4 MKD 4,732

$85.8 MKD 4,592

3.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.29 MKD 2,049

$38.45 MKD 2,058

-0.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MKD 5,727

$106 MKD 5,652

1.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 MKD 6,347

$117 MKD 6,250

1.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 MKD 23.5K

$265 MKD 14.2K

65.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 MKD 17.8K

$170 MKD 9,086

95.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$763 MKD 40.8K

$480 MKD 25.7K

58.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$522 MKD 27.9K

$307 MKD 16.4K

70.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,748 MKD 147.1K

$1,590 MKD 85.1K

72.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,838 MKD 98.4K

$1,202 MKD 64.3K

52.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$920 MKD 49.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.23

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

Last update for Skopje: September 14, 2026

Last update for Resen: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $439 in Skopje and $265 in Resen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35.00 in Skopje vs $36.00 in Resen. Groceries flip the comparison at $215 vs $214, with Resen 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 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 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,715 in Skopje and $1,482 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: $439 in Skopje versus $265 in Resen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% 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 $36.00 versus $35.00 in Skopje. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $988 in Resen versus $1,143 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 16% less than in Skopje. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.