Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Samsun Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Samsun

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,112 in Skopje versus $991 in Samsun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,621 in Skopje versus $1,509 in Samsun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,130 in Skopje versus $2,027 in Samsun.

Living in Skopje is roughly 12% more expensive than Samsun, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Skopje 17% lower, Samsun 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.57 MKD 400

$7.65 ₺352

-1.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.02 MKD 1,798

$25.10 ₺1,154

35.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.65 MKD 351

$8.99 ₺413

-26.03%

Cappuccino

$2.19 MKD 116

$2.81 ₺129

-22.06%

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

$1.94 MKD 103

$1.30 ₺60.0

49.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 MKD 67.7

$0.24 ₺10.97

433.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 MKD 142

$2.84 ₺130

-4.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 MKD 184

$2.97 ₺136

16.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 MKD 70.9

$1.05 ₺48.42

27.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 MKD 43.49

$0.40 ₺18.33

105.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 MKD 92.7

$3.90 ₺179

-55.13%

Eggs

$2.19 MKD 116

$1.71 ₺78.6

28.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 MKD 487

$9.10 ₺418

1.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 MKD 422

$10.02 ₺460

-20.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.63 MKD 720

$19.35 ₺889

-29.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 MKD 53.5

$1.30 ₺59.7

-22.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 MKD 74.7

$1.12 ₺51.3

25.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 MKD 69.8

$0.92 ₺42.12

43.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MKD 115

$1.24 ₺57.2

75.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 MKD 46.69

$0.60 ₺27.71

46.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 MKD 48.66

$0.60 ₺27.78

53.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 MKD 37.53

$0.73 ₺33.77

-2.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MKD 30.68

$0.68 ₺31.30

-14.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 MKD 167

$2.04 ₺94.0

54.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.41 MKD 392

$9.62 ₺442

-22.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 MKD 56.0

$2.01 ₺92.5

-47.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 MKD 80.0

$2.50 ₺115

-39.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MKD 40.54

$0.59 ₺27.01

30.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.67 MKD 1,462

$9.66 ₺444

186.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MKD 51.6

$2.26 ₺104

-56.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 25.68

$0.61 ₺27.91

-19.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.60 MKD 401

$4.65 ₺214

63.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 MKD 77.5

$1.13 ₺51.8

30.09%

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

$34.0K MKD 1.8M

$42.8K ₺2.0M

-20.57%

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

$29.6K MKD 1.6M

$49.6K ₺2.3M

-40.34%

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

$160 MKD 8,469

$49.83 ₺2,290

221.63%

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

$18.34 MKD 969

$10.99 ₺505

66.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.13 MKD 1,011

$11.23 ₺516

70.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.37 MKD 2,027

$82.3 ₺3,782

-53.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.56 MKD 928

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 MKD 355

$5.75 ₺264

16.87%

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

$312 MKD 16.5K

$500 ₺23.0K

-37.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,509 MKD 238.3K

$3,735 ₺171.6K

20.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 MKD 4,078

$37.79 ₺1,737

104.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.43 MKD 2,136

$45.67 ₺2,099

-11.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 MKD 5,289

$87.8 ₺4,035

14.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 MKD 5,825

$45.24 ₺2,079

143.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 MKD 22.7K

$500 ₺23.0K

-14.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 MKD 16.4K

$328 ₺15.1K

-5.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 MKD 34.1K

$724 ₺33.3K

-10.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$459 MKD 24.2K

$523 ₺24.0K

-12.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,801 MKD 148.0K

$795 ₺36.5K

252.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,829 MKD 96.6K

$429 ₺19.7K

326.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$913 MKD 48.2K

$1,006 ₺46.3K

-9.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.54

43.33

-89.52%

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

Last update for Skopje: May 31, 2026

Last update for Samsun: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $429 in Skopje and $500 in Samsun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Samsun pays 10% 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 $25.00 in Samsun. Groceries flip the comparison at $213 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 Samsun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Samsun is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Samsun earns 10% less. 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: $429 in Skopje versus $500 in Samsun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Samsun – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $34.00 in Skopje. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,112 per month in Skopje versus $991 in Samsun – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $991 in Samsun versus $1,112 in Skopje, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Samsun but tight or insufficient in Skopje. The gap between the two cities makes Samsun the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Samsun 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 Samsun 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 Samsun gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Skopje. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.