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: $1,182 in Skopje versus $928 in Samsun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,723 in Skopje versus $1,607 in Samsun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,263 in Skopje versus $2,286 in Samsun.

Living in Skopje is roughly 27% more expensive than in Samsun, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Skopje 14% lower, Samsun 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.68 MKD 511

$8.01 ₺389

20.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.37 MKD 1,816

$63.2 ₺3,068

-45.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.65 MKD 351

$7.61 ₺370

-12.61%

Cappuccino

$2.23 MKD 118

$3.28 ₺159

-32.01%

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

$1.86 MKD 98.5

$0.97 ₺47.11

91.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 MKD 67.6

$0.25 ₺12.00

412.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 MKD 148

$2.02 ₺97.9

39.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 MKD 172

$2.73 ₺133

19.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 MKD 70.4

$1.13 ₺54.8

17.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 MKD 41.46

$1.68 ₺81.6

-53.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 MKD 102

$2.75 ₺133

-29.45%

Eggs

$2.47 MKD 131

$2.50 ₺122

-1.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.73 MKD 461

$8.73 ₺424

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.49 MKD 396

$5.79 ₺281

29.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.07 MKD 796

$24.41 ₺1,185

-38.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.53 MKD 80.7

$2.44 ₺118

-37.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MKD 79.0

$2.37 ₺115

-36.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 MKD 73.0

$1.55 ₺75.4

-10.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MKD 110

$1.11 ₺54.0

87.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 MKD 48.78

$0.47 ₺22.99

95.74%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 MKD 44.24

$0.34 ₺16.63

147.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 MKD 32.51

$0.89 ₺43.45

-30.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MKD 30.31

$0.58 ₺28.29

-1.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.63 MKD 192

$2.00 ₺97.3

81.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.37 MKD 389

$9.32 ₺452

-20.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MKD 57.5

$1.68 ₺81.6

-35.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 MKD 82.3

$2.24 ₺109

-30.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 MKD 42.10

$0.60 ₺29.15

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.14 MKD 1,487

$10.79 ₺524

160.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 MKD 58.4

$1.91 ₺92.6

-41.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 MKD 35.75

$0.61 ₺29.85

11.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.98 MKD 422

$5.29 ₺257

50.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MKD 81.2

$1.22 ₺59.4

26.23%

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

$37.0K MKD 2.0M

$41.5K ₺2.0M

-10.82%

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

$28.4K MKD 1.5M

$40.9K ₺2.0M

-30.60%

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

$168 MKD 8,854

$89.8 ₺4,358

86.74%

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

$19.55 MKD 1,033

$11.76 ₺571

66.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.73 MKD 1,042

$12.48 ₺606

58.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.05 MKD 2,010

$30.91 ₺1,501

23.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.83 MKD 942

$6.25 ₺303

185.28%

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 MKD 377

$4.07 ₺198

75.18%

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

$389 MKD 20.5K

$254 ₺12.3K

53.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,501 MKD 290.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.6 MKD 4,837

$28.40 ₺1,379

222.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.71 MKD 2,098

$30.58 ₺1,485

29.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MKD 5,629

$73.3 ₺3,557

45.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 MKD 6,023

$48.34 ₺2,347

135.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 MKD 23.4K

$362 ₺17.6K

22.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 MKD 17.9K

$259 ₺12.6K

30.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$750 MKD 39.6K

$779 ₺37.8K

-3.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 MKD 28.3K

$616 ₺29.9K

-13.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,778 MKD 146.8K

$1,009 ₺49.0K

175.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,892 MKD 99.9K

$659 ₺32.0K

187.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$906 MKD 47.9K

$962 ₺46.7K

-5.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

-91.33%

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

Last update for Skopje: September 6, 2026

Last update for Samsun: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $443 in Skopje and $362 in Samsun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Samsun pays 6% 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 $63.0 in Samsun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $260 per month, with Skopje 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 Samsun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Samsun is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 6% lower in Samsun. 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: $443 in Skopje versus $362 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 $63.0 versus $34.00 in Skopje. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,182 per month in Skopje versus $928 in Samsun – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $928 in Samsun versus $1,182 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 27% less than in Skopje. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.