Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Stip Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Stip

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,094 per month in Skopje vs $771 in Stip, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,636 per month in Skopje vs $1,127 in Stip, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,178 per month in Skopje vs $1,484 in Stip, rent included.

Skopje costs about 42% more than Stip, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Skopje and Stip are more affordable than the global median – Skopje 18% lower, Stip 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.42 MKD 397

$5.51 MKD 294

34.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.79 MKD 1,806

$16.00 MKD 855

111.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.65 MKD 355

$5.06 MKD 270

31.42%

Cappuccino

$2.24 MKD 119

$1.99 MKD 106

12.56%

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

$2.04 MKD 109

$1.81 MKD 96.6

12.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 MKD 69.1

$1.26 MKD 67.5

2.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.60 MKD 139

$2.23 MKD 119

16.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 MKD 183

$2.64 MKD 141

29.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 MKD 68.1

$1.35 MKD 71.9

-5.93%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 MKD 44.80

$0.69 MKD 36.73

21.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MKD 90.5

$1.15 MKD 61.4

46.96%

Eggs

$2.17 MKD 116

$2.02 MKD 108

7.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 MKD 495

$10.27 MKD 549

-9.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.00 MKD 428

$7.25 MKD 388

10.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.41 MKD 717

$7.64 MKD 408

75.52%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 MKD 54.6

$0.97 MKD 51.9

5.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MKD 73.0

$1.43 MKD 76.3

-4.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 MKD 73.0

$1.30 MKD 69.2

5.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MKD 111

$1.59 MKD 84.9

30.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 MKD 46.92

$0.96 MKD 51.3

-8.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 MKD 51.6

$1.33 MKD 71.2

-27.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 MKD 39.00

$0.57 MKD 30.61

28.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MKD 31.42

$0.43 MKD 23.23

37.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.26 MKD 174

$2.93 MKD 157

11.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.56 MKD 404

$7.44 MKD 398

1.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MKD 56.3

$0.95 MKD 50.7

10.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 MKD 82.9

$1.81 MKD 96.7

-14.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MKD 41.13

$0.63 MKD 33.69

22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.16 MKD 1,505

$20.35 MKD 1,087

38.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MKD 52.3

$1.14 MKD 61.1

-14.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MKD 28.28

$0.50 MKD 26.53

6.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.71 MKD 412

$5.54 MKD 296

39.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 MKD 78.6

$1.45 MKD 77.4

1.38%

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

$34.2K MKD 1.8M

$31.4K MKD 1.7M

9.13%

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

$29.4K MKD 1.6M

$33.8K MKD 1.8M

-12.78%

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

$160 MKD 8,529

$142 MKD 7,600

12.22%

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

$17.94 MKD 959

$9.13 MKD 488

96.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.42 MKD 1,038

$15.26 MKD 815

27.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.64 MKD 2,065

$28.65 MKD 1,531

34.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.95 MKD 959

Cinema Ticket

$6.44 MKD 344

$4.67 MKD 249

37.90%

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

$312 MKD 16.7K

$219 MKD 11.7K

42.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,479 MKD 239.3K

$1,198 MKD 64.0K

273.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.2 MKD 4,071

$38.29 MKD 2,046

98.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.60 MKD 2,116

$32.50 MKD 1,737

21.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 MKD 5,358

$75.3 MKD 4,026

33.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 MKD 5,948

$112 MKD 6,006

-0.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$422 MKD 22.5K

$203 MKD 10.8K

108.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 MKD 16.5K

$131 MKD 7,007

135.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 MKD 34.3K

$332 MKD 17.8K

93.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 MKD 25.0K

$206 MKD 11.0K

126.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,687 MKD 143.6K

$1,214 MKD 64.9K

121.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,745 MKD 93.3K

$1,004 MKD 53.6K

73.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$882 MKD 47.1K

$468 MKD 25.0K

88.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.54

7.1

-36.06%

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

Last update for Skopje: July 27, 2026

Last update for Stip: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $422 in Skopje versus $203 in Stip. 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 88% 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 $34.00 in Skopje versus $16.00 in Stip. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $212 vs $186 – making Stip the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Stip: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Skopje costs about 42% more than Stip, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,641 per month in Skopje and $1,156 in Stip. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Stip, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $312 per month in Skopje and $219 in Stip. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Skopje, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Stip, where all-in costs run around $771, than in Skopje at $1,094. In Stip it covers expenses comfortably, while in Skopje it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Stip costs $771 versus $1,094 in Skopje. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Stip. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Skopje makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.