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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,105 per month in Skopje vs $789 in Stip, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,631 per month in Skopje vs $1,143 in Stip, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,156 per month in Skopje vs $1,496 in Stip, rent included.

Skopje costs about 40% more than Stip, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Skopje and Stip are more affordable than the global median – Skopje 18% lower, Stip 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.49 MKD 397

$5.75 MKD 305

30.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.48 MKD 1,830

$15.76 MKD 836

118.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.75 MKD 358

$5.13 MKD 272

31.58%

Cappuccino

$2.30 MKD 122

$1.90 MKD 101

21.05%

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

$2.01 MKD 106

$1.82 MKD 96.4

10.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 MKD 68.3

$1.27 MKD 67.4

1.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.60 MKD 138

$2.23 MKD 119

16.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 MKD 175

$2.79 MKD 148

18.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 MKD 71.0

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 MKD 41.09

$0.71 MKD 37.79

8.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MKD 89.2

$1.15 MKD 61.2

46.09%

Eggs

$2.19 MKD 116

$2.01 MKD 107

8.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.35 MKD 496

$10.40 MKD 552

-10.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.76 MKD 412

$7.10 MKD 377

9.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.48 MKD 715

$7.64 MKD 405

76.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 MKD 56.7

$0.98 MKD 52.0

9.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 MKD 75.3

$1.44 MKD 76.2

-1.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 MKD 73.2

$1.30 MKD 69.0

6.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MKD 110

$1.58 MKD 83.8

31.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 MKD 46.94

$0.97 MKD 51.4

-9.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 MKD 49.41

$1.39 MKD 74.0

-33.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 MKD 36.58

$0.58 MKD 30.95

18.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MKD 29.71

$0.44 MKD 23.15

27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 MKD 164

$2.96 MKD 157

4.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.29 MKD 387

$7.52 MKD 399

-3.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 MKD 59.0

$1.02 MKD 54.0

8.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MKD 80.6

$1.81 MKD 96.2

-16.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 MKD 41.46

$0.63 MKD 33.31

23.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.09 MKD 1,491

$20.24 MKD 1,074

38.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MKD 51.1

$1.11 MKD 59.0

-13.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MKD 26.27

$0.49 MKD 25.90

2.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.68 MKD 407

$5.54 MKD 294

38.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 MKD 78.8

$1.45 MKD 76.7

2.76%

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

$33.4K MKD 1.8M

$31.4K MKD 1.7M

6.22%

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

$29.1K MKD 1.5M

$33.2K MKD 1.8M

-12.24%

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

$159 MKD 8,449

$148 MKD 7,829

7.92%

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

$18.34 MKD 973

$9.59 MKD 509

91.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.12 MKD 1,015

$15.54 MKD 825

23.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.05 MKD 2,072

$28.24 MKD 1,498

38.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.56 MKD 932

Cinema Ticket

$6.47 MKD 343

$4.76 MKD 252

35.92%

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

$321 MKD 17.0K

$215 MKD 11.4K

48.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,590 MKD 243.5K

$1,179 MKD 62.6K

289.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.4 MKD 4,161

$37.02 MKD 1,964

111.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.02 MKD 2,070

$32.45 MKD 1,722

20.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 MKD 5,328

$74.2 MKD 3,937

35.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MKD 5,970

$114 MKD 6,041

-1.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 MKD 22.7K

$208 MKD 11.0K

106.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 MKD 16.6K

$133 MKD 7,053

135.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 MKD 34.2K

$335 MKD 17.8K

92.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 MKD 24.1K

$204 MKD 10.8K

123.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,768 MKD 146.9K

$1,208 MKD 64.1K

129.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,796 MKD 95.3K

$985 MKD 52.3K

82.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$880 MKD 46.7K

$469 MKD 24.9K

87.64%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Stip: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $429 in Skopje versus $208 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: $211 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 40% 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 $1,657 per month in Skopje and $1,184 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 $321 per month in Skopje and $215 in Stip. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% 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 $789, than in Skopje at $1,105. 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 $789 versus $1,105 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.