Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Struga Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Struga

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,147 per month in Skopje vs $862 in Struga, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,735 per month in Skopje vs $1,320 in Struga, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,323 per month in Skopje vs $1,778 in Struga, rent included.

Skopje costs about 33% more than Struga, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Skopje and Struga are more affordable than the global median – Skopje 16% lower, Struga 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.55 MKD 501

$7.69 MKD 403

24.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.95 MKD 1,780

$29.26 MKD 1,534

16.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.66 MKD 349

$5.06 MKD 265

31.62%

Cappuccino

$2.18 MKD 114

$1.54 MKD 80.8

41.56%

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

$1.84 MKD 96.6

$1.75 MKD 92.0

5.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 MKD 64.3

$1.20 MKD 62.8

2.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 MKD 145

$2.88 MKD 151

-4.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 MKD 170

$3.19 MKD 167

1.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 MKD 69.3

$1.24 MKD 64.9

6.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 MKD 39.84

$0.66 MKD 34.51

15.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 MKD 101

$1.56 MKD 81.7

23.08%

Eggs

$2.54 MKD 133

$1.90 MKD 99.5

33.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.91 MKD 467

$7.08 MKD 371

25.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.72 MKD 405

$6.07 MKD 318

27.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.61 MKD 766

$11.47 MKD 601

27.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.42 MKD 74.3

$1.26 MKD 65.9

12.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 MKD 74.4

$1.39 MKD 72.9

2.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 MKD 70.4

$1.27 MKD 66.6

5.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MKD 110

$1.53 MKD 80.4

36.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 MKD 47.51

$0.86 MKD 45.13

5.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 MKD 47.41

$0.86 MKD 45.08

4.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 MKD 33.36

$0.60 MKD 31.67

6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 MKD 32.63

$0.59 MKD 30.81

5.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.67 MKD 192

$3.48 MKD 182

5.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.67 MKD 402

$3.82 MKD 200

100.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MKD 56.8

$1.10 MKD 57.5

-1.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 MKD 81.4

$1.51 MKD 79.2

2.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MKD 40.58

$0.89 MKD 46.84

-13.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.28 MKD 1,483

$57.6 MKD 3,019

-50.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 MKD 60.0

$1.15 MKD 60.4

-0.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 MKD 33.26

$0.64 MKD 33.59

-1.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.87 MKD 413

$5.15 MKD 270

52.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MKD 80.7

$1.47 MKD 77.2

4.76%

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

$36.6K MKD 1.9M

$36.8K MKD 1.9M

-0.67%

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

$28.0K MKD 1.5M

$28.4K MKD 1.5M

-1.37%

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

$160 MKD 8,412

$102 MKD 5,325

57.97%

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

$18.89 MKD 990

$11.32 MKD 594

66.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.61 MKD 1,028

$19.64 MKD 1,030

-0.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.89 MKD 1,986

$20.67 MKD 1,084

83.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.26 MKD 957

$12.14 MKD 636

50.41%

Cinema Ticket

$6.75 MKD 354

$6.77 MKD 355

-0.30%

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

$381 MKD 20.0K

$122 MKD 6,377

213.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,681 MKD 297.9K

$1,656 MKD 86.8K

243.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 MKD 4,692

$91.0 MKD 4,773

-1.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.39 MKD 2,065

$32.13 MKD 1,685

22.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 MKD 5,708

$75.4 MKD 3,952

44.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 MKD 6,146

$55.3 MKD 2,900

111.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 MKD 22.7K

$280 MKD 14.7K

54.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 MKD 17.6K

$227 MKD 11.9K

48.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$751 MKD 39.4K

$453 MKD 23.7K

65.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$544 MKD 28.5K

$370 MKD 19.4K

46.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,722 MKD 142.7K

$1,565 MKD 82.1K

73.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,839 MKD 96.4K

$1,419 MKD 74.4K

29.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$881 MKD 46.2K

$901 MKD 47.2K

-2.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

3.75

13.33%

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

Last update for Skopje: August 17, 2026

Last update for Struga: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Skopje versus $280 in Struga. 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 2% higher in Struga, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Skopje versus $29.00 in Struga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $218 vs $176 – making Struga 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 Struga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Skopje costs about 33% more than Struga, 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 $1,721 per month in Skopje and $1,293 in Struga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $381 per month in Skopje and $122 in Struga. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Struga, where all-in costs run around $862, than in Skopje at $1,147. In Struga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Skopje it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Struga costs $862 versus $1,147 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 Struga. 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.