Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Strumica Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Strumica

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,087 per month in Skopje vs $883 in Strumica, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,634 per month in Skopje vs $1,273 in Strumica, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,180 per month in Skopje vs $1,663 in Strumica, rent included.

Skopje costs about 23% more than Strumica, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Skopje and Strumica are more affordable than the global median – Skopje 19% lower, Strumica 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.58 MKD 407

$3.78 MKD 203

100.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.45 MKD 1,796

$28.20 MKD 1,514

18.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.70 MKD 360

$4.94 MKD 265

35.63%

Cappuccino

$2.27 MKD 122

$1.70 MKD 91.4

33.53%

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

$2.03 MKD 109

$1.48 MKD 79.7

37.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 MKD 69.3

$1.16 MKD 62.5

11.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.66 MKD 143

$1.93 MKD 104

37.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 MKD 180

$2.31 MKD 124

45.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MKD 69.5

$1.41 MKD 75.5

-8.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 MKD 40.83

$0.69 MKD 36.95

10.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MKD 89.7

$1.78 MKD 95.8

-6.18%

Eggs

$2.21 MKD 119

$2.02 MKD 108

9.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.13 MKD 490

$10.32 MKD 554

-11.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.78 MKD 418

$6.30 MKD 338

23.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.71 MKD 736

$10.48 MKD 562

30.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 MKD 57.1

$0.63 MKD 33.67

68.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MKD 76.8

$1.44 MKD 77.5

-0.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 MKD 72.6

$1.19 MKD 64.1

13.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MKD 116

$1.62 MKD 87.0

33.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 MKD 47.79

$0.95 MKD 51.3

-6.32%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 MKD 48.49

$0.82 MKD 43.98

9.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 MKD 36.95

$0.57 MKD 30.60

21.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MKD 29.72

$0.54 MKD 28.76

1.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 MKD 171

$2.83 MKD 152

12.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.26 MKD 390

$5.57 MKD 299

30.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MKD 57.3

$0.96 MKD 51.4

11.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MKD 81.5

$1.23 MKD 66.1

23.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MKD 40.98

$0.74 MKD 39.54

2.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.58 MKD 1,534

$20.36 MKD 1,093

40.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MKD 51.6

$1.16 MKD 62.4

-17.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MKD 26.03

$0.49 MKD 26.16

-2.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.41 MKD 398

$6.49 MKD 349

14.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 MKD 79.7

$1.44 MKD 77.1

3.47%

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

$33.7K MKD 1.8M

$32.3K MKD 1.7M

4.13%

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

$29.3K MKD 1.6M

$33.6K MKD 1.8M

-12.98%

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

$160 MKD 8,580

$148 MKD 7,931

8.19%

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

$18.05 MKD 969

$13.05 MKD 701

38.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.13 MKD 1,027

$15.67 MKD 841

22.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.66 MKD 2,075

$20.43 MKD 1,097

89.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.36 MKD 932

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 MKD 356

$4.61 MKD 248

43.60%

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

$320 MKD 17.2K

$217 MKD 11.6K

47.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,642 MKD 249.2K

$1,220 MKD 65.5K

280.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.5 MKD 4,160

$75.9 MKD 4,074

2.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.16 MKD 2,156

$48.46 MKD 2,602

-17.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 MKD 5,368

$74.6 MKD 4,005

34.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 MKD 5,918

$95.4 MKD 5,121

15.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 MKD 22.8K

$321 MKD 17.2K

32.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 MKD 16.6K

$239 MKD 12.8K

29.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 MKD 34.6K

$499 MKD 26.8K

29.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$463 MKD 24.8K

$299 MKD 16.0K

55.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,731 MKD 146.6K

$1,456 MKD 78.1K

87.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,740 MKD 93.4K

$995 MKD 53.4K

74.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$886 MKD 47.6K

$651 MKD 35.0K

35.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.54

13.50%

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

Last update for Skopje: July 11, 2026

Last update for Strumica: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Skopje versus $321 in Strumica. 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 36% 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 $33.00 in Skopje versus $28.00 in Strumica. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $210 vs $186 – making Strumica 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 Strumica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Skopje costs about 23% more than Strumica, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,631 per month in Skopje and $1,324 in Strumica. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $320 per month in Skopje and $217 in Strumica. 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.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,087 in Skopje and $883 in Strumica, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Strumica costs $883 versus $1,087 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 Strumica. 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.