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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,182 per month in Skopje vs $910 in Strumica, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,723 per month in Skopje vs $1,275 in Strumica, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,263 per month in Skopje vs $1,640 in Strumica, rent included.

Skopje costs about 30% more than Strumica, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Skopje and Strumica are more affordable than the global median – Skopje 14% lower, Strumica 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.68 MKD 511

$3.68 MKD 194

163.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.37 MKD 1,816

$23.33 MKD 1,233

47.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.65 MKD 351

$3.84 MKD 203

73.18%

Cappuccino

$2.23 MKD 118

$1.60 MKD 84.4

39.37%

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

$1.86 MKD 98.5

$1.43 MKD 75.6

30.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 MKD 67.6

$1.21 MKD 63.9

5.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 MKD 148

$1.95 MKD 103

44.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 MKD 172

$2.05 MKD 109

58.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 MKD 70.4

$1.29 MKD 67.9

3.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 MKD 41.46

$0.82 MKD 43.56

-4.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 MKD 102

$1.81 MKD 95.9

7.18%

Eggs

$2.47 MKD 131

$2.31 MKD 122

6.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.73 MKD 461

$8.61 MKD 455

1.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.49 MKD 396

$6.32 MKD 334

18.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.07 MKD 796

$10.37 MKD 548

45.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.53 MKD 80.7

$0.69 MKD 36.57

121.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MKD 79.0

$1.48 MKD 78.2

1.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 MKD 73.0

$1.25 MKD 66.2

10.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MKD 110

$2.14 MKD 113

-2.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 MKD 48.78

$0.87 MKD 45.71

5.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 MKD 44.24

$0.84 MKD 44.32

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 MKD 32.51

$0.65 MKD 34.12

-4.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MKD 30.31

$0.62 MKD 32.97

-8.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.63 MKD 192

$2.80 MKD 148

29.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.37 MKD 389

$5.75 MKD 304

28.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MKD 57.5

$0.94 MKD 49.52

15.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 MKD 82.3

$1.25 MKD 66.2

24.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 MKD 42.10

$0.78 MKD 41.44

2.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.14 MKD 1,487

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 MKD 58.4

$1.11 MKD 58.5

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 MKD 35.75

$0.65 MKD 34.15

4.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.98 MKD 422

$8.07 MKD 426

-1.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MKD 81.2

$1.60 MKD 84.3

-3.75%

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

$37.0K MKD 2.0M

$36.6K MKD 1.9M

1.02%

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

$28.4K MKD 1.5M

$28.6K MKD 1.5M

-0.86%

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

$168 MKD 8,854

$154 MKD 8,154

8.59%

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

$19.55 MKD 1,033

$13.20 MKD 697

48.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.73 MKD 1,042

$18.60 MKD 983

6.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.05 MKD 2,010

$20.43 MKD 1,079

86.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.83 MKD 942

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 MKD 377

$7.07 MKD 374

0.85%

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

$389 MKD 20.5K

$383 MKD 20.2K

1.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,501 MKD 290.6K

$5,508 MKD 291.0K

-0.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.6 MKD 4,837

$91.7 MKD 4,842

-0.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.71 MKD 2,098

$39.33 MKD 2,078

0.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MKD 5,629

$110 MKD 5,810

-3.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 MKD 6,023

$95.1 MKD 5,024

19.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 MKD 23.4K

$323 MKD 17.0K

37.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 MKD 17.9K

$239 MKD 12.7K

41.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$750 MKD 39.6K

$506 MKD 26.7K

48.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 MKD 28.3K

$296 MKD 15.6K

80.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,778 MKD 146.8K

$1,535 MKD 81.1K

81.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,892 MKD 99.9K

$1,008 MKD 53.3K

87.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$906 MKD 47.9K

$653 MKD 34.5K

38.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

6.25%

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

Last update for Skopje: September 6, 2026

Last update for Strumica: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $443 in Skopje versus $323 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 39% 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 $23.00 in Strumica. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $217 vs $187 – 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 30% 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 $1,774 per month in Skopje and $1,366 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,182 in Skopje and $910 in Strumica. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $389 per month in Skopje and $383 in Strumica. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Strumica, where all-in costs run around $910, than in Skopje at $1,182. In Strumica it covers expenses comfortably, while in Skopje it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Strumica costs $910 versus $1,182 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.