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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,112 per month in Skopje vs $882 in Strumica, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,621 per month in Skopje vs $1,258 in Strumica, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,130 per month in Skopje vs $1,634 in Strumica, rent included.

Skopje costs about 26% more than Strumica, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Skopje and Strumica are more affordable than the global median – Skopje 17% lower, Strumica 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.57 MKD 399

$3.83 MKD 202

97.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.02 MKD 1,793

$27.98 MKD 1,475

21.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.65 MKD 350

$5.13 MKD 270

29.63%

Cappuccino

$2.19 MKD 115

$1.64 MKD 86.5

33.54%

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

$1.94 MKD 102

$1.53 MKD 80.9

26.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 MKD 67.5

$1.14 MKD 60.2

12.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 MKD 142

$1.92 MKD 101

40.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 MKD 183

$2.27 MKD 119

52.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 MKD 70.7

$1.35 MKD 71.3

-0.74%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 MKD 43.38

$0.73 MKD 38.35

12.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 MKD 92.4

$1.76 MKD 92.6

-0.57%

Eggs

$2.19 MKD 115

$2.05 MKD 108

6.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 MKD 486

$10.30 MKD 543

-10.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 MKD 421

$6.44 MKD 339

24.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.63 MKD 719

$10.39 MKD 548

31.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 MKD 53.4

$0.68 MKD 35.72

48.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 MKD 74.5

$1.39 MKD 73.3

1.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 MKD 69.6

$1.19 MKD 62.6

10.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MKD 115

$1.57 MKD 82.8

38.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 MKD 46.57

$0.89 MKD 47.01

-1.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 MKD 48.53

$0.83 MKD 43.56

10.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 MKD 37.43

$0.58 MKD 30.73

22.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MKD 30.60

$0.57 MKD 30.12

1.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 MKD 166

$2.80 MKD 147

12.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.41 MKD 391

$5.55 MKD 292

33.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 MKD 55.9

$0.91 MKD 47.91

16.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 MKD 79.8

$1.20 MKD 63.2

25.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MKD 40.44

$0.78 MKD 41.24

-1.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.67 MKD 1,458

$20.41 MKD 1,075

35.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MKD 51.5

$1.15 MKD 60.8

-14.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 25.61

$0.49 MKD 25.80

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.60 MKD 400

$6.68 MKD 352

13.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 MKD 77.3

$1.50 MKD 79.2

-2.00%

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

$34.0K MKD 1.8M

$32.5K MKD 1.7M

4.67%

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

$29.6K MKD 1.6M

$33.4K MKD 1.8M

-11.40%

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

$160 MKD 8,446

$146 MKD 7,709

9.56%

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

$18.34 MKD 966

$13.16 MKD 694

39.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.13 MKD 1,008

$15.48 MKD 816

23.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.37 MKD 2,022

$20.48 MKD 1,079

87.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.56 MKD 925

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 MKD 354

$4.56 MKD 241

47.37%

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

$312 MKD 16.5K

$215 MKD 11.3K

45.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,509 MKD 237.6K

$1,202 MKD 63.4K

275.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 MKD 4,067

$75.4 MKD 3,974

2.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.43 MKD 2,131

$47.43 MKD 2,500

-14.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 MKD 5,275

$73.6 MKD 3,879

36.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 MKD 5,810

$93.8 MKD 4,943

17.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 MKD 22.6K

$321 MKD 16.9K

33.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 MKD 16.3K

$242 MKD 12.8K

28.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 MKD 34.0K

$507 MKD 26.7K

27.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$459 MKD 24.2K

$304 MKD 16.0K

50.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,801 MKD 147.6K

$1,502 MKD 79.2K

86.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,829 MKD 96.4K

$994 MKD 52.4K

84.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$913 MKD 48.1K

$649 MKD 34.2K

40.65%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Strumica: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $429 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 41% 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 $28.00 in Strumica. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $213 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 26% 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 $1,667 per month in Skopje and $1,323 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 $312 per month in Skopje and $215 in Strumica. 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Strumica, where all-in costs run around $882, than in Skopje at $1,112. 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 $882 versus $1,112 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.