Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Sunny Beach Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Sunny Beach

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,168 per month in Skopje vs $1,081 in Sunny Beach, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,738 per month in Skopje vs $1,619 in Sunny Beach, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,308 per month in Skopje vs $2,157 in Sunny Beach, rent included.

Skopje costs about 8% more than Sunny Beach, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Skopje and Sunny Beach are more affordable than the global median – Skopje 15% lower, Sunny Beach 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.46 MKD 499

$8.41 BGN 13.99

12.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.97 MKD 1,791

$47.69 BGN 79.3

-28.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.73 MKD 355

$10.04 BGN 16.71

-32.97%

Cappuccino

$2.13 MKD 113

$2.90 BGN 4.82

-26.55%

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

$1.88 MKD 99.0

$1.76 BGN 2.93

6.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 MKD 68.6

$1.59 BGN 2.64

-18.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.77 MKD 146

$2.39 BGN 3.98

15.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 MKD 166

$1.76 BGN 2.92

78.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MKD 68.1

$1.80 BGN 2.99

-28.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 MKD 43.10

$0.83 BGN 1.38

-1.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MKD 100.0

$2.29 BGN 3.80

-17.03%

Eggs

$2.47 MKD 130

$3.88 BGN 6.45

-36.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.81 MKD 465

$8.84 BGN 14.70

-0.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.56 MKD 399

$8.77 BGN 14.58

-13.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.11 MKD 797

$14.56 BGN 24.21

3.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 MKD 78.0

$1.78 BGN 2.97

-16.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MKD 79.0

$1.87 BGN 3.12

-19.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 MKD 72.7

$2.07 BGN 3.45

-33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MKD 109

$2.63 BGN 4.37

-21.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 MKD 46.27

$1.13 BGN 1.88

-22.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 MKD 44.20

$1.12 BGN 1.87

-25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 MKD 34.15

$1.18 BGN 1.96

-44.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MKD 30.79

$0.75 BGN 1.25

-22.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.66 MKD 193

$4.05 BGN 6.74

-9.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.47 MKD 394

$6.31 BGN 10.49

18.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MKD 55.1

$1.22 BGN 2.03

-14.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 MKD 83.4

$2.05 BGN 3.40

-22.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 MKD 41.25

$1.16 BGN 1.94

-32.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.82 MKD 1,467

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 MKD 59.0

$1.33 BGN 2.21

-15.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 MKD 35.46

$0.63 BGN 1.06

6.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 MKD 416

$10.88 BGN 18.11

-27.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MKD 85.2

$1.59 BGN 2.64

1.89%

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

$37.5K MKD 2.0M

$31.1K BGN 51.8K

20.29%

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

$28.0K MKD 1.5M

$25.2K BGN 42.0K

10.74%

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

$166 MKD 8,729

$117 BGN 195

40.90%

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

$19.14 MKD 1,009

$19.67 BGN 32.73

-2.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.69 MKD 1,038

$15.78 BGN 26.26

24.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.57 MKD 2,034

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.23 MKD 961

Cinema Ticket

$7.31 MKD 385

$9.42 BGN 15.67

-22.40%

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

$390 MKD 20.5K

$541 BGN 899

-27.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,550 MKD 292.7K

$5,768 BGN 9,595

-3.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.6 MKD 4,723

$34.75 BGN 57.8

157.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.15 MKD 2,117

$43.51 BGN 72.4

-7.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MKD 5,667

$98.4 BGN 164

9.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 MKD 6,137

$108 BGN 179

8.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 MKD 23.5K

$600 BGN 999

-25.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 MKD 17.7K

$362 BGN 602

-7.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$764 MKD 40.3K

$708 BGN 1,177

7.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$530 MKD 27.9K

$543 BGN 903

-2.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,710 MKD 142.9K

$1,397 BGN 2,325

93.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,869 MKD 98.6K

$1,168 BGN 1,943

60.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$896 MKD 47.3K

$962 BGN 1,600

-6.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

3.1

37.10%

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

Last update for Skopje: August 29, 2026

Last update for Sunny Beach: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $445 in Skopje versus $600 in Sunny Beach. 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 7% higher in Sunny Beach, 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 $48.00 in Sunny Beach. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $218 vs $249 – making Skopje 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 Sunny Beach: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Skopje costs about 8% more than Sunny Beach, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,752 per month in Skopje and $1,621 in Sunny Beach. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sunny Beach, 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 $1,168 in Skopje and $1,081 in Sunny Beach. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $390 per month in Skopje and $541 in Sunny Beach. 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 Sunny Beach, where all-in costs run around $1,081, than in Skopje at $1,168. In Sunny Beach it covers expenses comfortably, while in Skopje it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sunny Beach costs $1,081 versus $1,168 in Skopje. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Sunny Beach. 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.