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 $1,112 per month in Skopje vs $1,094 in Sunny Beach, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,621 per month in Skopje vs $1,685 in Sunny Beach, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,130 per month in Skopje vs $2,276 in Sunny Beach, rent included.

Skopje costs about 2% more than Sunny Beach, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Skopje and Sunny Beach are more affordable than the global median – Skopje 17% lower, Sunny Beach 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.57 MKD 399

$8.07 BGN 13.42

-6.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.02 MKD 1,793

$40.91 BGN 68.1

-16.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.65 MKD 350

$9.97 BGN 16.58

-33.30%

Cappuccino

$2.19 MKD 115

$1.97 BGN 3.27

11.17%

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

$1.94 MKD 102

$1.30 BGN 2.17

49.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 MKD 67.5

$1.05 BGN 1.74

21.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 MKD 142

$1.80 BGN 2.99

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 MKD 183

$1.73 BGN 2.88

100.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 MKD 70.7

$1.96 BGN 3.26

-31.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 MKD 43.38

$0.57 BGN 0.95

43.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 MKD 92.4

$2.78 BGN 4.63

-37.05%

Eggs

$2.19 MKD 115

$3.89 BGN 6.47

-43.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 MKD 486

$13.17 BGN 21.91

-29.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 MKD 421

$8.20 BGN 13.63

-2.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.63 MKD 719

$12.74 BGN 21.19

6.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 MKD 53.4

$1.66 BGN 2.77

-39.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 MKD 74.5

$2.18 BGN 3.62

-35.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 MKD 69.6

$1.74 BGN 2.89

-24.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MKD 115

$2.88 BGN 4.79

-24.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 MKD 46.57

$1.17 BGN 1.94

-24.79%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 MKD 48.53

$1.44 BGN 2.39

-36.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 MKD 37.43

$1.22 BGN 2.03

-41.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MKD 30.60

$0.72 BGN 1.20

-19.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 MKD 166

$3.73 BGN 6.20

-15.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.41 MKD 391

$5.94 BGN 9.88

24.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 MKD 55.9

$1.15 BGN 1.91

-7.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 MKD 79.8

$1.69 BGN 2.81

-10.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MKD 40.44

$1.15 BGN 1.92

-33.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.67 MKD 1,458

$26.89 BGN 44.73

2.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MKD 51.5

$1.17 BGN 1.94

-16.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 25.61

$0.65 BGN 1.08

-24.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.60 MKD 400

$11.61 BGN 19.31

-34.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 MKD 77.3

$1.54 BGN 2.55

-4.55%

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

$34.0K MKD 1.8M

$37.3K BGN 62.0K

-8.69%

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

$29.6K MKD 1.6M

$34.9K BGN 58.0K

-15.13%

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

$160 MKD 8,446

$121 BGN 201

32.52%

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

$18.34 MKD 966

$17.44 BGN 29.01

5.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.13 MKD 1,008

$13.50 BGN 22.46

41.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.37 MKD 2,022

$29.54 BGN 49.15

29.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.56 MKD 925

$14.91 BGN 24.80

17.77%

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 MKD 354

$7.20 BGN 11.98

-6.67%

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

$312 MKD 16.5K

$327 BGN 545

-4.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,509 MKD 237.6K

$5,399 BGN 8,982

-16.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 MKD 4,067

$35.17 BGN 58.5

119.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.43 MKD 2,131

$28.93 BGN 48.12

39.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 MKD 5,275

$126 BGN 209

-20.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 MKD 5,810

$78.2 BGN 130

40.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 MKD 22.6K

$595 BGN 989

-27.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 MKD 16.3K

$350 BGN 582

-11.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 MKD 34.0K

$719 BGN 1,196

-10.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$459 MKD 24.2K

$539 BGN 897

-15.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,801 MKD 147.6K

$1,394 BGN 2,320

100.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,829 MKD 96.4K

$1,168 BGN 1,944

56.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$913 MKD 48.1K

$954 BGN 1,586

-4.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.54

5.1

-10.98%

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

Last update for Skopje: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sunny Beach: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $429 in Skopje versus $595 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 4% 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 $41.00 in Sunny Beach. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $213 vs $254 – 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 2% more than Sunny Beach, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,641 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.

Kindergarten costs $312 per month in Skopje and $327 in Sunny Beach. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 19% cheaper in Skopje – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sunny Beach, where all-in costs run around $1,094, than in Skopje at $1,112. 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 $1,094 versus $1,112 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.