Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Sveti Nikole Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Sveti Nikole

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,087 per month in Skopje vs $885 in Sveti Nikole, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,634 per month in Skopje vs $1,299 in Sveti Nikole, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,180 per month in Skopje vs $1,713 in Sveti Nikole, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.58 MKD 407

$5.66 MKD 303

33.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.45 MKD 1,794

$27.68 MKD 1,485

20.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.70 MKD 359

$5.13 MKD 275

30.60%

Cappuccino

$2.27 MKD 122

$1.71 MKD 91.9

32.75%

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

$2.03 MKD 109

$1.61 MKD 86.3

26.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 MKD 69.2

$1.23 MKD 66.2

4.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.66 MKD 143

$2.32 MKD 124

14.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 MKD 180

$2.74 MKD 147

22.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MKD 69.4

$1.25 MKD 66.8

3.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 MKD 40.80

$0.73 MKD 39.37

4.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MKD 89.6

$1.69 MKD 90.7

-1.18%

Eggs

$2.21 MKD 119

$2.04 MKD 110

8.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.13 MKD 490

$8.56 MKD 459

6.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.78 MKD 417

$6.33 MKD 339

22.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.71 MKD 735

$13.78 MKD 739

-0.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 MKD 57.1

$1.07 MKD 57.4

-0.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MKD 76.8

$1.37 MKD 73.6

4.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 MKD 72.5

$1.25 MKD 67.0

8.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MKD 116

$1.63 MKD 87.5

33.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 MKD 47.75

$0.95 MKD 50.8

-6.32%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 MKD 48.45

$0.91 MKD 48.76

-1.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 MKD 36.92

$0.61 MKD 32.50

13.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MKD 29.70

$0.54 MKD 28.75

1.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 MKD 170

$3.07 MKD 165

3.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.26 MKD 389

$6.62 MKD 355

9.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MKD 57.2

$0.96 MKD 51.4

11.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MKD 81.5

$1.52 MKD 81.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MKD 40.94

$0.64 MKD 34.09

18.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.58 MKD 1,533

$20.57 MKD 1,103

38.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MKD 51.6

$1.34 MKD 72.0

-28.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MKD 26.01

$0.50 MKD 26.71

-4.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.41 MKD 397

$6.69 MKD 359

10.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 MKD 79.7

$1.42 MKD 76.1

4.93%

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

$33.7K MKD 1.8M

$31.7K MKD 1.7M

6.06%

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

$29.3K MKD 1.6M

$29.5K MKD 1.6M

-0.76%

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

$160 MKD 8,574

$146 MKD 7,851

9.21%

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

$18.05 MKD 968

$17.61 MKD 944

2.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.13 MKD 1,026

$15.28 MKD 820

25.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.66 MKD 2,074

$26.21 MKD 1,406

47.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.36 MKD 931

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 MKD 355

$4.58 MKD 246

44.54%

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

$320 MKD 17.2K

$223 MKD 12.0K

43.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,642 MKD 249.0K

$1,208 MKD 64.8K

284.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.5 MKD 4,157

$76.2 MKD 4,085

1.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.16 MKD 2,154

$40.34 MKD 2,164

-0.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 MKD 5,364

$76.0 MKD 4,079

31.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 MKD 5,913

$113 MKD 6,050

-2.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 MKD 22.8K

$280 MKD 15.0K

51.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 MKD 16.6K

$193 MKD 10.3K

60.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 MKD 34.6K

$573 MKD 30.7K

12.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$463 MKD 24.8K

$305 MKD 16.4K

51.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,731 MKD 146.5K

$1,602 MKD 85.9K

70.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,740 MKD 93.3K

$1,274 MKD 68.3K

36.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$886 MKD 47.5K

$561 MKD 30.1K

57.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.54

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

Last update for Skopje: July 11, 2026

Last update for Sveti Nikole: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Skopje versus $280 in Sveti Nikole. 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 58% 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 Sveti Nikole. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $210 vs $195 – making Sveti Nikole 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 Sveti Nikole: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Skopje costs about 23% more than Sveti Nikole, 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 $1,327 in Sveti Nikole. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sveti Nikole, 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 $223 in Sveti Nikole. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% 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 $885 in Sveti Nikole, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sveti Nikole costs $885 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 Sveti Nikole. 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.