Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Sveti Nikole

For one person, living is cheaper in Sveti Nikole: $858 a month against $1,117 in Skopje, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

54

Cost of Living Index in Skopje
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Skopje Living Index
41

Cost of Living Index in Sveti Nikole
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Sveti Nikole Living Index

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Skopje

🇲🇰 North Macedonia

$1,117

/mo nomad

Sveti Nikole

🇲🇰 North Macedonia

$858

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Skopje and in Sveti Nikole

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Skopje and in Sveti Nikole actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,117 per month in Skopje vs $858 in Sveti Nikole, rent included.

Skopje $1,117
Sveti Nikole $858

A couple spends around $1,654 per month in Skopje vs $1,309 in Sveti Nikole, rent included.

Skopje $1,654
Sveti Nikole $1,309

A family of three spends $2,191 per month in Skopje vs $1,760 in Sveti Nikole, rent included.

Skopje $2,191
Sveti Nikole $1,760

Skopje costs about 30% more than Sveti Nikole, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Skopje and Sveti Nikole are more affordable than the global median – Skopje 17% lower, Sveti Nikole 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.29 MKD 507

$8.81 MKD 481

5.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.04 MKD 1,857

$32.98 MKD 1,799

3.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.28 MKD 343

$5.36 MKD 292

17.16%

Cappuccino

$2.05 MKD 112

$1.61 MKD 88.0

27.33%

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

$1.84 MKD 101

$1.38 MKD 75.5

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 MKD 71.3

$1.03 MKD 56.2

27.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.67 MKD 146

$1.51 MKD 82.2

76.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 MKD 170

$1.85 MKD 101

68.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 MKD 66.7

$1.33 MKD 72.6

-8.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 MKD 40.54

$0.55 MKD 30.14

34.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 MKD 95.5

$1.17 MKD 63.8

49.57%

Eggs

$2.40 MKD 131

$2.43 MKD 132

-1.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 MKD 445

$9.29 MKD 507

-12.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.43 MKD 405

$4.62 MKD 252

60.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.85 MKD 810

$11.58 MKD 632

28.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.43 MKD 78.1

$1.29 MKD 70.1

10.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MKD 78.5

$1.30 MKD 71.1

10.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 MKD 74.6

$1.28 MKD 69.9

7.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.90 MKD 103

$1.74 MKD 94.7

9.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 MKD 48.32

$0.74 MKD 40.20

20.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 MKD 46.04

$1.14 MKD 62.2

-26.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 MKD 34.61

$0.86 MKD 46.91

-26.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MKD 29.98

$0.40 MKD 21.64

37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 MKD 185

$3.07 MKD 168

10.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.47 MKD 407

$6.48 MKD 354

15.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 MKD 55.2

$1.02 MKD 55.9

-0.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 MKD 78.3

$1.49 MKD 81.3

-4.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MKD 41.68

$0.71 MKD 38.82

7.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.14 MKD 1,480

$23.57 MKD 1,286

15.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 MKD 60.3

$1.46 MKD 79.8

-23.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 MKD 33.03

$1.01 MKD 55.2

-39.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.55 MKD 412

$3.65 MKD 199

106.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 MKD 85.0

$1.40 MKD 76.3

11.43%

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

$34.9K MKD 1.9M

$31.4K MKD 1.7M

11.07%

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

$27.3K MKD 1.5M

$27.7K MKD 1.5M

-1.39%

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

$154 MKD 8,393

$127 MKD 6,901

21.62%

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

$18.77 MKD 1,024

$15.70 MKD 857

19.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.72 MKD 1,021

$11.97 MKD 653

56.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.00 MKD 2,073

$21.94 MKD 1,197

73.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 MKD 935

$19.74 MKD 1,077

-13.17%

Cinema Ticket

$7.24 MKD 395

$5.10 MKD 278

41.96%

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

$351 MKD 19.1K

$280 MKD 15.3K

25.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,732 MKD 312.7K

$3,095 MKD 168.8K

85.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 MKD 4,671

$72.7 MKD 3,968

17.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.04 MKD 2,020

$31.84 MKD 1,737

16.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MKD 5,498

$82.0 MKD 4,474

22.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MKD 6,150

$87.4 MKD 4,765

29.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$422 MKD 23.0K

$313 MKD 17.1K

34.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$328 MKD 17.9K

$207 MKD 11.3K

58.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 MKD 39.3K

$451 MKD 24.6K

59.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 MKD 26.6K

$315 MKD 17.2K

54.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,700 MKD 147.3K

$1,523 MKD 83.1K

77.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,811 MKD 98.8K

$1,169 MKD 63.8K

54.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$876 MKD 47.8K

$539 MKD 29.4K

62.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.23

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

Last update for Skopje: October 11, 2026

Last update for Sveti Nikole: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Skopje

$328 29.4%

Sveti Nikole

$207 24.2% 36.7% $120

Groceries & Markets

Skopje

$210 18.8%

Sveti Nikole

$181 21.1% 13.7% $29

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Skopje

$191 17.1%

Sveti Nikole

$154 18% 19.4% $37

Clothing & Footwear

Skopje

$151 13.6%

Sveti Nikole

$123 14.4% 18.5% $28

Eating Out

Skopje

$150 13.4%

Sveti Nikole

$127 14.8% 15.4% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Skopje

$52 4.7%

Sveti Nikole

$32 3.8% 38.7% $20

Getting Around

Skopje

$34 3.1%

Sveti Nikole

$33 3.8% 4% $1.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $422 in Skopje versus $313 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 63% 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 $33.00 in Sveti Nikole. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $210 vs $181 – making Sveti Nikole the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇰 Skopje

🇲🇰 Sveti Nikole

🕒 Local time

16:49 4:49 PM

Same time as Skopje

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

422,540 Capital

13,220

💱 Currency

North Macedonian Denar MKD ден

📈 Exchange rate

100 MKD = 1.83 USD

100 MKD = 1.63 EUR

100 MKD = 1.83 USD

100 MKD = 1.63 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 30% more than Sveti Nikole, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,675 per month in Skopje and $1,286 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 $351 per month in Skopje and $280 in Sveti Nikole. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% 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 Sveti Nikole, where all-in costs run around $858, than in Skopje at $1,117. In Sveti Nikole it covers expenses comfortably, while in Skopje it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sveti Nikole costs $858 versus $1,117 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.