Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Tomsk Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Tomsk

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,168 per month in Skopje vs $1,017 in Tomsk, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,738 per month in Skopje vs $1,514 in Tomsk, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,308 per month in Skopje vs $2,010 in Tomsk, rent included.

Skopje costs about 15% more than Tomsk, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Skopje and Tomsk are more affordable than the global median – Skopje 15% lower, Tomsk 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.46 MKD 499

$8.08 ₽699

17.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.97 MKD 1,791

$29.03 ₽2,512

17.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.73 MKD 355

$5.12 ₽443

31.45%

Cappuccino

$2.13 MKD 113

$2.36 ₽204

-9.75%

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

$1.88 MKD 99.0

$0.92 ₽79.3

104.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 MKD 68.6

$0.40 ₽34.92

225.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.77 MKD 146

$0.93 ₽80.6

197.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 MKD 166

$3.39 ₽293

-7.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MKD 68.1

$1.16 ₽101

11.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 MKD 43.10

$0.73 ₽63.6

12.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MKD 100.0

$1.08 ₽93.3

75.93%

Eggs

$2.47 MKD 130

$1.31 ₽113

88.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.81 MKD 465

$11.91 ₽1,030

-26.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.56 MKD 399

$4.56 ₽394

65.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.11 MKD 797

$10.40 ₽900

45.29%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 MKD 78.0

$1.59 ₽138

-6.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MKD 79.0

$1.83 ₽158

-18.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 MKD 72.7

$1.89 ₽164

-26.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MKD 109

$2.85 ₽247

-27.72%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 MKD 46.27

$0.54 ₽46.47

62.96%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 MKD 44.20

$0.36 ₽31.58

133.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 MKD 34.15

$1.30 ₽113

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MKD 30.79

$0.58 ₽50.3

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.66 MKD 193

$2.75 ₽238

33.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.47 MKD 394

$6.48 ₽561

15.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MKD 55.1

$0.92 ₽79.6

13.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 MKD 83.4

$1.78 ₽154

-11.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 MKD 41.25

$0.41 ₽35.24

90.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.82 MKD 1,467

$7.96 ₽689

249.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 MKD 59.0

$2.34 ₽202

-52.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 MKD 35.46

$0.22 ₽18.99

204.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 MKD 416

$6.33 ₽548

24.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MKD 85.2

$0.74 ₽64.3

118.92%

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

$37.5K MKD 2.0M

$34.5K ₽3.0M

8.71%

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

$28.0K MKD 1.5M

$30.0K ₽2.6M

-6.84%

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

$166 MKD 8,729

$122 ₽10.5K

35.97%

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

$19.14 MKD 1,009

$6.96 ₽602

175.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.69 MKD 1,038

$10.57 ₽915

86.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.57 MKD 2,034

$47.06 ₽4,073

-18.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.23 MKD 961

$15.91 ₽1,377

14.58%

Cinema Ticket

$7.31 MKD 385

$5.06 ₽438

44.47%

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

$390 MKD 20.5K

$231 ₽20.0K

68.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,550 MKD 292.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.6 MKD 4,723

$93.1 ₽8,052

-3.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.15 MKD 2,117

$55.3 ₽4,782

-27.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MKD 5,667

$125 ₽10.8K

-14.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 MKD 6,137

$132 ₽11.4K

-11.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 MKD 23.5K

$500 ₽43.3K

-11.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 MKD 17.7K

$318 ₽27.5K

5.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$764 MKD 40.3K

$776 ₽67.2K

-1.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$530 MKD 27.9K

$490 ₽42.4K

8.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,710 MKD 142.9K

$2,094 ₽181.2K

29.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,869 MKD 98.6K

$1,400 ₽121.1K

33.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$896 MKD 47.3K

$830 ₽71.8K

8.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

-80.68%

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

Last update for Skopje: August 29, 2026

Last update for Tomsk: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $445 in Skopje versus $500 in Tomsk. 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 8% 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 $29.00 in Tomsk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $218 vs $195 – making Tomsk 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 Tomsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Skopje costs about 15% more than Tomsk, 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 $1,752 per month in Skopje and $1,526 in Tomsk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tomsk, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $390 per month in Skopje and $231 in Tomsk. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% 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 Tomsk, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Skopje at $1,168. In Tomsk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Skopje it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tomsk costs $1,017 versus $1,168 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 Tomsk. 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.