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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,087 per month in Skopje vs $1,039 in Tomsk, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,634 per month in Skopje vs $1,586 in Tomsk, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,180 per month in Skopje vs $2,134 in Tomsk, rent included.

Skopje costs about 5% more than Tomsk, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Skopje and Tomsk are more affordable than the global median – Skopje 19% lower, Tomsk 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.58 MKD 407

$6.18 ₽486

22.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.45 MKD 1,796

$31.94 ₽2,509

4.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.70 MKD 360

$5.63 ₽443

19.01%

Cappuccino

$2.27 MKD 122

$2.19 ₽172

3.65%

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

$2.03 MKD 109

$0.95 ₽74.4

113.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 MKD 69.3

$0.46 ₽35.94

180.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.66 MKD 143

$1.30 ₽102

104.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 MKD 180

$2.98 ₽234

12.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MKD 69.5

$1.10 ₽86.3

17.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 MKD 40.83

$0.58 ₽45.94

31.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MKD 89.7

$1.88 ₽148

-11.17%

Eggs

$2.21 MKD 119

$1.70 ₽133

30.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.13 MKD 490

$10.66 ₽837

-14.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.78 MKD 418

$5.71 ₽449

36.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.71 MKD 736

$8.90 ₽699

54.04%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 MKD 57.1

$2.04 ₽160

-48.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MKD 76.8

$1.91 ₽150

-25.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 MKD 72.6

$2.15 ₽169

-37.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MKD 116

$3.73 ₽293

-41.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 MKD 47.79

$0.70 ₽54.8

27.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 MKD 48.49

$0.54 ₽42.51

66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 MKD 36.95

$1.01 ₽79.5

-31.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MKD 29.72

$0.63 ₽49.42

-12.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 MKD 171

$2.51 ₽197

26.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.26 MKD 390

$7.01 ₽551

3.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MKD 57.3

$0.92 ₽72.6

16.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MKD 81.5

$1.86 ₽146

-18.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MKD 40.98

$0.40 ₽31.23

90.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.58 MKD 1,534

$26.44 ₽2,077

8.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MKD 51.6

$1.62 ₽127

-40.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MKD 26.03

$0.23 ₽17.94

108.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.41 MKD 398

$6.27 ₽493

18.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 MKD 79.7

$0.74 ₽58.3

101.35%

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

$33.7K MKD 1.8M

$31.2K ₽2.5M

7.83%

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

$29.3K MKD 1.6M

$41.3K ₽3.2M

-29.07%

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

$160 MKD 8,580

$113 ₽8,866

41.64%

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

$18.05 MKD 969

$5.13 ₽403

251.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.13 MKD 1,027

$8.21 ₽645

133.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.66 MKD 2,075

$61.1 ₽4,799

-36.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.36 MKD 932

$25.73 ₽2,022

-32.53%

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 MKD 356

$5.60 ₽440

18.21%

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

$320 MKD 17.2K

$75.3 ₽5,914

325.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,642 MKD 249.2K

$4,491 ₽352.8K

3.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.5 MKD 4,160

$75.4 ₽5,925

2.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.16 MKD 2,156

$34.99 ₽2,749

14.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 MKD 5,368

$136 ₽10.7K

-26.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 MKD 5,918

$187 ₽14.7K

-40.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 MKD 22.8K

$441 ₽34.7K

-3.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 MKD 16.6K

$274 ₽21.5K

13.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 MKD 34.6K

$733 ₽57.6K

-11.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$463 MKD 24.8K

$503 ₽39.5K

-7.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,731 MKD 146.6K

$2,339 ₽183.8K

16.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,740 MKD 93.4K

$1,675 ₽131.6K

3.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$886 MKD 47.6K

$939 ₽73.8K

-5.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.54

22.08

-79.44%

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

Last update for Skopje: July 11, 2026

Last update for Tomsk: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Skopje versus $441 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 6% higher in Tomsk, 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 $33.00 in Skopje versus $32.00 in Tomsk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $210 vs $204 – 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 5% more than Tomsk, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,558 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 $320 per month in Skopje and $75.3 in Tomsk. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% 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 $1,039 in Tomsk, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tomsk costs $1,039 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 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.