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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,112 per month in Skopje vs $1,041 in Tomsk, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,621 per month in Skopje vs $1,588 in Tomsk, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,130 per month in Skopje vs $2,135 in Tomsk, rent included.

Skopje costs about 7% more than Tomsk, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Skopje and Tomsk are more affordable than the global median – Skopje 17% lower, Tomsk 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.57 MKD 399

$6.41 ₽468

18.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.02 MKD 1,793

$31.61 ₽2,308

7.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.65 MKD 350

$5.76 ₽420

15.45%

Cappuccino

$2.19 MKD 115

$2.27 ₽165

-3.52%

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

$1.94 MKD 102

$0.95 ₽69.1

104.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 MKD 67.5

$0.45 ₽33.04

184.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 MKD 142

$1.25 ₽91.4

116.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 MKD 183

$3.10 ₽226

11.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 MKD 70.7

$1.16 ₽84.4

15.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 MKD 43.38

$0.59 ₽42.71

38.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 MKD 92.4

$1.84 ₽134

-4.89%

Eggs

$2.19 MKD 115

$1.74 ₽127

25.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 MKD 486

$10.82 ₽790

-14.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 MKD 421

$5.47 ₽399

46.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.63 MKD 719

$9.01 ₽658

51.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 MKD 53.4

$1.98 ₽144

-48.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 MKD 74.5

$1.96 ₽143

-28.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 MKD 69.6

$2.05 ₽150

-35.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MKD 115

$3.89 ₽284

-44.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 MKD 46.57

$0.68 ₽49.71

29.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 MKD 48.53

$0.55 ₽39.98

67.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 MKD 37.43

$1.01 ₽73.7

-29.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MKD 30.60

$0.62 ₽45.03

-6.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 MKD 166

$2.50 ₽182

26.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.41 MKD 391

$7.49 ₽547

-1.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 MKD 55.9

$0.92 ₽66.9

15.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 MKD 79.8

$1.80 ₽131

-16.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MKD 40.44

$0.36 ₽26.51

113.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.67 MKD 1,458

$26.23 ₽1,914

5.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MKD 51.5

$1.70 ₽124

-42.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 25.61

$0.25 ₽18.31

96.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.60 MKD 400

$6.24 ₽455

21.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 MKD 77.3

$0.72 ₽52.6

104.17%

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

$34.0K MKD 1.8M

$30.9K ₽2.3M

10.22%

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

$29.6K MKD 1.6M

$40.5K ₽3.0M

-27.00%

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

$160 MKD 8,446

$112 ₽8,208

42.53%

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

$18.34 MKD 966

$5.08 ₽370

261.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.13 MKD 1,008

$8.15 ₽595

134.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.37 MKD 2,022

$62.1 ₽4,535

-38.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.56 MKD 925

$25.43 ₽1,856

-30.95%

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 MKD 354

$5.55 ₽405

21.08%

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

$312 MKD 16.5K

$77.7 ₽5,671

302.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,509 MKD 237.6K

$4,532 ₽330.8K

-0.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 MKD 4,067

$77.7 ₽5,670

-0.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.43 MKD 2,131

$35.00 ₽2,555

15.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 MKD 5,275

$135 ₽9,827

-25.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 MKD 5,810

$186 ₽13.6K

-40.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 MKD 22.6K

$451 ₽32.9K

-4.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 MKD 16.3K

$283 ₽20.6K

9.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 MKD 34.0K

$756 ₽55.2K

-14.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$459 MKD 24.2K

$516 ₽37.6K

-11.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,801 MKD 147.6K

$2,438 ₽177.9K

14.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,829 MKD 96.4K

$1,777 ₽129.7K

2.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$913 MKD 48.1K

$996 ₽72.7K

-8.35%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Tomsk: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $429 in Skopje versus $451 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 9% 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 $34.00 in Skopje versus $32.00 in Tomsk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $213 vs $206 – 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 7% 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 $1,667 per month in Skopje and $1,562 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 $312 per month in Skopje and $77.7 in Tomsk. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% 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 $1,041, than in Skopje at $1,112. 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 $1,041 versus $1,112 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.