Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Yakutsk

For one person, living is cheaper in Skopje: $1,117 a month against $1,241 in Yakutsk, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Skopje
🇲🇰 North Macedonia
$1,117
/mo nomad
Yakutsk
🇷🇺 Russia
$1,241
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Skopje and in Yakutsk

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 Yakutsk actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,117 per month in Skopje vs $1,241 in Yakutsk, rent included.

  • Skopje $1,117
  • Yakutsk $1,241

A couple spends around $1,654 per month in Skopje vs $1,803 in Yakutsk, rent included.

  • Skopje $1,654
  • Yakutsk $1,803

A family of three spends $2,191 per month in Skopje vs $2,364 in Yakutsk, rent included.

  • Skopje $2,191
  • Yakutsk $2,364

Skopje is about 10% cheaper than Yakutsk, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Skopje and Yakutsk are more affordable than the global median – Skopje 17% lower, Yakutsk 8% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Skopje
Yakutsk
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.29 MKD 507
$14.50 ₽1,210
-35.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.04 MKD 1,857
$41.68 ₽3,479
-18.33%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.28 MKD 343
$9.11 ₽760
-31.06%
Cappuccino
$2.05 MKD 112
$4.10 ₽342
-50.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84 MKD 101
$1.68 ₽140
9.52%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31 MKD 71.3
$0.96 ₽80.4
36.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.67 MKD 146
$3.60 ₽300
-25.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.11 MKD 170
$2.44 ₽204
27.46%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Skopje
Yakutsk
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.22 MKD 66.7
$1.82 ₽152
-32.97%
White Bread (500g)
$0.74 MKD 40.54
$0.89 ₽73.9
-16.85%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.75 MKD 95.5
$1.65 ₽137
6.06%
Eggs
$2.40 MKD 131
$2.20 ₽184
9.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.16 MKD 445
$13.63 ₽1,138
-40.13%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.43 MKD 405
$7.95 ₽663
-6.54%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.85 MKD 810
$12.52 ₽1,045
18.61%
Apples (1kg)
$1.43 MKD 78.1
$3.05 ₽254
-53.11%
Banana (1kg)
$1.44 MKD 78.5
$2.32 ₽193
-37.93%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.37 MKD 74.6
$3.17 ₽265
-56.78%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.90 MKD 103
$4.91 ₽410
-61.30%
Potato (1kg)
$0.89 MKD 48.32
$1.20 ₽100
-25.83%
Onion (1kg)
$0.84 MKD 46.04
$1.17 ₽97.5
-28.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.63 MKD 34.61
$1.18 ₽98.3
-46.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 MKD 29.98
$1.09 ₽91.0
-49.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.40 MKD 185
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$7.47 MKD 407
$9.40 ₽784
-20.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.01 MKD 55.2
$1.41 ₽118
-28.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43 MKD 78.3
$3.03 ₽253
-52.81%
🚌 Getting Around
Skopje
Yakutsk
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.76 MKD 41.68
$0.70 ₽58.6
8.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.14 MKD 1,480
$19.83 ₽1,655
36.86%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.11 MKD 60.3
$1.94 ₽162
-42.78%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.61 MKD 33.03
$0.20 ₽16.66
205.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.55 MKD 412
$5.14 ₽429
46.89%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.56 MKD 85.0
$0.87 ₽72.9
79.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.9K MKD 1.9M
$17.7K ₽1.5M
97.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.3K MKD 1.5M
$19.2K ₽1.6M
42.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Skopje
Yakutsk
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$154 MKD 8,393
$191 ₽16.0K
-19.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.77 MKD 1,024
$4.69 ₽391
300.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.72 MKD 1,021
$10.80 ₽901
73.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Skopje
Yakutsk
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.00 MKD 2,073
$70.5 ₽5,882
-46.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14 MKD 935
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.24 MKD 395
$7.27 ₽607
-0.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Skopje
Yakutsk
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$351 MKD 19.1K
$466 ₽38.9K
-24.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,732 MKD 312.7K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Skopje
Yakutsk
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.6 MKD 4,671
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.04 MKD 2,020
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 MKD 5,498
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113 MKD 6,150
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Skopje
Yakutsk
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$422 MKD 23.0K
$892 ₽74.4K
-52.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$328 MKD 17.9K
$415 ₽34.7K
-21.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$721 MKD 39.3K
$1,207 ₽100.8K
-40.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$487 MKD 26.6K
$603 ₽50.4K
-19.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,700 MKD 147.3K
$2,133 ₽178.0K
26.58%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,811 MKD 98.8K
$1,874 ₽156.4K
-3.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Skopje
Yakutsk
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$876 MKD 47.8K
$963 ₽80.4K
-9.07%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.23
21
-79.86%

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

Last update for Skopje: October 11, 2026

Last update for Yakutsk: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Skopje
$328
Yakutsk
$415 26.7% $87
Groceries & Markets
Skopje
$210
Yakutsk
$283 34.9% $73
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Skopje
$191
Yakutsk
$207 8.1% $15
Clothing & Footwear
Skopje
$151
Yakutsk
- * 100%
Eating Out
Skopje
$150
Yakutsk
$226 50.7% $76
Sport & Entertainment
Skopje
$52
Yakutsk
$85 62% $33
Getting Around
Skopje
$34
Yakutsk
$26 25.5% $8.8

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $422 in Skopje versus $892 in Yakutsk. 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 10% higher in Yakutsk, 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 $42.00 in Yakutsk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $210 vs $283 – making Skopje the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇰 Skopje
🇷🇺 Yakutsk
🕒 Local time
09:27 9:27 AM
16:27 4:27 PM
7 h ahead of Skopje
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
422,540 Capital
361,154
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

RUB, USD, EUR to MKD – North Macedonian Denar Converter

North Macedonian Denar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 54.55 MKD (100 MKD = 1.83 USD). 1 EUR = 61.33 MKD (100 MKD = 1.63 EUR).

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 83.46 RUB (100 RUB = 1.2 USD). 1 EUR = 93.83 RUB (100 RUB = 1.07 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Skopje Yakutsk 6,810 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Skopje
  • Yakutsk

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 Yakutsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Skopje or Yakutsk?
Yakutsk costs about 11% more than Skopje, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Skopje and in Yakutsk?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,675 per month in Skopje and $1,862 in Yakutsk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Skopje or Yakutsk?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Skopje, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do childcare costs compare in Skopje and in Yakutsk?
Kindergarten costs $351 per month in Skopje and $466 in Yakutsk. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Skopje or in Yakutsk?
Groceries cost about 35% more in Yakutsk, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Skopje or in Yakutsk?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Skopje, where all-in costs run around $1,117, than in Yakutsk at $1,241. In Skopje it covers expenses comfortably, while in Yakutsk it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Skopje or Yakutsk?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Skopje costs $1,117 versus $1,241 in Yakutsk. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Skopje compared to Yakutsk?
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.
Should I move to Skopje or to Yakutsk?
If budget matters most, go with Skopje. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Yakutsk makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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