Cost of Living Comparison Between Stip and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Stip and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $791 in Stip versus $2,341 in Barcelona.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,157 in Stip versus $3,462 in Barcelona.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,523 in Stip versus $4,582 in Barcelona.

Living in Stip costs roughly 66% less than in Barcelona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Stip is 41% below, Barcelona is 75% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.78 MKD 304

$17.61 €15.04

-67.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.17 MKD 849

$68.7 €58.7

-76.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.96 MKD 261

$13.75 €11.74

-63.93%

Cappuccino

$1.98 MKD 104

$2.76 €2.36

-28.26%

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

$1.82 MKD 95.6

$2.78 €2.38

-34.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 MKD 67.2

$2.05 €1.75

-37.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 MKD 121

$4.61 €3.93

-49.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 MKD 141

$4.59 €3.92

-41.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 MKD 67.2

$1.28 €1.09

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 MKD 37.73

$2.11 €1.80

-65.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 MKD 60.7

$1.97 €1.68

-41.12%

Eggs

$2.09 MKD 110

$3.44 €2.94

-39.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MKD 536

$18.83 €16.08

-45.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.30 MKD 383

$9.45 €8.07

-22.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.36 MKD 386

$19.01 €16.24

-61.28%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 MKD 50.8

$2.72 €2.32

-64.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MKD 75.1

$2.37 €2.03

-39.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 MKD 65.9

$2.08 €1.77

-39.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 MKD 83.3

$2.76 €2.36

-42.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 MKD 51.1

$1.97 €1.68

-50.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 MKD 72.4

$1.79 €1.53

-22.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 MKD 30.88

$1.51 €1.29

-60.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 MKD 23.16

$0.90 €0.77

-51.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 MKD 161

$6.76 €5.77

-54.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.75 MKD 407

$7.55 €6.44

2.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 MKD 52.3

$1.44 €1.23

-31.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 MKD 98.4

$2.41 €2.06

-22.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MKD 35.48

$3.03 €2.59

-77.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.40 MKD 1,071

$28.39 €24.25

-28.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 MKD 57.8

$4.43 €3.78

-75.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MKD 26.15

$2.05 €1.75

-75.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.53 MKD 290

$29.33 €25.05

-81.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MKD 75.4

$1.89 €1.61

-23.81%

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

$32.4K MKD 1.7M

$38.7K €33.1K

-16.47%

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

$33.6K MKD 1.8M

$32.4K €27.6K

3.67%

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

$143 MKD 7,499

$189 €161

-24.29%

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

$9.46 MKD 497

$22.21 €18.96

-57.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.75 MKD 827

$36.82 €31.44

-57.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.10 MKD 1,476

$58.0 €49.52

-51.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 €17.93

Cinema Ticket

$4.65 MKD 244

$11.05 €9.44

-57.92%

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

$223 MKD 11.7K

$726 €620

-69.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,202 MKD 63.1K

$15.2K €13.0K

-92.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.86 MKD 1,988

$88.3 €75.4

-57.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.53 MKD 1,656

$36.98 €31.58

-14.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.4 MKD 3,957

$103 €87.6

-26.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 MKD 5,873

$119 €102

-6.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$207 MKD 10.9K

$1,526 €1,304

-86.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$134 MKD 7,016

$1,218 €1,040

-89.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$337 MKD 17.7K

$2,794 €2,386

-87.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$205 MKD 10.8K

$2,027 €1,731

-89.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,237 MKD 65.0K

$7,094 €6,058

-82.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,003 MKD 52.7K

$4,849 €4,141

-79.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$484 MKD 25.4K

$2,404 €2,053

-79.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

3.39

109.44%

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

Last update for Stip: April 26, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $207 in Stip and $1,526 in Barcelona. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barcelona pays 397% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $16.00 in Stip vs $69.0 in Barcelona for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $186 vs $320 per month, with Stip cheaper across the board.

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

Stip vs Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stip and Barcelona differ by about 196% in total monthly costs ($791 vs $2,341 including rent). Stip is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barcelona earns 397% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $207 in Stip versus $1,526 in Barcelona. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $223 in Stip versus $726 in Barcelona. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 72% higher in Barcelona. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $791 in Stip versus $2,341 in Barcelona, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Stip but tight or insufficient in Barcelona. The gap between the two cities makes Stip the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Stip and Barcelona are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Stip gentler on the wallet – expenses run 196% less than in Barcelona. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.