Cost of Living Comparison Between Stip and Skopje Cost of Living Comparison Between Stip and Skopje

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $771 per month in Stip vs $1,094 in Skopje, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,127 per month in Stip vs $1,636 in Skopje, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,484 per month in Stip vs $2,178 in Skopje, rent included.

Stip is about 30% cheaper than Skopje, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Stip and Skopje are more affordable than the global median – Stip 42% lower, Skopje 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.51 MKD 294

$7.42 MKD 397

-25.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.00 MKD 855

$33.79 MKD 1,806

-52.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 MKD 270

$6.65 MKD 355

-23.91%

Cappuccino

$1.99 MKD 106

$2.24 MKD 119

-11.16%

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

$1.81 MKD 96.6

$2.04 MKD 109

-11.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 MKD 67.5

$1.29 MKD 69.1

-2.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 MKD 119

$2.60 MKD 139

-14.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 MKD 141

$3.43 MKD 183

-23.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 MKD 71.9

$1.27 MKD 68.1

6.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 MKD 36.73

$0.84 MKD 44.80

-17.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 MKD 61.4

$1.69 MKD 90.5

-31.95%

Eggs

$2.02 MKD 108

$2.17 MKD 116

-6.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.27 MKD 549

$9.26 MKD 495

10.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.25 MKD 388

$8.00 MKD 428

-9.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 MKD 408

$13.41 MKD 717

-43.03%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 MKD 51.9

$1.02 MKD 54.6

-4.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MKD 76.3

$1.37 MKD 73.0

4.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 MKD 69.2

$1.37 MKD 73.0

-5.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 MKD 84.9

$2.08 MKD 111

-23.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 MKD 51.3

$0.88 MKD 46.92

9.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MKD 71.2

$0.97 MKD 51.6

37.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 MKD 30.61

$0.73 MKD 39.00

-21.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 MKD 23.23

$0.59 MKD 31.42

-27.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 MKD 157

$3.26 MKD 174

-10.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.44 MKD 398

$7.56 MKD 404

-1.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 MKD 50.7

$1.05 MKD 56.3

-9.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 MKD 96.7

$1.55 MKD 82.9

16.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 MKD 33.69

$0.77 MKD 41.13

-18.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.35 MKD 1,087

$28.16 MKD 1,505

-27.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 MKD 61.1

$0.98 MKD 52.3

16.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MKD 26.53

$0.53 MKD 28.28

-5.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.54 MKD 296

$7.71 MKD 412

-28.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 MKD 77.4

$1.47 MKD 78.6

-1.36%

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

$31.4K MKD 1.7M

$34.2K MKD 1.8M

-8.37%

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

$33.8K MKD 1.8M

$29.4K MKD 1.6M

14.65%

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

$142 MKD 7,600

$160 MKD 8,529

-10.89%

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

$9.13 MKD 488

$17.94 MKD 959

-49.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.26 MKD 815

$19.42 MKD 1,038

-21.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.65 MKD 1,531

$38.64 MKD 2,065

-25.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.95 MKD 959

Cinema Ticket

$4.67 MKD 249

$6.44 MKD 344

-27.48%

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

$219 MKD 11.7K

$312 MKD 16.7K

-29.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,198 MKD 64.0K

$4,479 MKD 239.3K

-73.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.29 MKD 2,046

$76.2 MKD 4,071

-49.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.50 MKD 1,737

$39.60 MKD 2,116

-17.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.3 MKD 4,026

$100 MKD 5,358

-24.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 MKD 6,006

$111 MKD 5,948

0.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$203 MKD 10.8K

$422 MKD 22.5K

-51.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$131 MKD 7,007

$309 MKD 16.5K

-57.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$332 MKD 17.8K

$641 MKD 34.3K

-48.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$206 MKD 11.0K

$467 MKD 25.0K

-55.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,214 MKD 64.9K

$2,687 MKD 143.6K

-54.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,004 MKD 53.6K

$1,745 MKD 93.3K

-42.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$468 MKD 25.0K

$882 MKD 47.1K

-46.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

4.54

56.39%

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

Last update for Stip: July 26, 2026

Last update for Skopje: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $203 in Stip versus $422 in Skopje. 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 88% 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 $16.00 in Stip versus $34.00 in Skopje. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $186 vs $212 – making Stip 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

Stip vs Skopje: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Skopje costs about 42% more than Stip, 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 $1,156 per month in Stip and $1,641 in Skopje. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $219 per month in Stip and $312 in Skopje. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Stip, where all-in costs run around $771, than in Skopje at $1,094. In Stip it covers expenses comfortably, while in Skopje it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Stip costs $771 versus $1,094 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 Stip. 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.