Cost of Living Comparison Between Stip and Sveti Nikole Cost of Living Comparison Between Stip and Sveti Nikole

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $853 per month in Stip vs $897 in Sveti Nikole, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,260 per month in Stip vs $1,379 in Sveti Nikole, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,667 per month in Stip vs $1,860 in Sveti Nikole, rent included.

Stip is about 5% cheaper than Sveti Nikole, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Stip and Sveti Nikole are more affordable than the global median – Stip 38% lower, Sveti Nikole 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.53 MKD 398

$9.68 MKD 512

-22.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.64 MKD 1,249

$35.47 MKD 1,874

-33.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.78 MKD 358

$5.63 MKD 297

20.43%

Cappuccino

$1.86 MKD 98.2

$1.71 MKD 90.5

8.77%

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

$1.55 MKD 82.0

$1.43 MKD 75.7

8.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MKD 61.4

$1.06 MKD 55.8

9.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 MKD 97.4

$1.64 MKD 86.8

12.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MKD 154

$1.91 MKD 101

52.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 MKD 67.2

$1.40 MKD 73.9

-9.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 MKD 43.07

$0.62 MKD 32.77

32.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 MKD 61.5

$1.22 MKD 64.4

-4.92%

Eggs

$2.59 MKD 137

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.69 MKD 459

$9.61 MKD 508

-9.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.52 MKD 397

$4.61 MKD 244

63.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.69 MKD 406

$12.27 MKD 648

-37.33%

Apples (1kg)

$0.93 MKD 49.25

$1.35 MKD 71.1

-31.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MKD 75.3

$1.30 MKD 68.8

10.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 MKD 73.5

$1.35 MKD 71.1

2.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 MKD 90.8

$1.78 MKD 94.0

-3.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 MKD 48.93

$0.78 MKD 41.06

19.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 MKD 46.77

$1.16 MKD 61.5

-23.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 MKD 31.21

$0.81 MKD 42.87

-27.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 MKD 22.08

$0.45 MKD 23.73

-6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.26 MKD 172

$3.23 MKD 171

0.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 MKD 402

$6.74 MKD 356

12.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MKD 57.4

$1.01 MKD 53.4

7.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 MKD 81.0

$1.53 MKD 80.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 MKD 34.21

$0.77 MKD 40.48

-15.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.86 MKD 1,208

$24.78 MKD 1,309

-7.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 MKD 60.3

$1.49 MKD 78.6

-23.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 MKD 35.94

$1.06 MKD 55.8

-35.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.79 MKD 306

$3.77 MKD 199

53.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MKD 80.5

$1.45 MKD 76.7

4.83%

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

$36.7K MKD 1.9M

$35.3K MKD 1.9M

3.96%

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

$28.1K MKD 1.5M

$28.3K MKD 1.5M

-0.68%

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

$165 MKD 8,691

$152 MKD 8,056

7.89%

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

$9.36 MKD 495

$16.13 MKD 852

-41.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.13 MKD 905

$12.07 MKD 638

41.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.13 MKD 1,486

$23.42 MKD 1,237

20.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.12 MKD 1,116

Cinema Ticket

$6.64 MKD 351

$5.26 MKD 278

26.24%

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

$381 MKD 20.1K

$363 MKD 19.2K

4.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,594 MKD 295.6K

$5,991 MKD 316.5K

-6.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.16 MKD 2,016

$76.4 MKD 4,038

-50.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.71 MKD 1,675

$33.44 MKD 1,766

-5.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 MKD 5,689

$85.7 MKD 4,530

25.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 MKD 6,022

$90.1 MKD 4,762

26.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$209 MKD 11.0K

$326 MKD 17.2K

-36.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$131 MKD 6,901

$202 MKD 10.7K

-35.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$341 MKD 18.0K

$470 MKD 24.8K

-27.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$204 MKD 10.8K

$298 MKD 15.7K

-31.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,246 MKD 65.9K

$1,618 MKD 85.5K

-22.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,000 MKD 52.8K

$1,206 MKD 63.7K

-17.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$472 MKD 24.9K

$556 MKD 29.4K

-15.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

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

Last update for Stip: September 5, 2026

Last update for Sveti Nikole: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $209 in Stip versus $326 in Sveti Nikole. 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 18% higher in Sveti Nikole, 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 $24.00 in Stip versus $35.00 in Sveti Nikole. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $186 vs $188 – 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 Sveti Nikole: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sveti Nikole is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,279 per month in Stip and $1,346 in Sveti Nikole. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Stip and $35.00 in Sveti Nikole. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $853 in Stip and $897 in Sveti Nikole. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $853 in Stip and $897 in Sveti Nikole, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Stip – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Sveti Nikole makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.