Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Strumica and Skopje

For one person, living is cheaper in Strumica: $866 a month against $1,112 in Skopje, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

41

Cost of Living Index in Strumica
Learn more

Strumica Living Index
53

Cost of Living Index in Skopje
Learn more

Skopje Living Index

Jump to prices

Strumica

🇲🇰 North Macedonia

$866

/mo nomad

Skopje

🇲🇰 North Macedonia

$1,112

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Strumica and in Skopje

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Strumica and in Skopje actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $866 per month in Strumica vs $1,112 in Skopje, rent included.

Strumica $866
Skopje $1,112

A couple spends around $1,222 per month in Strumica vs $1,657 in Skopje, rent included.

Strumica $1,222
Skopje $1,657

A family of three spends $1,579 per month in Strumica vs $2,202 in Skopje, rent included.

Strumica $1,579
Skopje $2,202

Strumica is about 22% cheaper than Skopje, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Strumica and Skopje are more affordable than the global median – Strumica 36% lower, Skopje 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 MKD 197

$9.68 MKD 533

-63.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.29 MKD 1,226

$34.35 MKD 1,890

-35.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.73 MKD 205

$6.52 MKD 359

-42.79%

Cappuccino

$1.53 MKD 84.0

$2.14 MKD 118

-28.50%

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

$1.40 MKD 77.0

$1.81 MKD 99.6

-22.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MKD 63.0

$1.38 MKD 76.0

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 MKD 102

$2.68 MKD 148

-30.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 MKD 109

$3.03 MKD 167

-34.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MKD 70.9

$1.28 MKD 70.3

0.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 MKD 40.45

$0.74 MKD 40.80

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 MKD 93.8

$1.85 MKD 102

-8.11%

Eggs

$2.12 MKD 117

$2.50 MKD 138

-15.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.99 MKD 440

$8.11 MKD 446

-1.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 MKD 341

$7.36 MKD 405

-15.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.90 MKD 544

$15.00 MKD 825

-34.00%

Apples (1kg)

$0.61 MKD 33.70

$1.43 MKD 78.6

-57.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MKD 76.0

$1.41 MKD 77.3

-2.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 MKD 66.3

$1.31 MKD 72.3

-8.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MKD 108

$1.86 MKD 103

5.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 MKD 45.55

$0.88 MKD 48.34

-5.68%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 MKD 42.48

$0.78 MKD 42.76

-1.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 MKD 35.22

$0.63 MKD 34.67

1.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MKD 32.28

$0.59 MKD 32.36

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 MKD 149

$3.36 MKD 185

-19.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.37 MKD 296

$7.48 MKD 411

-28.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 MKD 52.4

$1.06 MKD 58.4

-10.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 MKD 65.9

$1.50 MKD 82.3

-20.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MKD 38.57

$0.71 MKD 38.85

-1.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.73 MKD 1,416

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 MKD 59.1

$1.08 MKD 59.2

-0.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 MKD 33.86

$0.57 MKD 31.63

8.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.73 MKD 425

$7.50 MKD 413

3.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 MKD 86.6

$1.59 MKD 87.5

-1.26%

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

$33.6K MKD 1.9M

$34.3K MKD 1.9M

-1.91%

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

$26.4K MKD 1.5M

$26.1K MKD 1.4M

1.18%

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

$150 MKD 8,243

$158 MKD 8,713

-5.38%

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

$12.85 MKD 707

$18.80 MKD 1,034

-31.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.35 MKD 1,010

$19.20 MKD 1,056

-4.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.22 MKD 1,113

$37.03 MKD 2,037

-45.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.35 MKD 955

Cinema Ticket

$7.10 MKD 391

$7.44 MKD 409

-4.57%

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

$365 MKD 20.1K

$369 MKD 20.3K

-1.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,764 MKD 317.1K

$5,668 MKD 311.9K

1.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.7 MKD 4,717

$85.6 MKD 4,709

0.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.58 MKD 2,012

$36.99 MKD 2,035

-1.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MKD 5,709

$101 MKD 5,584

2.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.8 MKD 5,049

$112 MKD 6,178

-18.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$308 MKD 17.0K

$394 MKD 21.7K

-21.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 MKD 13.3K

$314 MKD 17.3K

-23.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$493 MKD 27.1K

$715 MKD 39.3K

-31.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 MKD 16.4K

$483 MKD 26.6K

-38.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,484 MKD 81.7K

$2,745 MKD 151.0K

-45.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$979 MKD 53.9K

$1,844 MKD 101.5K

-46.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$640 MKD 35.2K

$876 MKD 48.2K

-26.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.23

-5.44%

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

Last update for Strumica: October 25, 2026

Last update for Skopje: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Strumica

$241 27.8%

Skopje

$314 28.2% 30.2% $73

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Strumica

$181 20.9%

Skopje

$196 17.7% 8.5% $15

Groceries & Markets

Strumica

$178 20.5%

Skopje

$211 19% 18.7% $33

Clothing & Footwear

Strumica

$143 16.5%

Skopje

$151 13.6% 5.8% $8.3

Eating Out

Strumica

$81 9.4%

Skopje

$155 13.9% 90.3% $74

Sport & Entertainment

Strumica

$34 4%

Skopje

$52 4.7% 50.8% $17

Getting Around

Strumica

$7 * 0.8%

Skopje

$33 2.9% 367% $26

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $308 in Strumica versus $394 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 37% higher in Skopje. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22 in Strumica versus $34 in Skopje. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $178 vs $211 – making Strumica the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇰 Strumica

🇲🇰 Skopje

🕒 Local time

07:14 7:14 AM

Same time as Strumica

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

36,000

422,540 Capital

💱 Currency

North Macedonian Denar MKD ден

📈 Exchange rate

100 MKD = 1.82 USD

100 MKD = 1.63 EUR

100 MKD = 1.82 USD

100 MKD = 1.63 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Strumica Skopje 120 km

From you

Strumica
Skopje

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

Strumica vs Skopje: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Skopje costs about 28% more than Strumica, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,298 per month in Strumica and $1,667 in Skopje. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Strumica, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $308 there versus $394 in Skopje.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $866 in Strumica and $1,112 in Skopje. That makes Strumica about 22% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $365 per month in Strumica and $369 in Skopje. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $866 in Strumica and $1,112 in Skopje. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Skopje has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $866 in Strumica to $1,112 in Skopje. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Strumica. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Skopje makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.