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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Sveti Nikole costs about 5% more than Stip, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.68 MKD 512

$7.53 MKD 398

28.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.47 MKD 1,874

$23.64 MKD 1,249

50.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 MKD 297

$6.78 MKD 358

-16.96%

Cappuccino

$1.71 MKD 90.5

$1.86 MKD 98.2

-8.06%

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

$1.43 MKD 75.7

$1.55 MKD 82.0

-7.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 MKD 55.8

$1.16 MKD 61.4

-8.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 MKD 86.8

$1.84 MKD 97.4

-10.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 MKD 101

$2.92 MKD 154

-34.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MKD 73.9

$1.27 MKD 67.2

10.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.62 MKD 32.77

$0.82 MKD 43.07

-24.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 MKD 64.4

$1.16 MKD 61.5

5.17%

Eggs

$2.59 MKD 137

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.61 MKD 508

$8.69 MKD 459

10.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 MKD 244

$7.52 MKD 397

-38.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.27 MKD 648

$7.69 MKD 406

59.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 MKD 71.1

$0.93 MKD 49.25

45.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 MKD 68.8

$1.43 MKD 75.3

-9.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 MKD 71.1

$1.39 MKD 73.5

-2.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 MKD 94.0

$1.72 MKD 90.8

3.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 MKD 41.06

$0.93 MKD 48.93

-16.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MKD 61.5

$0.89 MKD 46.77

30.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 MKD 42.87

$0.59 MKD 31.21

37.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 MKD 23.73

$0.42 MKD 22.08

7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 MKD 171

$3.26 MKD 172

-0.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.74 MKD 356

$7.61 MKD 402

-11.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 MKD 53.4

$1.09 MKD 57.4

-7.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 MKD 80.8

$1.53 MKD 81.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MKD 40.48

$0.65 MKD 34.21

18.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.78 MKD 1,309

$22.86 MKD 1,208

8.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 MKD 78.6

$1.14 MKD 60.3

30.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 MKD 55.8

$0.68 MKD 35.94

55.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 MKD 199

$5.79 MKD 306

-34.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 MKD 76.7

$1.52 MKD 80.5

-4.61%

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

$35.3K MKD 1.9M

$36.7K MKD 1.9M

-3.81%

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

$28.3K MKD 1.5M

$28.1K MKD 1.5M

0.69%

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

$152 MKD 8,056

$165 MKD 8,691

-7.31%

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

$16.13 MKD 852

$9.36 MKD 495

72.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.07 MKD 638

$17.13 MKD 905

-29.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.42 MKD 1,237

$28.13 MKD 1,486

-16.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.12 MKD 1,116

Cinema Ticket

$5.26 MKD 278

$6.64 MKD 351

-20.78%

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

$363 MKD 19.2K

$381 MKD 20.1K

-4.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,991 MKD 316.5K

$5,594 MKD 295.6K

7.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.4 MKD 4,038

$38.16 MKD 2,016

100.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.44 MKD 1,766

$31.71 MKD 1,675

5.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.7 MKD 4,530

$108 MKD 5,689

-20.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.1 MKD 4,762

$114 MKD 6,022

-20.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$326 MKD 17.2K

$209 MKD 11.0K

56.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$202 MKD 10.7K

$131 MKD 6,901

54.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$470 MKD 24.8K

$341 MKD 18.0K

37.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 MKD 15.7K

$204 MKD 10.8K

45.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,618 MKD 85.5K

$1,246 MKD 65.9K

29.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,206 MKD 63.7K

$1,000 MKD 52.8K

20.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$556 MKD 29.4K

$472 MKD 24.9K

17.89%

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 Sveti Nikole: September 7, 2026

Last update for Stip: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $326 in Sveti Nikole versus $209 in Stip. 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 $35.00 in Sveti Nikole versus $24.00 in Stip. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $186 – 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

Sveti Nikole vs Stip: 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 $1,346 per month in Sveti Nikole and $1,279 in Stip. 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 $35.00 in Sveti Nikole and $24.00 in Stip. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $897 in Sveti Nikole and $853 in Stip. 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 $897 in Sveti Nikole and $853 in Stip, 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.