Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tomsk and Skopje

For one person, living costs are similar in Tomsk and in Skopje: $1,096 and $1,117 a month, rent and utilities included.

Tomsk
🇷🇺 Russia
$1,096
/mo nomad
Skopje
🇲🇰 North Macedonia
$1,117
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tomsk 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 Tomsk and in Skopje actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,096 per month in Tomsk vs $1,117 in Skopje, rent included.

  • Tomsk $1,096
  • Skopje $1,117

A couple spends around $1,687 per month in Tomsk vs $1,654 in Skopje, rent included.

  • Tomsk $1,687
  • Skopje $1,654

A family of three spends $2,277 per month in Tomsk vs $2,191 in Skopje, rent included.

  • Tomsk $2,277
  • Skopje $2,191

Tomsk is about 2% cheaper than Skopje, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Tomsk and Skopje are more affordable than the global median – Tomsk 19% lower, Skopje 17% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tomsk
Skopje
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.70 ₽642
$9.29 MKD 507
-17.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$29.26 ₽2,442
$34.04 MKD 1,857
-14.04%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.39 ₽533
$6.28 MKD 343
1.75%
Cappuccino
$2.20 ₽184
$2.05 MKD 112
7.32%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.89 ₽74.5
$1.84 MKD 101
-51.63%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.41 ₽33.91
$1.31 MKD 71.3
-68.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.12 ₽93.2
$2.67 MKD 146
-58.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18 ₽266
$3.11 MKD 170
2.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tomsk
Skopje
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.22 ₽102
$1.22 MKD 66.7
-
White Bread (500g)
$0.72 ₽60.0
$0.74 MKD 40.54
-2.70%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.93 ₽77.8
$1.75 MKD 95.5
-46.86%
Eggs
$1.36 ₽113
$2.40 MKD 131
-43.33%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.41 ₽952
$8.16 MKD 445
39.83%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.45 ₽371
$7.43 MKD 405
-40.11%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.18 ₽766
$14.85 MKD 810
-38.18%
Apples (1kg)
$1.66 ₽139
$1.43 MKD 78.1
16.08%
Banana (1kg)
$1.97 ₽165
$1.44 MKD 78.5
36.81%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.12 ₽177
$1.37 MKD 74.6
54.74%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.87 ₽240
$1.90 MKD 103
51.05%
Potato (1kg)
$0.42 ₽34.81
$0.89 MKD 48.32
-52.81%
Onion (1kg)
$0.37 ₽31.00
$0.84 MKD 46.04
-55.95%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.72 ₽144
$0.63 MKD 34.61
173.02%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48 ₽39.65
$0.55 MKD 29.98
-12.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.69 ₽225
$3.40 MKD 185
-20.88%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.81 ₽485
$7.47 MKD 407
-22.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.90 ₽74.8
$1.01 MKD 55.2
-10.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65 ₽138
$1.43 MKD 78.3
15.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Tomsk
Skopje
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.47 ₽39.36
$0.76 MKD 41.68
-38.16%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.45 ₽706
$27.14 MKD 1,480
-68.87%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.32 ₽193
$1.11 MKD 60.3
109.01%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.29 ₽24.19
$0.61 MKD 33.03
-52.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.22 ₽602
$7.55 MKD 412
-4.37%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.85 ₽71.0
$1.56 MKD 85.0
-45.51%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.0K ₽3.0M
$34.9K MKD 1.9M
3.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.9K ₽2.6M
$27.3K MKD 1.5M
12.96%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tomsk
Skopje
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$166 ₽13.9K
$154 MKD 8,393
7.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.75 ₽647
$18.77 MKD 1,024
-58.71%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$13.19 ₽1,101
$18.72 MKD 1,021
-29.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tomsk
Skopje
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.44 ₽3,125
$38.00 MKD 2,073
-1.47%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.03 ₽1,338
$17.14 MKD 935
-6.48%
Cinema Ticket
$4.87 ₽407
$7.24 MKD 395
-32.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tomsk
Skopje
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$240 ₽20.0K
$351 MKD 19.1K
-31.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$5,732 MKD 312.7K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tomsk
Skopje
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$115 ₽9,630
$85.6 MKD 4,671
34.76%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$71.8 ₽5,990
$37.04 MKD 2,020
93.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$166 ₽13.9K
$101 MKD 5,498
65.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 ₽9,972
$113 MKD 6,150
5.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tomsk
Skopje
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$479 ₽40.0K
$422 MKD 23.0K
13.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$321 ₽26.8K
$328 MKD 17.9K
-1.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$779 ₽65.0K
$721 MKD 39.3K
8.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$628 ₽52.4K
$487 MKD 26.6K
28.90%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,992 ₽166.3K
$2,700 MKD 147.3K
-26.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,455 ₽121.4K
$1,811 MKD 98.8K
-19.65%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tomsk
Skopje
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$901 ₽75.2K
$876 MKD 47.8K
2.90%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
22
4.23
420.09%

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

Last update for Tomsk: October 11, 2026

Last update for Skopje: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tomsk
$321
Skopje
$328 2% $6.4
Clothing & Footwear
Tomsk
$213
Skopje
$151 28.9% $62
Groceries & Markets
Tomsk
$190
Skopje
$210 10.5% $20
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tomsk
$187
Skopje
$191 2.3% $4.3
Eating Out
Tomsk
$124
Skopje
$150 20.6% $26
Sport & Entertainment
Tomsk
$47
Skopje
$52 11.2% $5.3
Getting Around
Tomsk
$14
Skopje
$34 143% $20

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $479 in Tomsk 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 3% higher in Tomsk, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Tomsk versus $34.00 in Skopje. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $210 – making Tomsk the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇷🇺 Tomsk
🇲🇰 Skopje
🕒 Local time
22:25 10:25 PM
17:25 5:25 PM
5 h behind Tomsk
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
551,505
422,540 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MKD, USD, EUR to RUB – Russian Ruble Converter

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 83.46 RUB (100 RUB = 1.2 USD). 1 EUR = 93.83 RUB (100 RUB = 1.07 EUR).

North Macedonian Denar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 54.55 MKD (100 MKD = 1.83 USD). 1 EUR = 61.33 MKD (100 MKD = 1.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tomsk Skopje 4,690 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Tomsk
  • Skopje

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Tomsk vs Skopje: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Tomsk or Skopje?
Skopje costs about 2% more than Tomsk, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Tomsk and in Skopje?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,645 per month in Tomsk and $1,675 in Skopje. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Tomsk or Skopje?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Tomsk, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do childcare costs compare in Tomsk and in Skopje?
Kindergarten costs $240 per month in Tomsk and $351 in Skopje. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Tomsk or in Skopje?
Groceries cost about 11% more in Skopje, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Tomsk or in Skopje?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tomsk, where all-in costs run around $1,096, than in Skopje at $1,117. In Tomsk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Skopje it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Tomsk or Skopje?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tomsk costs $1,096 versus $1,117 in Skopje. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Tomsk compared to Skopje?
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.
Should I move to Tomsk or to Skopje?
If budget matters most, go with Tomsk. 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.

Tomsk vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?