Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between the United Kingdom and North Macedonia

For one person, living is cheaper in North Macedonia: $940 a month against $2,462 in the United Kingdom, rent and utilities included – about $18,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

United Kingdom
North Macedonia
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,462
/mo nomad
🇲🇰 North Macedonia
$940
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in the United Kingdom and in North Macedonia

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,462 in the United Kingdom versus $940 in North Macedonia.

  • United Kingdom $2,462
  • North Macedonia $940

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,600 in the United Kingdom versus $1,393 in North Macedonia.

  • United Kingdom $3,600
  • North Macedonia $1,393

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,738 in the United Kingdom versus $1,847 in North Macedonia.

  • United Kingdom $4,738
  • North Macedonia $1,847

Internal cost variation is higher in the United Kingdom: monthly costs span $1,126 to $4,646, compared to $730–$1,112 in North Macedonia. City choice carries more weight in the United Kingdom.

Living in the United Kingdom is roughly 162% more expensive than in North Macedonia on average.

The United Kingdom (81% above) and North Macedonia (31% below) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
United Kingdom
North Macedonia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.48 £16.12
$7.37 MKD 405
191.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$85.7 £64.3
$27.76 MKD 1,527
208.86%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.61 £7.96
$5.37 MKD 295
97.58%
Cappuccino
$4.91 £3.68
$1.67 MKD 91.7
194.01%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66 £2.00
$1.62 MKD 89.0
64.20%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.87 £1.40
$1.18 MKD 65.0
58.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.63 £4.97
$2.15 MKD 118
208.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.84 £5.13
$2.69 MKD 148
154.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
United Kingdom
North Macedonia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 £1.26
$1.29 MKD 70.8
30.23%
White Bread (500g)
$1.72 £1.29
$0.73 MKD 40.03
135.62%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.17 £1.63
$1.56 MKD 85.6
39.10%
Eggs
$4.00 £3.00
$2.21 MKD 121
81.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.42 £7.07
$8.29 MKD 456
13.63%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.19 £6.89
$6.77 MKD 372
35.75%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.77 £11.08
$12.23 MKD 673
20.77%
Apples (1kg)
$2.97 £2.22
$1.16 MKD 64.0
156.03%
Banana (1kg)
$1.62 £1.22
$1.43 MKD 78.7
13.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.85 £2.14
$1.33 MKD 73.2
114.29%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.52 £2.64
$1.77 MKD 97.4
98.87%
Potato (1kg)
$1.83 £1.37
$0.94 MKD 51.8
94.68%
Onion (1kg)
$1.61 £1.21
$0.97 MKD 53.3
65.98%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.25 £0.94
$0.67 MKD 36.88
86.57%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 £1.24
$0.51 MKD 28.10
225.49%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.65 £17.75
$3.26 MKD 179
625.46%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.50 £7.88
$5.48 MKD 301
91.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.98 £2.24
$0.99 MKD 54.7
201.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.51 £2.63
$1.34 MKD 73.9
161.94%
🚌 Getting Around
United Kingdom
North Macedonia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.98 £2.99
$0.70 MKD 38.48
468.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$107 £80.6
$25.31 MKD 1,392
324.42%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.18 £3.89
$1.26 MKD 69.1
311.11%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.35 £1.76
$0.68 MKD 37.38
245.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$26.84 £20.14
$6.68 MKD 367
301.80%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.99 £1.49
$1.47 MKD 80.8
35.37%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.4K £29.6K
$33.9K MKD 1.9M
16.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.5K £30.4K
$27.7K MKD 1.5M
46.06%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
United Kingdom
North Macedonia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$327 £245
$144 MKD 7,922
127.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.21 £13.66
$17.29 MKD 951
5.32%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$43.60 £32.72
$18.06 MKD 994
141.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
United Kingdom
North Macedonia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.36 £31.78
$26.80 MKD 1,475
58.06%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.22 £13.67
$14.58 MKD 802
24.97%
Cinema Ticket
$13.85 £10.39
$6.51 MKD 358
112.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
United Kingdom
North Macedonia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,868 £1,402
$289 MKD 15.9K
547.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$22.6K £17.0K
$4,691 MKD 258.1K
382.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
United Kingdom
North Macedonia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$92.9 £69.7
$66.4 MKD 3,654
39.91%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.92 £34.45
$38.71 MKD 2,130
18.63%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 £76.3
$88.1 MKD 4,848
15.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102 £76.7
$103 MKD 5,675
-0.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
United Kingdom
North Macedonia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,342 £1,007
$306 MKD 16.8K
338.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,073 £805
$241 MKD 13.3K
345.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,231 £1,674
$533 MKD 29.3K
318.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,742 £1,307
$357 MKD 19.7K
387.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,601 £4,203
$1,930 MKD 106.2K
190.21%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,265 £3,200
$1,360 MKD 74.8K
213.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
United Kingdom
North Macedonia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,349 £2,513
$732 MKD 40.3K
357.85%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.32
4.69
13.43%

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

Last update for the United Kingdom: October 26, 2026

Last update for North Macedonia: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
United Kingdom
$1.1K
North Macedonia
$241 77.6% $832
Monthly Utilities & Internet
United Kingdom
$389
North Macedonia
$179 53.9% $210
Eating Out
United Kingdom
$328
North Macedonia
$122 62.6% $205
Groceries & Markets
United Kingdom
$307
North Macedonia
$191 37.7% $116
Clothing & Footwear
United Kingdom
$154
North Macedonia
$133 13.5% $21
Getting Around
United Kingdom
$140
North Macedonia
$33 76.6% $107
Sport & Entertainment
United Kingdom
$70
North Macedonia
$40 43.1% $30

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,287 in the United Kingdom, $274 in North Macedonia. Capital cities: $2,811 in London vs $394 in Skopje.

National salary averages: $3,251 in the United Kingdom, $639 in North Macedonia. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 370% higher in the United Kingdom.

Dining out costs 207% more in the United Kingdom.

Public transport is 321% more expensive in the United Kingdom.

Salaries are about 5.1 times higher in the United Kingdom, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United Kingdom.

Good to know
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
🇲🇰 North Macedonia
🕒 Local time
11:07 11:07 AM
12:07 12:07 PM
1 h ahead of the United Kingdom
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
67,326,569
1,836,713
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MKD, USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.837 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

North Macedonian Denar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 55.02 MKD (100 MKD = 1.82 USD). 1 EUR = 61.4 MKD (100 MKD = 1.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • United Kingdom North Macedonia 1,940 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • United Kingdom
  • North Macedonia

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
United Kingdom vs North Macedonia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between North Macedonia and the United Kingdom?
At $940 per month in North Macedonia and $2,462 in the United Kingdom, North Macedonia comes out about 62% cheaper. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is cheaper in North Macedonia: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $1,287 in the United Kingdom and $274 in North Macedonia. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget in North Macedonia or in the United Kingdom?
In North Macedonia, $1,500 covers most cities easily; in the United Kingdom it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you’ll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to North Macedonia or to the United Kingdom?
It depends on what you’re after: North Macedonia wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.

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