Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and North Macedonia Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and North Macedonia

Name: North Macedonia
Address: MK

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,642 in United States versus $866 in North Macedonia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,857 in United States versus $1,294 in North Macedonia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,072 in United States versus $1,721 in North Macedonia.

Living in United States is roughly 205% more expensive than in North Macedonia on average.

United States (98% above) and North Macedonia (35% below) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in United States: monthly costs span $1,335 to $5,182, compared to $744–$1,087 in North Macedonia. City choice carries more weight in United States.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.63 $19.63

$7.41 MKD 398

164.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.4 $75.4

$28.89 MKD 1,550

161.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.57 $11.57

$5.79 MKD 311

99.83%

Cappuccino

$5.22 $5.22

$1.87 MKD 100

179.14%

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

$2.49 $2.49

$1.79 MKD 96.1

39.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.24 MKD 66.7

66.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 $5.91

$2.23 MKD 120

165.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 $7.13

$2.79 MKD 150

155.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.35 MKD 72.5

-19.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 $3.56

$0.72 MKD 38.68

394.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.74 $4.74

$1.62 MKD 87.0

192.59%

Eggs

$4.34 $4.34

$2.17 MKD 117

100.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.68 $12.68

$8.88 MKD 476

42.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.28 $12.28

$7.36 MKD 395

66.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.60 $16.60

$12.46 MKD 668

33.23%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$1.04 MKD 55.9

396.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.47 MKD 79.0

15.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$1.34 MKD 72.1

232.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$1.99 MKD 107

141.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$0.94 MKD 50.6

211.70%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$1.02 MKD 54.7

202.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.68 MKD 36.48

226.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$0.56 MKD 30.04

301.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.90 $9.90

$3.24 MKD 174

205.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$5.42 MKD 291

181.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.03 MKD 55.4

85.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 $3.58

$1.46 MKD 78.4

145.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 $2.46

$0.79 MKD 42.22

211.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 $64.6

$27.86 MKD 1,495

132.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 $3.77

$1.16 MKD 62.0

225.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 $1.71

$0.60 MKD 32.26

185.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.08 $30.08

$7.59 MKD 407

296.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.53 MKD 82.2

-37.25%

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

$29.9K $29.9K

$34.0K MKD 1.8M

-12.23%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$30.1K MKD 1.6M

-13.28%

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

$210 $210

$147 MKD 7,888

42.88%

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

$56.3 $56.3

$17.68 MKD 948

218.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.9 $72.9

$18.94 MKD 1,016

284.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.39 $45.39

$31.38 MKD 1,683

44.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.60 $21.60

$14.06 MKD 754

53.63%

Cinema Ticket

$14.04 $14.04

$6.65 MKD 357

111.13%

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

$1,377 $1,377

$287 MKD 15.4K

380.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.4K $22.4K

$4,216 MKD 226.1K

430.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 $52.7

$69.4 MKD 3,721

-24.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.41 $42.41

$42.34 MKD 2,271

0.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 $91.8

$94.1 MKD 5,047

-2.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$109 MKD 5,862

3.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 $1,765

$351 MKD 18.8K

403.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,462 $1,462

$263 MKD 14.1K

456.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,849 $2,849

$575 MKD 30.8K

395.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,369 $2,369

$395 MKD 21.2K

499.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,364 $3,364

$1,970 MKD 105.7K

70.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,665 $2,665

$1,320 MKD 70.8K

101.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,378 $4,378

$746 MKD 40.0K

486.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

4.76

36.76%

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

Last update for United States: July 12, 2026

Last update for North Macedonia: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,635 in United States, $283 in North Macedonia. Capital cities: $1,625 in Washington, MI vs $425 in Skopje.

National salary averages: $4,500 in United States, $650 in North Macedonia. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 478% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 181% more in United States.

Salaries are 592% higher in United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in United States.

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 States vs North Macedonia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $916 per month in North Macedonia and $3,259 in United States, there's a 256% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in North Macedonia: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in United States is consistently higher than in North Macedonia across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In North Macedonia, $1,500 covers most cities easily; in United States it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after: North Macedonia wins on affordability; United States may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.