Cost Of Living For a Student in Macedonia 2025
Average Monthly Expenditure
Currency: MKD
Average monthly spending for students in Macedonia
How much money does a student need in a month to survive in Macedonia?
Students in Macedonia spend around 23,000 MKD per month on average. Depending on the lifestyle, a student can survive with a monthly budget as low as 3,500 MKD or as high as 150,000 MKD. Location is a very important factor and has a huge influence on expenditure and budget.
Prices and cost of goods and services in Macedonia
Dining, food, and beverages costs
Fast food combo meal
Restaurant meal for one
Fine dining meal for one
| 310 MKD | 460 MKD | 1,800 MKD |
Cappuccino or latte
Grocery and market costs
Milk large bottle
12 eggs
Fresh whole chicken
Pack of beef
Medium bag of rice
Bag of tomatos
Bag of apples
Commute, travel, and transportation costs
20 minutes taxi ride
Average car full tank
Average car 1-day rental
Average car price
| 120,000 MKD | 230,000 MKD | 310,000 MKD |
Bus ticket one way
Car Service
Utility cost (monthly)
Utility Bill - Student
| 140 MKD | 920 MKD | 6,200 MKD |
Internet and cable
Mobile phone charges
Leisure and activities costs
Movie ticket
One month gym membership
Cloths and accessories costs
Pair of jeans or pants
Woman dress
| 260 MKD | 350 MKD | 1,200 MKD |
Woman shoes
Men's shoes
Men suit
| 230 MKD | 290 MKD | 1,500 MKD |
Regular t-shirt
Housing costs / monthly rent
Studio apartment
| 3,800 MKD | 5,800 MKD | 15,000 MKD |
1-bedroom apartment
| 5,800 MKD | 9,200 MKD | 23,000 MKD |
2-bedroom apartment
| 7,700 MKD | 12,000 MKD | 31,000 MKD |
Housing costs / Buying
Studio apartment
| 770,000 MKD | 1.2M MKD | 2.3M MKD |
1-bedroom apartment
| 920,000 MKD | 1.5M MKD | 5.8M MKD |
2-bedroom apartment
| 1.5M MKD | 4.6M MKD | 9.2M MKD |
Furniture Costs
King Size Bed
| 4,600 MKD | 5,800 MKD | 7,700 MKD |
Double Bed
| 3,100 MKD | 4,600 MKD | 5,800 MKD |
Single Bed
| 2,700 MKD | 3,500 MKD | 4,600 MKD |
Living Room
| 5,100 MKD | 6,600 MKD | 23,000 MKD |
Dining Table
| 2,300 MKD | 3,100 MKD | 5,800 MKD |
Sofa or Couch
| 3,100 MKD | 4,200 MKD | 9,200 MKD |
Electronics and House Appliance Costs
TV Set
| 3,100 MKD | 4,600 MKD | 9,200 MKD |
Fridge or Freezer
| 2,700 MKD | 4,200 MKD | 5,800 MKD |
Washing Machine
| 3,500 MKD | 5,100 MKD | 9,200 MKD |
Stove or Cooker
| 3,300 MKD | 4,200 MKD | 5,800 MKD |
Mobile Phone
| 3,800 MKD | 4,600 MKD | 6,600 MKD |
Laptop or Computer
| 4,200 MKD | 5,100 MKD | 9,200 MKD |
How do students spend their money in Macedonia?
We asked thousands of students about their spending habits and expenditure break down.
Housing and accomodation expenditure for students
Accomodation Cost17%
17% of total expenses on average (12% to 23%)
| LOW | $15 840 MKD |
| AVERAGE | $98 5,500 MKD |
| HIGH | $650 37,000 MKD |
| Per Month |
Students in Macedonia typically spend from 12% to 23% of their total monthly expenditure on housing with 17% being the average. The average monthly spend on housing is 5,500 MKD with expenditure ranging from 840 MKD to 37,000 MKD. This cost mainly goes for rent but it also includes other accommodation-related expenses.
Electricity, utilities, energy, water, internet, and mobile expenditure for students
Cost of utilities7%
7% of total expenses on average (5% to 11%)
| LOW | $2.5 140 MKD |
| AVERAGE | $16 920 MKD |
| HIGH | $110 6,200 MKD |
| Per Month |
Utility expenditure like electricity, water, and gas in Macedonia ranges from 5% to 11% of total expenses with 7% being the average for most students. The average monthly cost of utilities is 920 MKD with 140 MKD and 6,200 MKD being the upper and lower limits for a student of four.
Transport, fuel, and commute expenditure for students
Cost of transport and fuel4%
4% of total expenses on average (4% to 10%)
| LOW | $4.3 240 MKD |
| AVERAGE | $28 1,600 MKD |
| HIGH | $190 11,000 MKD |
| Per Month |
Fuel consumption and cost of transport depend heavily on whether a student resides near school and work, but roughly speaking a student would expect to spend from 240 MKD to 11,000 MKD in a month on commuting with 1,600 MKD being the norm for most students. This means that money spent on transport constitutes about 4% of total spending on average but can go as low as 4% or as high as 10%.
Food, groceries, and basic shopping expenditure for students
Food and Groceries Cost23%
23% of total expenses on average (17% to 27%)
| LOW | $12 700 MKD |
| AVERAGE | $81 4,600 MKD |
| HIGH | $540 31,000 MKD |
| Per Month |
The average outlay on groceries and basic houshold items for a typical student in a month in Macedonia is 4,600 MKD. The cost of groceries can range between 700 MKD to 31,000 MKD. Students spend on average about 23% on food and groceries with upper and lower bounds of 17% and 27% respectively.
Healthcare and medical services expenditure for students
Cost of healthcare9%
9% of total expenses on average (6% to 12%)
| LOW | $3.7 210 MKD |
| AVERAGE | $24 1,400 MKD |
| HIGH | $160 9,200 MKD |
| Per Month |
Students in Macedonia allocate 6% to 12% of their total monthly expenditure to healthcare including health insurance and out-of-pocket medical expenses. The average spending on medical services and clinic visits is around 9%. The range of medical expenses range from 210 MKD to 9,200 MKD with 1,400 MKD being the norm for most students.
Leisure and shopping expenditure for students
Cost of leisure and shopping2%
2% of total expenses on average (2% to 6%)
| LOW | $3.1 170 MKD |
| AVERAGE | $20 1,200 MKD |
| HIGH | $140 7,700 MKD |
| Per Month |
This category mostly contains discretionary or non-essential expenses but also some non-discretionary spending like furniture for example. The monthly expenses range from 170 MKD to 7,700 MKD with 1,200 MKD being the average. Speaking of percentages, that equates to 2% to 6% of total expenses with an average of 2% for most students.
Education and schooling expenditure for students
Cost of education and schooling18%
18% of total expenses on average (11% to 23%)
| LOW | $12 660 MKD |
| AVERAGE | $77 4,400 MKD |
| HIGH | $510 29,000 MKD |
| Per Month |
Spending on education can vary drastically between different students. On average, education constitutes 18% of the monthly expenditure of students with 11% and 23% being the lower and upper bounds respectively. The average reported education cost is 4,400 MKD per month with 660 MKD being the minimum spent amount and 29,000 MKD being the maximum.
Other Expenses19%
19% of total expenses on average (13% to 25%)
| LOW | $9.2 520 MKD |
| AVERAGE | $61 3,500 MKD |
| HIGH | $410 23,000 MKD |
| Per Month |
A typical and healthy budgeting structure
The 50/30/20 rule
Spending among different people can vary significantly based on factors such as their income, lifestyle,
location, and personal preferences. A commonly used guideline for budgeting is the 50/30/20 rule,
which suggests allocating your income into three main categories in the following percentages.
50% for needs and financial obligations
This category includes essential expenses like housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, and healthcare.
30% for wants and discretionary spending
This category covers discretionary spending on non-essential items, such as dining out, entertainment, travel, and other lifestyle choices.
20% for savings and emergency fund
This is the percentage that must be allocated to savings, emergency funds, and retirement accounts.
About financial planning, money management, and household budgeting
The 50/30/20 rule is used as a general guideline but may not be the best choice for all people. There are in fact many budgeting plans out there like the 70/20/10 and the 60/20/20 rules, all claiming to be the best. More important than all of this is to establish financial discipline by creating a budget tailored to your specific financial goals and situation. It is very important that your financial outflow be less than your income to maintain a healthy cash flow.
Affordable living in Macedonia
Income and cost of living compatibility
We asked students one simple question and recorded their answers.
Is it affordable or economical to live in Macedonia?
Around 56% of surveyed students think that living in Macedonia is affordable with proper budgeting while 44% reported that it is just too expensive and not affordable even with frugality and thriftness.
Low-cost alternatives in Macedonia
People are always looking for ways to cut down expenses and reduce expenditures. The hallmark of any affordable place is the availability of discount stores, bargain deals, smart or secondhand shopping, refurbished items, and couponing. We asked students how easily cost-cutting is and the answers were distributed as follows:
Plenty of low-cost options57%
Few low-cost options43%
Based on the survey, 57% of the students living in Macedonia have no problem finding low-cost alternatives to support a frugal lifestyle while 43% think that thriftness is difficult due to scarcity in discount markets and secondhand outlets.
Emergency Funds For Students
An emergency fund is a financial safety net comprised of easily accessible savings set aside to cover unexpected expenses or financial emergencies, typically amounting to three to six months' worth of living expenses. We asked students of Macedonia whether they have an emergency fund and the answers were as follows.
Yes54%
No46%
Based on the survey, 46% of the students living in Macedonia said that they don't have an emergency fund while 54% said that they do.
Financial Literacy in Macedonia
Financial literacy is the knowledge of concepts and principles related to personal finance that allow individuals to make informed decisions regarding their money such as budgeting, saving, investing, borrowing, managing debt, financial risk management, and planning.
Financial Leteracy51%
We asked student guardians and parents in Macedonia whether they acquired any adequate personal financial training in their lives. Approximately 49% of the people who participated in the survey said that they are not well informed about the topics of budgeting, saving, etc., and just manage things based on their own experience, while 51% said that they know about the general principles of personal finance from sources other than their own experience.
Difficulty in Budgeting and Financial Planning
We wanted to understand whether students of Macedonia have problems or difficulties in managing their expenditures and savings so we asked people one simple question: do you struggle with your personal finances? 44% of the participants reported that they indeed struggle in creating budgets and in organizing their finances while 56% said that they have everything under control.
Struggles with finance44%
Easily manages finances56%
Housing costs, accommodation, and housing affordability in Macedonia
Rental costs and house/apartment prices can vary drastically between different areas and locations.
Rent Cost in Macedonia
Monthly Rent Prices
Studio apartment monthly rent cost
| 3,800 MKD | 5,800 MKD | 15,000 MKD |
1-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 5,800 MKD | 9,200 MKD | 23,000 MKD |
2-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 7,700 MKD | 12,000 MKD | 31,000 MKD |
3-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
| 9,200 MKD | 15,000 MKD | 42,000 MKD |
Furnished apartment monthly rent cost
| 18,000 MKD | 46,000 MKD | 92,000 MKD |
Townhouse monthly rent cost
| 15,000 MKD | 23,000 MKD | 66,000 MKD |
House monthly rent cost
| 18,000 MKD | 46,000 MKD | 92,000 MKD |
Villa monthly rent cost
| 23,000 MKD | 58,000 MKD | 92,000 MKD |
The monthly rental cost of a studio apartment in Macedonia ranges between 3,800 MKD and 15,000 MKD, meanwhile the cost of monthly rental of a one-bedroom apartment can be anywhere from 5,800 MKD to 23,000 MKD. Two-bedroom rentals rate ranges between 7,700 MKD and 31,000 MKD per month. The monthly rental for a three-bedroom apartment ranges from 9,200 MKD to 42,000 MKD. The average rent of a townhouse in Macedonia is around 23,000 MKD while house rental costs can be as high as 46,000 MKD per month. Finally, if you want to rent a villa, expect to pay anywhere from 23,000 MKD to 92,000 MKD per month.
Apartment and house prices in Macedonia
Cost of buying a property
Studio apartment price
| 770,000 MKD | 1.2M MKD | 2.3M MKD |
1-bedroom apartment price
| 920,000 MKD | 1.5M MKD | 5.8M MKD |
2-bedroom apartment price
| 1.5M MKD | 4.6M MKD | 9.2M MKD |
3-bedroom apartment price
| 5.1M MKD | 7.7M MKD | 23M MKD |
| $90,000 | $140,000 | $410,000 |
Townhouse price
House price
Villa price
The average price of a studio apartment in Macedonia can range from 770,000 MKD to 2.3M MKD depending on location. One bedroom cost can be anywhere from 920,000 MKD to 5.8M MKD. A villa can cost you 51M MKD on average with prices ranging from 9.2M MKD to 77M MKD.
If you're leasing or purchasing, housing costs in Macedonia will probably constitute your biggest expenditure, yet it's an area where you wield considerable influence. This is due to the substantial variance in housing prices across communities. Keep in mind the location of your workplace and the accessibility of essential amenities to prevent negating the savings from lower rental rates with increased transportation expenses.
House / apartment prices to income ratio
Property price to income ratio
( average property price / average monthly income ) x 100
| 30 | x84 monthly income | 191 |
Property prices in Macedonia can be x84 to x191 multiples of the monthly income depending on the property and the income of the person. On average, property prices are approximately x84 multiples of the average monthly salary in Macedonia.
Rent to income ratio
Rent to income ratio
( monthly rental / monthly income ) x 100
The average rent-to-income ratio in Macedonia is around 28%. This means that people pay 28% of their income for rent. Those figures can range from 18% to 38% depending on the salary, location, and type of property.
The housing-to-income ratio is a very important metric to evaluate and measure how affordable living is in a particular area, city, or country since housing comprises the biggest chunk of expenditure. A higher housing to income ratio means that the place is relatively expensive. The figure by itself does tell much. It only starts to make sense when comparing the housing to income ratio across different locations.
Housing affordability index
The housing affordability index measures how affordable accommodation is in a particular place. This can measured in multiple ways, the most common being housing expenditure to total expenditure ratio and the rent to income ratio. The housing expenditure ratio is a figure reported by individuals on the percentage they allocate for housing. Rent to income ratio is calculated by dividing the average monthly rent by the average income. Because these values are both percentages, we can find their average and get the best of the two worlds.
Housing Affordability Index
26% Property Taxes
Real estate owners pay property taxes to local tax authorities, which are determined by the assessed value of their property. Typically, these taxes are paid once a year. Property tax funds contribute to community development, financing infrastructure improvements, public services, and local education initiatives.
Home Maintenance Costs
Home maintenance costs encompass various expenses associated with the upkeep and repair of a residence. These expenditures include regular tasks such as lawn care, pest control, and HVAC system servicing, as well as occasional repairs and renovations like fixing leaks, painting, or replacing appliances.
Urban vs. rural living costs
Urban living typically entails higher housing and transportation costs due to demand and limited space, while rural areas generally offer lower housing expenses but may have higher prices for goods and services. The differnce in rental rates between urban areas and rural areas can be as high as 300% in some cases.
Monthly costs and expenses of energy and basic utilities in Macedonia
Utilities expenditure can vary slightly between different areas and locations.
Energy, electricity, water, gas, internet, and mobile cost in Macedonia
Utility Bill Cost / Electricity + Water + Gas / Student
| 140 MKD | 920 MKD | 6,200 MKD |
Internet and cable cost
Mobile phone bill and charges
Because most utility bills club electricity, water, and gas costs in one bill, we can't provide a breakup for each type of utility and will display electricity, gas, and water as single cost.
The average monthly energy and water consumption of students is around 920 MKD. The cost of internet and WiFi ranges from 230 MKD to 620 MKD with 460 MKD being the average internet bill. Finally, the average monthly mobile charges is around 310 MKD but can range between 180 MKD and 920 MKD depending on consumption. Mobile charges include both calling minutes as well as data packages.
Energy / Utility expense to income ratio
( monthly utility expenses / monthly income ) x 100
The average utility-to-income ratio in Macedonia is around 7%. This means that people pay 7% of their income for energy, water, internet, and mobile charges. Those figures can range from 4% to 11% depending on salary and location.
Food Prices, Dining Expenses, and Grocery Costs in Macedonia
Grocery / Food expenditure and prices can vary drastically between different areas and locations.
Prices and cost of goods and services in Macedonia
Dining out, food, and beverages costs. Price variations for common food items.
Fast food combo meal price
The average price of a regular combo meal at a fast food outlet or chain like McDonald's, Pizzahut, or KFC in Macedonia is approximatly 92 MKD with meal cost ranging from 46 MKD to 150 MKD. The typical combo meal consists of a burger, french fries, and a drink.
Restaurant meal for one price
If you are planning to have a nice meal at a mid-range restaurant, expect to pay anywhere between 150 MKD and 460 MKD with 230 MKD being the average price of a plate for one person at a regular restaurant in Macedonia.
Fine dining meal for one price
| 310 MKD | 460 MKD | 1,800 MKD |
The price range of a meal at fine-dining restaurant is 310 MKD to 1,800 MKD with the average cost being 460 MKD for one person. This is what you would expect to pay a top-tier diner in Macedonia.
Beverage prices, cappuccino, latte etc..
The average price of a regular beverage like cappuccino or latte at Starbucks, Costa, or similar coffee shops and cafes in Macedonia is around 62 MKD. Price ranges between 38 MKD and 92 MKD depending on the type of beverage, the size, and optional add-ons.
Grocery and market costs
Large bottle of milk price
The average price of a large bottle of milk in Macedonia is 37 MKD. The maximum what you would pay for milk is 46 MKD and the minimum being 31 MKD depending on the brand of milk and other properties.
12 eggs price
A dozen eggs costs around 31 MKD on average with 23 MKD and 46 MKD being the lower and upper limits respectively.
Fresh whole chicken price
The price range of a fresh whole chicken in Macedonia is between 52 MKD and 96 MKD depending on the size of the chicken and whether it is oraganic or not. The average price is approximatly 68 MKD.
Pack of beef price
The price of a regular pack of beef or meat is around 92 MKD. A pack of beef contains around 1Kg or 1lb depending on packing.
Medium bag of rice price
A bag of rice in Macedonia costs around 34 MKD on average with prices rangeing between 25 MKD and 48 MKD depending on the brand and quality.
Bag of tomatos price
A bag of tomatoes costs anywhere from 9.2 MKD to 23 MKD. A bag of tomatoes denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.
Bag of apples price
A bag of apples costs 22 MKD on average. A bag of apples denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.
Grocery and food expenditure to income ratio
( monthly grocery expenses / monthly income ) x 100
The average grocery-to-income ratio in Macedonia is around 27%. This means that students spend 27% of their income on grocery and basic household items. The expenditure can range from 19% to 33% depending on salary and location.
Expenditure on food and grocery for students
Students' spending on grocery ranges from 700 MKD to 31,000 MKD with the location, income, and size of the student being the most determinite factors.
