Moving to Macedonia from Israel
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Israel to Macedonia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Israel to Macedonia, you would find that Macedonia is 68.0% cheaper than Israel overall. A ₪230,000 salary in Israel would need to be roughly MKD1,300,000 in Macedonia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Macedonian.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Macedonia cheaper than Israel?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 68.8% less
Groceries
pay 56.4% less
Transportation
pay 52.1% less
Housing
pay 78.7% less
Childcare
pay 81.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 67.8% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
What salary do you need in Macedonia?
What does your salary buy?
₪230,000 → MKD1,300,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Macedonia
Calculate with your salary →Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Macedonia cost about 52% less than cities in Israel.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Israel to Macedonia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Israel generally does better on safety, though Macedonia leads in homicide rate.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Israel generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Macedonia leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Israel generally does better on environment, though Macedonia leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Macedonia generally does better on infrastructure, though Israel leads in electricity per capita.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
Israel generally does better on employment & economy, though Macedonia leads in top income tax rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
percentage of adults who can read and write
Macedonia generally does better on family life, though Israel leads in life expectancy.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), The World Factbook (2011–2020), World Health Organization (2024), Israel Ministry of Finance Tax Authority (2016), Public Revenue Office (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Macedonia vs Israel
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Jerusalem | Skopje |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 58°/46°F (15°/8°C) | 47°/30°F (9°/-1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/60°F (25°/15°C) | 74°/49°F (23°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/67°F (29°/20°C) | 84°/57°F (29°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 68°/55°F (20°/13°C) | 54°/35°F (12°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Jerusalem | Skopje |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 55°/44°F (12.8°/6.9°C) | 39°/26°F (4.0°/-3.6°C) |
| Feb | 57°/45°F (13.8°/7.1°C) | 47°/30°F (8.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Mar | 63°/49°F (17.0°/9.2°C) | 56°/35°F (13.6°/1.9°C) |
| Apr | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.1°C) | 65°/42°F (18.6°/5.4°C) |
| May | 79°/61°F (25.9°/16.0°C) | 75°/50°F (23.9°/10.0°C) |
| Jun | 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.2°C) | 81°/55°F (27.4°/13.0°C) |
| Jul | 86°/68°F (30.0°/20.2°C) | 86°/59°F (29.8°/14.8°C) |
| Aug | 86°/68°F (29.9°/20.0°C) | 86°/58°F (30.0°/14.6°C) |
| Sep | 83°/66°F (28.4°/18.7°C) | 79°/53°F (26.1°/11.4°C) |
| Oct | 78°/62°F (25.3°/16.8°C) | 67°/43°F (19.5°/6.3°C) |
| Nov | 68°/55°F (19.9°/12.8°C) | 52°/35°F (11.2°/1.4°C) |
| Dec | 59°/48°F (15.2°/9.0°C) | 42°/28°F (5.3°/-2.2°C) |
Data:
Israel Meteorological Service,
HydroMeteorological Service of Republic of North Macedonia
Can you move from Israel to Macedonia?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Israel and Macedonia. To live, work, or study long-term in Macedonia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Macedonia's immigration authority.
Israel passport holder visiting Macedonia
Visa Free
Macedonia passport holder visiting Israel
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Macedonia than Israel?
Yes — Macedonia is on average about 68% cheaper than Israel. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Macedonia?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly MKD325,000 in Macedonia on a ₪230,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Macedonia?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Macedonia has 29.9 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Macedonia safe for expats?
Israel generally does better on safety, though Macedonia leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Macedonia is 1.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.6 in Israel.
How is healthcare in Macedonia compared to Israel?
Israel generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Macedonia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 29.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Macedonia, compared to 38.0 in Israel. Macedonia scores 74 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Israel: 85).
What's the weather like in Macedonia compared to Israel?
The average high temperature in Skopje is 65°F, compared to 72°F in Jerusalem. Skopje receives around 19.8 in of rainfall per year, while Jerusalem gets 21.1 in.
What language do they speak in Macedonia?
The official language in Macedonia is Macedonian. In Israel, the official languages are Arabic and Hebrew.
