Moving to Spain from Macedonia

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Macedonia to Spain — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Macedonia to Spain, you would find that Spain is 96.4% more expensive than Macedonia overall. A MKD4,040,579 salary in Macedonia would need to be roughly €106,853 in Spain to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Macedonia to Spain.

What does your salary buy?

MKD4,040,579 €106,853

To maintain the same standard of living in Spain

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 89.8% more

Groceries

pay 66.7% more

Transportation

pay 62.2% more

Housing

pay 2.5 times more

Childcare

pay 3.3 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 64.0% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 MKD = 0.0162 EUR (July 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Macedonia to Spain, based on official data.

Moved in 2019
70 ↓ 28% vs 2018

people moved from Macedonia to Spain · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Spain?

Top countries of origin for Spain's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Macedonia to Spain.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

MK
0.9
ES
0.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

MK
5.7
ES
3.5

Spain performs significantly better than Macedonia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

MK
$1,808
ES
$4,935
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

MK
29.6
ES
44.8

Spain generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Macedonia leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

MK
62.0
ES
10.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

MK
4.0t
ES
4.5t

Macedonia generally does better on environment, though Spain leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

MK
24.6
ES
36.0
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

MK
38.0%
ES
43.2%

Spain generally does better on infrastructure, though Macedonia leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

MK
13.1%
ES
12.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

MK
$23,400
ES
$46,400

Spain generally does better on employment & economy, though Macedonia leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

MK
76.8 yrs
ES
82.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

MK
7.3
ES
2.5

Spain performs significantly better than Macedonia across all family life metrics.

Data: Public Revenue Office, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Skopje Rain: 19.8 in/yr (504 mm)
65° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

Madrid Rain: 16.6 in/yr (421 mm)
68° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Skopje Madrid
Jan–Mar 47°/30°F (9°/-1°C) 55°/40°F (13°/4°C)
Apr–Jun 74°/49°F (23°/9°C) 73°/53°F (23°/12°C)
Jul–Sep 84°/57°F (29°/14°C) 86°/64°F (30°/18°C)
Oct–Dec 54°/35°F (12°/2°C) 58°/44°F (14°/7°C)
View all months
Month Skopje Madrid
Jan 39°/26°F (4.0°/-3.6°C) 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C)
Feb 47°/30°F (8.4°/-1.3°C) 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C)
Mar 56°/35°F (13.6°/1.9°C) 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C)
Apr 65°/42°F (18.6°/5.4°C) 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C)
May 75°/50°F (23.9°/10.0°C) 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C)
Jun 81°/55°F (27.4°/13.0°C) 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C)
Jul 86°/59°F (29.8°/14.8°C) 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C)
Aug 86°/58°F (30.0°/14.6°C) 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C)
Sep 79°/53°F (26.1°/11.4°C) 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C)
Oct 67°/43°F (19.5°/6.3°C) 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C)
Nov 52°/35°F (11.2°/1.4°C) 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C)
Dec 42°/28°F (5.3°/-2.2°C) 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C)

Data: HydroMeteorological Service of Republic of North Macedonia HydroMeteorological Service of Republic of North Macedonia, Agencia Estatal de Meteorología Agencia Estatal de Meteorología

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Macedonia and Spain. To live, work, or study long-term in Spain, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Spain's immigration authority.

Macedonia passport

Macedonia passport holder visiting Spain

Visa Free
Macedonia passport holders can enter Spain without a visa.
Spain passport

Spain passport holder visiting Macedonia

Visa Free
Spain passport holders can enter Macedonia without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Spain than Macedonia?

No — Spain is on average about 63% more expensive than Macedonia. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Spain?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €26,713 in Spain on a MKD4,040,579 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Spain?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Spain has 36.0 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 Spain safe for expats?

Spain performs significantly better than Macedonia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Spain is 0.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.9 in Macedonia.

How is healthcare in Spain compared to Macedonia?

Spain generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Macedonia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 44.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Spain, compared to 29.6 in Macedonia. Spain scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Macedonia: 74).

What's the weather like in Spain compared to Macedonia?

The average high temperature in Madrid is 68°F, compared to 65°F in Skopje. Madrid receives around 16.6 in of rainfall per year, while Skopje gets 19.8 in.

What language do they speak in Spain?

The official languages in Spain are Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish. In Macedonia, the official language is Macedonian.

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At a Glance

MK ES
Population 2,130,936 47,163,418
Currency Macedonian Denar (MKD) Euro (€)
Languages Macedonian Basque, Catalan, Galician, Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +389 +34
Time zones 1 2
Emergency number 112 112