Moving to Macedonia from Serbia

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Serbia to Macedonia, you would find that Macedonia is 22.7% cheaper than Serbia overall. A RSD7,694,475 salary in Serbia would need to be roughly MKD3,433,146 in Macedonia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Macedonian.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

RSD7,694,475 MKD3,433,146

To maintain the same standard of living in Macedonia

Calculate with your salary →

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

Restaurants

pay 28.2% less

Groceries

pay 10.3% less

Transportation

pay 12.8% less

Housing

pay 30.3% less

Childcare

pay 42.3% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 12.0% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 RSD = 0.5251 MKD (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 Serbia to Macedonia, based on official data.

Living there in 2020
18,009

people born in Serbia live in Macedonia · UN DESA

Who's moving to Macedonia?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

RS
1.0
MK
0.9
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

RS
7.4
MK
5.7

Macedonia performs significantly better than Serbia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

RS
$2,303
MK
$1,808
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

RS
28.4
MK
29.6

Macedonia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Serbia leads in adult obesity rate.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

RS
45.0
MK
62.0

Serbia performs better than Macedonia across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

RS
29.3
MK
24.6
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

RS
5.7%
MK
38.0%

Serbia generally does better on infrastructure, though Macedonia leads in internet access.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

RS
8.7%
MK
13.1%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

RS
$24,500
MK
$23,400

Serbia 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

RS
74.2 yrs
MK
76.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

RS
4.8
MK
7.3

Serbia generally does better on family life, though Macedonia leads in life expectancy.

Data: Ministry of Finance, Republic of Serbia, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Belgrade Rain: 26.9 in/yr (683 mm)
62° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Belgrade Skopje
Jan–Mar 45°/33°F (7°/0°C) 47°/30°F (9°/-1°C)
Apr–Jun 71°/53°F (22°/12°C) 74°/49°F (23°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/59°F (26°/15°C) 84°/57°F (29°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 53°/39°F (11°/4°C) 54°/35°F (12°/2°C)
View all months
Month Belgrade Skopje
Jan 38°/28°F (3.5°/-2.3°C) 39°/26°F (4.0°/-3.6°C)
Feb 44°/32°F (6.4°/-0.2°C) 47°/30°F (8.4°/-1.3°C)
Mar 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.3°C) 56°/35°F (13.6°/1.9°C)
Apr 64°/46°F (17.5°/7.8°C) 65°/42°F (18.6°/5.4°C)
May 72°/54°F (22.5°/12.1°C) 75°/50°F (23.9°/10.0°C)
Jun 78°/59°F (25.3°/15.0°C) 81°/55°F (27.4°/13.0°C)
Jul 81°/61°F (27.3°/16.3°C) 86°/59°F (29.8°/14.8°C)
Aug 81°/61°F (27.3°/16.1°C) 86°/58°F (30.0°/14.6°C)
Sep 75°/55°F (23.7°/13.0°C) 79°/53°F (26.1°/11.4°C)
Oct 65°/47°F (18.1°/8.3°C) 67°/43°F (19.5°/6.3°C)
Nov 52°/39°F (11.0°/4.0°C) 52°/35°F (11.2°/1.4°C)
Dec 42°/32°F (5.3°/-0.2°C) 42°/28°F (5.3°/-2.2°C)

Data: Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia Republic Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia, HydroMeteorological Service of Republic of North Macedonia HydroMeteorological Service of Republic of North Macedonia

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Serbia 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.

Serbia passport

Serbia passport holder visiting Macedonia

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

Macedonia passport holder visiting Serbia

Visa Free
Macedonia passport holders can enter Serbia 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 Macedonia than Serbia?

Yes — Macedonia is on average about 15% cheaper than Serbia. 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 MKD858,286 in Macedonia on a RSD7,694,475 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 24.6 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?

Macedonia performs significantly better than Serbia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Macedonia is 0.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.0 in Serbia.

How is healthcare in Macedonia compared to Serbia?

Macedonia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Serbia leads in adult obesity rate. There are 29.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Macedonia, compared to 28.4 in Serbia. Macedonia scores 74 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Serbia: 72).

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

The average high temperature in Skopje is 65°F, compared to 62°F in Belgrade. Skopje receives around 19.8 in of rainfall per year, while Belgrade gets 26.9 in.

What language do they speak in Macedonia?

The official language in Macedonia is Macedonian. In Serbia, the official language is Serbian.

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At a Glance

RS MK
Population 6,739,471 2,130,936
Currency Serbian Dinar (RSD) Macedonian Denar (MKD)
Languages Serbian Macedonian
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +381 +389
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 112