Moving to Macedonia from Turkey
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Turkey to Macedonia — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Turkey to Macedonia, you would find that Macedonia is 2.7% cheaper than Turkey overall. A TRY3,535,688 salary in Turkey would need to be roughly MKD3,073,103 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 ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Turkey to Macedonia.
What does your salary buy?
TRY3,535,688 → MKD3,073,103
To maintain the same standard of living in Macedonia
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 40.3% more
Groceries
pay 16.5% more
Transportation
pay 9.1% less
Housing
pay 13.5% more
Childcare
pay 68.3% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 13.4% 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Turkey to Macedonia, and how the trend has changed.
Who's moving to Macedonia?
Top countries of origin for Macedonia's foreign-born residents.
- 68,113
-
2.20,011
Turkey
- 18,009
- 9,269
- 8,750
- 1,971
Key Indicator Comparison
How Turkey and Macedonia stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Macedonia performs significantly better than Turkey across all safety metrics.
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
Turkey generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Macedonia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Turkey 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 Turkey 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
Turkey 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 performs significantly better than Turkey across all family life metrics.
Data: Revenue Administration, Government of Turkey, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Ankara | Skopje |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 45°/28°F (7°/-2°C) | 47°/30°F (9°/-1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) | 74°/49°F (23°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/57°F (29°/14°C) | 84°/57°F (29°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 55°/37°F (13°/3°C) | 54°/35°F (12°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Ankara | Skopje |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39°/26°F (4.1°/-3.5°C) | 39°/26°F (4.0°/-3.6°C) |
| Feb | 43°/27°F (5.9°/-2.8°C) | 47°/30°F (8.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Mar | 52°/32°F (11.1°/0.2°C) | 56°/35°F (13.6°/1.9°C) |
| Apr | 63°/41°F (17.3°/5.1°C) | 65°/42°F (18.6°/5.4°C) |
| May | 72°/49°F (22.2°/9.4°C) | 75°/50°F (23.9°/10.0°C) |
| Jun | 80°/55°F (26.4°/12.6°C) | 81°/55°F (27.4°/13.0°C) |
| Jul | 86°/60°F (29.9°/15.4°C) | 86°/59°F (29.8°/14.8°C) |
| Aug | 86°/60°F (30.0°/15.4°C) | 86°/58°F (30.0°/14.6°C) |
| Sep | 78°/52°F (25.8°/11.3°C) | 79°/53°F (26.1°/11.4°C) |
| Oct | 68°/44°F (20.0°/6.8°C) | 67°/43°F (19.5°/6.3°C) |
| Nov | 55°/36°F (12.9°/2.4°C) | 52°/35°F (11.2°/1.4°C) |
| Dec | 43°/30°F (6.3°/-0.9°C) | 42°/28°F (5.3°/-2.2°C) |
Data:
Turkish State Meteorological Service,
HydroMeteorological Service of Republic of North Macedonia
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Turkey 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.
Turkey passport holder visiting Macedonia
Visa Free
Macedonia passport holder visiting Turkey
Visa FreeData: 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 Turkey?
Generally yes: Macedonia runs about 24% cheaper than Turkey on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Macedonia?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a TRY3,535,688 comparable salary, that's around MKD768,276 in Macedonia for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Macedonia?
With 24.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Macedonia can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Turkey and Macedonia.
Is Macedonia safe for expats?
Macedonia performs significantly better than Turkey across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Macedonia is 0.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.7 in Turkey.
How is healthcare in Macedonia compared to Turkey?
Turkey generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Macedonia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 29.6 doctors per 10,000 people in Macedonia, compared to 21.7 in Turkey. Macedonia scores 74 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Turkey: 76).
What's the weather like in Macedonia compared to Turkey?
The average high temperature in Skopje is 65°F, compared to 64°F in Ankara. Skopje receives around 19.8 in of rainfall per year, while Ankara gets 15.0 in.
What language do they speak in Macedonia?
The official language in Macedonia is Macedonian. In Turkey, the official language is Turkish.
