Moving to Macedonia from United Kingdom

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from United Kingdom to Macedonia, you would find that Macedonia is 62.3% cheaper than United Kingdom overall. A £57,000 salary in United Kingdom would need to be roughly MKD1,560,000 in Macedonia to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Macedonian. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from United Kingdom to Macedonia.

What does your salary buy?

£57,000 → MKD1,560,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Macedonia

Calculate with your salary →

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

Restaurants

pay 56.5% less

Groceries

pay 41.7% less

Transportation

pay 45.1% less

Housing

pay 77.3% less

Childcare

pay 82.1% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 62.5% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 GBP = 72.75 MKD (October 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.

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 45% less than cities in United Kingdom.

United Kingdom

Surrey 79%
Harrow 74%
Ealing 72%
Wigan 68%

Macedonia

Kumanovo 38%
Tetovo 37%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from United Kingdom to Macedonia.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

GB
1.1
MK
1.5
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

GB
2.4
MK
5.7

United Kingdom performs better than Macedonia across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

GB
$6,606
MK
$1,808
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

GB
33.0
MK
29.4

Macedonia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

GB
13.0
MK
62.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

GB
4.2t
MK
4.0t

United Kingdom generally does better on environment, though Macedonia leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

GB
42.2
MK
29.9
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

GB
14.3%
MK
52.5%

United Kingdom performs better than Macedonia across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

GB
4.8%
MK
12.3%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

GB
$57,602
MK
$10,490

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

GB
81.4 yrs
MK
76.6 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

GB
4.1
MK
2.5

United Kingdom generally does better on family life, though Macedonia leads in infant mortality.

Sources: World Bank (2017–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), HM Revenue & Customs (2016), Public Revenue Office (2016). How we calculate this

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

London Rain: 22.0 in/yr (558 mm)
60° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months London Skopje
Jan–Mar 49°/38°F (9°/3°C) 47°/30°F (9°/-1°C)
Apr–Jun 64°/48°F (18°/9°C) 74°/49°F (23°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 72°/56°F (22°/13°C) 84°/57°F (29°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 53°/43°F (12°/6°C) 54°/35°F (12°/2°C)
View all months
Month London Skopje
Jan 47°/38°F (8.1°/3.1°C) 39°/26°F (4.0°/-3.6°C)
Feb 47°/37°F (8.6°/2.7°C) 47°/30°F (8.4°/-1.3°C)
Mar 53°/40°F (11.6°/4.6°C) 56°/35°F (13.6°/1.9°C)
Apr 58°/43°F (14.6°/5.9°C) 65°/42°F (18.6°/5.4°C)
May 65°/48°F (18.1°/8.9°C) 75°/50°F (23.9°/10.0°C)
Jun 70°/53°F (21.0°/11.8°C) 81°/55°F (27.4°/13.0°C)
Jul 74°/57°F (23.4°/13.7°C) 86°/59°F (29.8°/14.8°C)
Aug 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C) 86°/58°F (30.0°/14.6°C)
Sep 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.4°C) 79°/53°F (26.1°/11.4°C)
Oct 60°/48°F (15.5°/8.8°C) 67°/43°F (19.5°/6.3°C)
Nov 52°/42°F (11.3°/5.8°C) 52°/35°F (11.2°/1.4°C)
Dec 47°/38°F (8.4°/3.4°C) 42°/28°F (5.3°/-2.2°C)

Data: Met Office Met Office, HydroMeteorological Service of Republic of North Macedonia HydroMeteorological Service of Republic of North Macedonia

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between United Kingdom 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.

United Kingdom passport

United Kingdom passport holder visiting Macedonia

Visa Free
United Kingdom passport holders can enter Macedonia without a visa.
Macedonia passport

Macedonia passport holder visiting United Kingdom

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Macedonia passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to United Kingdom.

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 United Kingdom?

Yes — Macedonia is on average about 62% cheaper than United Kingdom. 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 MKD390,000 in Macedonia on a £57,000 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?

United Kingdom performs better than Macedonia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Macedonia is 1.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in United Kingdom.

How is healthcare in Macedonia compared to United Kingdom?

Macedonia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United Kingdom leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 29.4 doctors per 10,000 people in Macedonia, compared to 33.0 in United Kingdom. Macedonia scores 74 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United Kingdom: 88).

What's the weather like in Macedonia compared to United Kingdom?

The average high temperature in Skopje is 65°F, compared to 60°F in London. Skopje receives around 19.8 in of rainfall per year, while London gets 22.0 in.

What language do they speak in Macedonia?

The official language in Macedonia is Macedonian. In United Kingdom, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

GB MK
Population 69,487,000 1,820,909
Currency British Pound Sterling (£) Macedonian Denar (MKD)
Languages English Macedonian
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +44 +389
Time zones 9 1
Emergency number 999 112