Jakarta vs Skopje Cost of Living Comparison
Takeaway for Jakarta vs Skopje: everyday costs favor Jakarta (~16% CPI gap), housing index favors Jakarta, wage stretch favors Skopje. Use category winners, not a single headline, when the binding constraint is rent or income.
Overall Cost Winner
Jakarta
Lower overall CPI; largest measurable gaps: Transport (100% gap, Skopje ahead); Utilities (100% gap, Skopje ahead).
Monthly Cost Difference
Estimated monthly housing+utilities+internet basket is about $9 lower in Jakarta than in Skopje (~2% gap; converted via exchange rates).
Estimated monthly difference: $9 (favoring Jakarta).
Category Winners
| Category | Winner | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Overall CPI | Jakarta | CPI 25.3 vs 29.4 (lower is better) |
| Housing | Jakarta | Rent index 15.3 vs 15.3 (lower is better) |
| Food | Jakarta | Groceries index 34.6 vs 34.6 (lower is better) |
| Transport | Skopje | One-way ticket 30.42 vs 7137.77 (lower is better) |
| Utilities | Skopje | Utilities (85m²) 1744.2 vs 498780 (lower is better) |
| Internet | Skopje | Internet 1811.46 vs 369684 (lower is better) |
| Restaurants | Jakarta | Restaurant index 20 vs 26 (lower is better) |
| Salary | Jakarta | Avg net salary 39615520 vs 150548.4 (higher is better) |
| Purchasing Power | Skopje | PP index 42.6 vs 39.2 (higher is better) |
Biggest Difference
Transport: Skopje leads with a 100% gap.
One-way ticket 30.42 vs 7137.77 (lower is better)
Quick Decision
- Students: Jakarta — Lower housing / rent index (0% gap).
- Families: Jakarta — Housing is typically the largest household line; rent index favors Jakarta; purchasing power favors Skopje.
- Remote Workers: Jakarta — Everyday cost index (CPI) favors Jakarta (~16% gap).
- Budget Living: Jakarta — Lowest overall consumer-price index in this pair.
Key Takeaways
- Jakarta is the overall cost winner on CPI (~16% lower everyday-cost index than Skopje).
- Housing: Jakarta leads on rent index (0% gap).
- Food / groceries: Jakarta is lower (0% gap).
- Purchasing power: Skopje scores higher (9% gap).
- Largest category gap: Transport (100%), favoring Skopje.
- Sample monthly basket (1BR + utilities + internet) is ~$9 cheaper in Jakarta.
Analysis
Jakarta versus Skopje is not a single number. With a 16% CPI spread, groceries and services tend to move with Jakarta, while housing follows Jakarta's rent index. Purchasing power (39.2 vs 42.6) decides whether local wages offset local prices.
Trust & data transparency
Last updated: 2026-08-21
Data Sources
This page uses CityCost index inputs. Platform sources (see also Data sources):
- Regional
- Regional
On-page labels for this view: Regional · Regional.
Methodology
Each indexed city is associated with a reference basket of common living costs (for example rent, groceries samples, transport tickets, utilities, restaurant meals, and net salary where available). From those items, the platform derives relative indices such as CPI, rent, groceries, restaurants, and local purchasing power, using New York City = 100 as the familiar baseline convention for relative comparison.