Tuition Fees and Cost of Living for Students in North Macedonia
By Muntasir • Published Dec 24, 2025 • Updated Sep 20, 2026 • Study Abroad, Study in Europe, Country & City Guides, Money & Budgeting
Public university tuition in North Macedonia ranges from about 125 EUR a year for a state co-financed place up to around 3,000 EUR a semester at private universities. Add roughly 400-700 EUR a month for rent, food, and transport in Skopje, the country's most expensive city to live in.
💶 State co-financed bachelor place: 125-225 EUR a year
💶 Self-funded bachelor place at a public university: about 420-440 EUR a year
💶 Master's at a public university: 320-1,600 EUR a year
💶 Private university bachelor: 500-3,000 EUR a semester
🏠 One-bedroom apartment: 285 EUR outside the centre, 375 EUR in central Skopje
Public university tuition
Public universities in North Macedonia split students into two funding categories based on secondary school grades and entrance results: state co-financed and self-funded. According to Eurydice , a state co-financed bachelor place costs 7,650-13,800 MKD a year (about 125-225 EUR), while a self-funded place at the same public university costs around 26,100 MKD a year (about 420-440 EUR). Your funding category changes year to year depending on your academic results.
| Level | Public university | Private university |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor, state co-financed | 125-225 EUR/year | Not applicable |
| Bachelor, self-funded | ~420-440 EUR/year | 500-3,000 EUR/semester |
| Master's | 320-1,600 EUR/year | 2,000-3,000 EUR/semester |
| Doctorate | 5,000-7,000 EUR total | Up to 4,000 EUR |
North Macedonia is not an EU member, so students from other European countries do not get a special EU fee category. You apply as an international student and pay the self-funded rate at public universities, or the standard fee at a private one.
Extra costs to plan for
If you are not a North Macedonian citizen, budget for health insurance covering your full stay as part of your residence permit application, on top of tuition and monthly living costs. Add a modest amount for course materials, since these sit outside tuition at most faculties.
Living costs in Skopje
Skopje, the capital and home to the largest student population, sets the benchmark for living costs. According to Numbeo , a one-bedroom apartment outside the city centre averages around 17,500 MKD a month (about 285 EUR), rising to about 23,000 MKD (around 375 EUR) in the centre. A room in a shared flat, common among students, runs cheaper, typically 150-250 EUR a month .
Utilities for a mid-sized apartment add roughly 8,500 MKD a month (about 138 EUR), though this drops sharply when split among flatmates. A meal at an inexpensive restaurant costs around 500 MKD (about 8 EUR), a monthly public transport pass around 1,500 MKD (about 24 EUR), and a coffee out around 115 MKD (under 2 EUR).
Everyday grocery prices
A basic grocery basket in Skopje, according to Numbeo , runs around 69 MKD (about 1.10 EUR) for a litre of milk, 41 MKD (about 0.65 EUR) for 500g of bread, 133 MKD (about 2.15 EUR) for a dozen eggs, and 403 MKD (about 6.55 EUR) for a kilo of chicken. Fresh fruit and vegetables cost 46-112 MKD (about 0.75-1.80 EUR) a kilo depending on the item and the season.
A realistic monthly budget
| Expense | Monthly estimate |
|---|---|
| Room in shared flat | 150-250 EUR |
| Food and groceries | 150-200 EUR |
| Transport pass | ~24 EUR |
| Utilities (shared) | 30-50 EUR |
| Going out, extras | 50-100 EUR |
Budget around 400-600 EUR a month outside tuition if you share housing, and closer to 600-800 EUR if you rent a place alone in central Skopje. Costs outside the capital, in cities like Bitola or Štip, run lower across the board, since rents and everyday prices track local wages rather than the capital's higher price level.