GeoRealityMatch
View of Skopje's architectural landmarks by Vardar River under a clear sky.View of the Stone Bridge and waterfront in Skopje, North Macedonia, captured at twilight with historic statues and buildings.

North Macedonia

Europe · Southeast Europe

High safetyAffordable cost of livingVery high development

Human development is high. Incomes are low for Europe.

BackpackerCombines affordable cost of living and high safety.ExpatCombines very high development, high safety and affordable cost of living.
Safety

46th most peaceful of 161

Global Peace Index
1.792lower is more peacefulHigh safety
#46 of 161
IEP GPI · 2026
Homicides
1.5per 100,000 people a yearModerateUNODC / World Bank · 2023
Safety index
58.6Numbeo's safety index, higher is saferModerateNumbeo · 2026
Money

Incomes below the European median

Median disposable income
€4,827per adult, a year, after tax and transfersVery low
Eurostat · 2024
Rent index
7.9New York = 100Very affordableNumbeo · 2026
Property price to income
11.8years of median income to buy a median flatModerateNumbeo · 2026

Income and inflation over time

Income per person rose 205% in current dollars from 2006 to 2025, and rose 78% after inflation.

GDP per person, current US$At purchasing power parityInflation

$0$15K$30K$28,029 PPP$10,490Inflation, % a year15%0200620102015202020252006, $3,440 a person, $8,888 at PPP, inflation 3.2%2007, $4,204 a person, $9,639 at PPP, inflation 2.3%2008, $5,026 a person, $10,924 at PPP, inflation 8.3%2009, $4,800 a person, $11,532 at PPP, inflation -0.7%2010, $4,833 a person, $11,992 at PPP, inflation 1.5%2011, $5,417 a person, $12,421 at PPP, inflation 3.9%2012, $5,050 a person, $12,726 at PPP, inflation 3.3%2013, $5,626 a person, $13,663 at PPP, inflation 2.8%2014, $5,925 a person, $14,485 at PPP, inflation -0.3%2015, $5,263 a person, $15,034 at PPP, inflation -0.3%2016, $5,598 a person, $16,458 at PPP, inflation -0.2%2017, $5,955 a person, $17,161 at PPP, inflation 1.4%2018, $6,714 a person, $18,461 at PPP, inflation 1.5%2019, $6,719 a person, $20,222 at PPP, inflation 0.8%2020, $6,660 a person, $19,962 at PPP, inflation 1.2%2021, $7,621 a person, $22,144 at PPP, inflation 3.2%2022, $7,606 a person, $24,212 at PPP, inflation 14.2%2023, $8,674 a person, $25,354 at PPP, inflation 9.4%2024, $9,292 a person, $26,996 at PPP, inflation 3.5%2025, $10,490 a person, $28,029 at PPP, inflation 4.1%$0$15K$30KInflation, % a year15%0200620102015202020252006, $3,440 a person, $8,888 at PPP, inflation 3.2%2007, $4,204 a person, $9,639 at PPP, inflation 2.3%2008, $5,026 a person, $10,924 at PPP, inflation 8.3%2009, $4,800 a person, $11,532 at PPP, inflation -0.7%2010, $4,833 a person, $11,992 at PPP, inflation 1.5%2011, $5,417 a person, $12,421 at PPP, inflation 3.9%2012, $5,050 a person, $12,726 at PPP, inflation 3.3%2013, $5,626 a person, $13,663 at PPP, inflation 2.8%2014, $5,925 a person, $14,485 at PPP, inflation -0.3%2015, $5,263 a person, $15,034 at PPP, inflation -0.3%2016, $5,598 a person, $16,458 at PPP, inflation -0.2%2017, $5,955 a person, $17,161 at PPP, inflation 1.4%2018, $6,714 a person, $18,461 at PPP, inflation 1.5%2019, $6,719 a person, $20,222 at PPP, inflation 0.8%2020, $6,660 a person, $19,962 at PPP, inflation 1.2%2021, $7,621 a person, $22,144 at PPP, inflation 3.2%2022, $7,606 a person, $24,212 at PPP, inflation 14.2%2023, $8,674 a person, $25,354 at PPP, inflation 9.4%2024, $9,292 a person, $26,996 at PPP, inflation 3.5%2025, $10,490 a person, $28,029 at PPP, inflation 4.1%

World Bank: GDP per person in current US dollars and at PPP, real GDP per person, consumer price inflation. Observed years only.

Health

Above-average life expectancy

Life expectancy
76.6years, at birthHigh
#71 of 195
World Bank · 2024
Health coverage
69WHO universal health coverage index, 0 to 100LowWHO · 2023
Air pollution
22.2PM2.5, micrograms per cubic metre, national averageHighWHO · 2023
Work and internet

Among the highest youth unemployment in Europe

Youth unemployment
29.4%share of 15 to 24 year olds in the labour forceVery high
Eurostat · 2025
Home internet
54 Mbpsmedian download speedFastOokla Speedtest · 2025

Internet speeds

Home internet54 MbpsFast
Mobile158 MbpsFast

Ookla Speedtest Global Index, median download speed, ranked among the countries Ookla lists.

View of the Stone Bridge and waterfront in Skopje, North Macedonia, captured at twilight with historic statues and buildings.
How it changed

North Macedonia's Human Development Index

0.815Very high human development

68th of 193 in UNDP's 2023 ranking, 39th of 44 in Europe.

UNDP builds the index from three dimensions: a long and healthy life, being knowledgeable, and a decent standard of living. They are measured by life expectancy at birth, mean and expected years of schooling, and gross national income per capita. UNDP Human Development Report 2025.

Nearest countries by HDI

  1. #66Bahamas0.820
  2. #67Malaysia0.819
  3. #68North Macedonia0.815
  4. #69Armenia0.811
  5. #69Barbados0.811
Full HDI ranking, all 193 countries

HDI since 1990

Year by year

Human development rose from 0.644 in 1990 to 0.815 in 2023.

0.600.720.850.81519902000201020231990: 0.6441991: 0.6471992: 0.6421993: 0.6471994: 0.6481995: 0.6531996: 0.6571997: 0.6611998: 0.6661999: 0.6752000: 0.6862001: 0.6912002: 0.6942003: 0.7002004: 0.7082005: 0.7172006: 0.7262007: 0.7322008: 0.7532009: 0.7572010: 0.7652011: 0.7712012: 0.7752013: 0.7822014: 0.7882015: 0.7952016: 0.8002017: 0.8072018: 0.8142019: 0.8052020: 0.7832021: 0.7812022: 0.8112023: 0.8150.600.720.8519902000201020231990: 0.6441991: 0.6471992: 0.6421993: 0.6471994: 0.6481995: 0.6531996: 0.6571997: 0.6611998: 0.6661999: 0.6752000: 0.6862001: 0.6912002: 0.6942003: 0.7002004: 0.7082005: 0.7172006: 0.7262007: 0.7322008: 0.7532009: 0.7572010: 0.7652011: 0.7712012: 0.7752013: 0.7822014: 0.7882015: 0.7952016: 0.8002017: 0.8072018: 0.8142019: 0.8052020: 0.7832021: 0.7812022: 0.8112023: 0.815

UNDP Human Development Report, 2025 edition. 34 annual values, none interpolated.

Twenty years here

Year by yearThe world report
Life expectancy at birth
76.6 years2024at birthUp 2.9 years from 73.7 years in 2005
Internet users
93%2025of people onlineUp 64 points from 29% in 2006
Urban population
63%2025of people in towns and citiesUp 5 points from 58% in 2006
Births per woman
1.402024births per womanDown 0.10 from 1.50 in 2005
Renewable share of energy
20%2021of energy usedUp 1 point from 18% in 2004
Access to electricity
100%2024of people with electricityUp 1 point from 99% in 2005
Infant mortality
32024deaths before age one, per 1,000 birthsDown 10 from 12 in 2005
CO2 emissions per person
4 t2024of CO2 per person a yearDown 0.8 t from 4.8 t in 2005
Forest area
40%2023of land under forestUp 2 points from 38% in 2004

World Bank, from the first to the last observed year of each indicator; each has its own window.

Our take

EU and NATO member aspirant, with affordable Balkan living and historic Skopje. The case for living here is very high human development. The case against is patchy access to essential health services, low incomes and high youth unemployment, both for Europe.

About North Macedonia

North Macedonia is a small landlocked Balkan country with a beautiful mountain interior, the ancient city of Ohrid on its glacial lake, and a culture that sits at the crossroads of Orthodox Christian, Ottoman, and South Slavic influences. The food is hearty and honest, the landscape is dramatic and largely unexplored by outsiders, and the people are direct and hospitable. It suits travellers who enjoy Balkan culture and want to discover somewhere genuinely undercrowded.

Practical facts

  • CapitalSkopje
  • LanguagesMacedonian
  • Currencydenar (MKD)
  • Area25,220 km²
  • Plug typeType C/F
  • Drives on theright
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Quick answers

What is North Macedonia's Human Development Index?

North Macedonia's Human Development Index is 0.815 for 2023 (UNDP Human Development Report 2025), ranked #68 of 193 by UNDP.

Is North Macedonia safe?

North Macedonia scores 1.79 on the Global Peace Index (lower is more peaceful), ranked #46 of 161 countries by the Institute for Economics & Peace. That measures national-level peace, not street crime; both are covered below.

How expensive is North Macedonia?

Numbeo's cost-of-living index puts North Macedonia at 35.5 (New York = 100); that is #47 cheapest of 143 countries with data.

What is life expectancy in North Macedonia?

Life expectancy at birth in North Macedonia is 76.6 yrs (World Bank), ranked #71 of 195 countries.

What is the quality of life in North Macedonia?

Numbeo's quality-of-life index scores North Macedonia at 124.2, ranked #59 of 87 countries with data. It composites purchasing power, safety, healthcare, cost of living, commute and pollution from resident surveys, so it reflects what residents report rather than what an economy produces.