North Macedonia

Southern Europe

EuropeNon-EU

A low-tax European country with citizenship by investment, a startup visa and low university tuition, but case-by-case immigration and tax rules.

Overall score

Good · 92% data coverage

Language

Macedonian, Albanian

Currency

MKD

Citizenship

7 years

Personal tax

Generally 10%

Cost of living

€800 / mo (single)

Rules change often. Confirm any immigration, tax or legal decision with a qualified professional.

Score breakdown

Access

17%

56Residence12%

76Citizenship and passport5%

Earning power

25%

47Salary and work12%

77Buying power13%

Business and wealth

20%

88Taxes7%

56Business8%

47Investment5%

Daily life

25%

73Quality of life18%

68Education7%

Rights and institutions

13%

67Freedom6%

45Rule of law7%

Pros

Citizenship by investment
A startup visa
Low university tuition

Cons

Case-by-case immigration and tax rules

Best for

Low-tax relocatorsFoundersStudents

Score profile

Access

Residence

Citizenship

Passport

Earning power

Salary & work

Buying power

Cost of living

Economy

Business and wealth

Taxes

Personal tax

Corporate tax

Business

Investment

Wealth building

Daily life

Safety

Healthcare

Environment

Infrastructure

Education

HDI

Rights and institutions

Freedom

Rule of law

How the scores are calculated

Access

Residence

Openness to residents

Moderate

Migrant stock8.3% of population (2024)

Regulatory quality0.27 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main pathways

EmploymentStudyFamily reunificationBusiness or investment where eligible

Student	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Work	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Self-employed	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Permanent	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.

Citizenship

Citizenship accessibility

Excellent

Years required	7 years
Dual allowed	Yes
Language	Check the current naturalisation rules for the selected route
Residence	Typical headline route: 7 years; qualifying residence and absence rules apply
Notes	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.

Passport

Passport power

Moderate

127 / 198

Mobility

#43

Global rank

Yes

Biometric

Visa-free82
On arrival41
eTA4
Visa required71

Placeholder estimates for 2024 to 2025. Check entry rules with each destination before travelling.

Earning power

Salary & work

Labour-market strength

Moderate

Output per worker$63,535 PPP (2024)

Unemployment12.3% (2025)

Participation51.9% of 15+ (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Tech salary (estimate)	Varies substantially by city, seniority, and employer
Freelance	Market access depends on language, sector, and work authorisation
Job market	Use current local vacancy and salary data for role-specific decisions.

Buying power

Purchasing power score

Good

GNI / person$26,680 PPP (2025)

Consumption / person$16,484 PPP (2024)

Price level41 (US = 100) (2025)

Income inequality33.5 Gini (2019)

Inflation4.1% / yr (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Cost of living

Affordability

Excellent

Price level41 (US = 100) (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Rent	Varies substantially by city and neighbourhood
Monthly	€800 / mo (single)
Cities	Skopje, Bitola, Ohrid

Economy

Economic strength

Good

Output & income

GDP$19.1B (2025)

GDP / person$10,490 (2025)

GNI / person$26,680 PPP (2025)

GDP growth3.0% / yr (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Stability & labour

Inflation4.1% / yr (2025)

Unemployment12.3% (2025)

Output per worker$63,535 PPP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Sector composition

Agriculture6.0% of GDP (2025)

Industry24.1% of GDP (2025)

Services57.0% of GDP (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main industries

ManufacturingAutomotive componentsTextilesAgricultureMining

Top exports

Catalysts & auto partsTextilesIron & steelAgricultural products

Type	Upper-middle-income, manufacturing- and agri-led
Key sectors	Free-zone manufacturing, Textiles & agriculture
Summary	A small Balkan economy reliant on free-zone manufacturing, auto parts, textiles and agriculture.
Currency	Macedonian denar (pegged to the euro)

Business and wealth

Taxes

Tax friendliness

Excellent

Personal	Generally 10%
Corporate	10%
Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
Dividends	Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Exit tax	Check current domestic rules before changing tax residence
Foreign companies	Management, permanent-establishment, CFC, and reporting rules may apply

Personal tax

Excellent

Personal	Generally 10%
Freelance	Registration, immigration permission, tax, and social contributions may apply
Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
Dividends	Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Exit tax	Check current domestic rules before changing tax residence

Corporate tax

Good

Corporate	10%
Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
Dividends	Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Foreign companies	Management, permanent-establishment, CFC, and reporting rules may apply

Business

Business friendliness

Moderate

Regulation & bureaucracy

Regulatory quality0.27 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Government effectiveness-0.03 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Operating rules

Foreign company	Generally possible, subject to sector, registration, tax, and substance rules
Local company	Available company forms and capital requirements vary
Freelance	Registration, immigration permission, tax, and social contributions may apply

Investment

Investing environment

Moderate

Private credit56% of GDP (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, residence, holding period, and treaty position
Dividends	Data not available yet
ETFs & funds	Data not available yet
Wealth tax	Check current national and subnational rules
Brokers	Local and international availability varies by residency and compliance checks
Foreign access	Data not available yet
Tax-advantaged	Data not available yet

Wealth building

Wealth accumulation

Moderate

Salary & work

Moderate

Business

Moderate

Investment

Moderate

Tax friendliness

Excellent

Cost of living

Excellent

Daily life

Safety

Safety & stability

Good

Personal safety

Homicide rate1.5 per 100,000 (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Institutions & stability

Control of corruption-0.33 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Political stability0.16 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Check current government travel and security advice before relocating.

Healthcare

Healthcare score

Good

Outcomes

Life expectancy76.6 years (2024)

Under-5 mortality2.8 per 1,000 births (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capacity & resourcing

Physicians2.94 per 1,000 (2022)

Hospital beds4.74 per 1,000 (2021)

Health spending$1,808 PPP / person (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

System & costs

System	Public/private mix varies by eligibility and residence status
Insurance	Check residence-permit and local coverage requirements
Average cost	Depends on eligibility, income, insurer, and chosen coverage

Environment

Environment score

Moderate

Environmental pressure

PM2.5 exposure21.8 μg/m³ annually (2023)

Water stress52.6% (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Infrastructure

Infrastructure score

Good

Digital infrastructure

Internet use93.1% (2025)

Internet resilience58 / 100 (2026)

Fixed speed66 / 100 download index (2026)

Mobile speed78 / 100 download index (2026)

Sources: World Bank World Development Indicators · Internet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Index

Utilities

Electricity access100.0% (2023)

Grid losses13.9% of output (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Transport

Transport quality3.00 / 5 (2022)

Rail density27.1 km / 1,000 km² (2021)

Air connectivity763 departures / million people (2009)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Education

Education score

Good

Attainment

Expected schooling14.8 years (2023)

Mean schooling10.2 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Participation & investment

Tertiary enrolment55% gross (2023)

Education spending3.3% of GDP (2002)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Tuition	€1,500–5,000 / yr
Public university	Varies by institution, programme, and student nationality
Languages	Macedonian, Albanian
Student work	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.

HDI

Human development score

Excellent

HDI0.815 (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Long & healthy life

Life expectancy77.4 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Knowledge

Expected schooling14.8 years (2023)

Mean schooling10.2 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025