Last updated:
Last updated:
Straight to your inbox
The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is located on the Balkans in Europe’s southeast. The landlocked country declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, and is famous for its lake-covered landscapes and towering mountain peaks.
If you need to send money to the Former Yugoslav Republic for any reason, it’s vital that you shop around and compare what different money transfer providers can offer. Comparing your options now can save you a lot of money in the long run.
Fast cash pick-ups to more than 350,000 agent locations worldwide.
Most people approach their bank when they need to send money overseas, which is completely understandable when you consider the convenience of sending funds from your own bank account. The problem, however, is that banks charge high transfer fees and offer some of the lowest exchange rates you will come across.
Sending money via your bank often ends up being much more expensive than it should, so it pays to shop around and compare your bank’s services with those offered by specialist money transfer providers. These companies concentrate solely on sending money overseas, so they offer far cheaper transactions than any of the major banks. Their fees are lower, their exchange rates higher and they offer safe and secure transfers.
Vesna left Macedonia in the late 1990s to move to Australia permanently, and although she’s settled here she still stays in regular contact with her parents in Skopje. She regularly sends them money to help them keep their heads above water during their retirement, and when their home is damaged following a storm, Vesna makes plans to send them an urgent transfer of $1,000 to pay for repairs. She compares her current bank to an international money transfer service to see which one can offer a fast and affordable transfer.
As you can see, Vesna’s parents can receive an extra €24.34 using the service.
| Australian big four bank | Money transfer company | |
|---|---|---|
| Exchange rate | 1 AUD = 0.6061 EUR | 1 AUD = 0.6171 EUR |
| Transfer fee | $22 | $60 |
| Transfer method | Online, phone or bank | Cash pickup transfer |
| Processing time | 1 - 3 days | 10 minutes |
| Amount received (in EUR) | €592.76 | €617.10 |
| Difference | €24.34 |
There are plenty of situations where you may potentially need to send a fast transfer to Macedonia, such as to help a relative settle an overdue debt. When you send an emergency transfer, however, make sure you’re aware that these transactions can be quite costly. High fees and lower-than-usual exchange rates apply, so double check all the details of your transaction before you decide to pay any money.
As the two largest cash pickup transfer companies in the world, Western Union and MoneyGram both operate a number of cash pickup locations in Macedonia. Your recipient will need to take a transaction ID number and photo ID when they go to collect any funds, while phoning to confirm a location’s opening hours is also recommended. Some popular cash pickup locations are listed below
Nova Centrala
Orce Nikolov 54
Skopje, 1000
+389-2-3167636
Open 8am to 4:30pm Monday to Friday
Lermontova 3
Skopje, 1000
+389-2-3290347
Open 8am to 7pm Monday to Friday, open 8am to 2pm Saturday
Biteksimo Kom
Petar Petrovic Njegosh Br.12
Bitola
+389-47-254877
Open 8am to 7pm Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm Saturday
Dobrivoje Radosavljevic 3
Bitola
+389-47-203205
Open 8am to 4pm Monday to Friday, 8am to 1pm Saturday
Kapital Bank AD
Bul. Jane Sandanski N.
Loc. 26-1 6
Skopje, 1000
22403001
Open 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 2pm Saturday
Lok 18
Str Jhon Kenedi No. 5
Skopje, 1000
25201838
Open 8am to 10pm seven days
Grashe
Dalmatinska 25
Bitola, 7000
47232399
Open 8am to 9pm seven days
Str. Boris Kidric 24
Bitola, 7000
4760964
Open 8am to 9pm seven days
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade advises Australian visitors to Macedonia to exercise normal safety precautions. When picking up cash, keep a few basic safety tips in mind:
Although transfer methods differ from one company to the next, you will generally need to:
