Cost of Living Comparison Between Bitola and Ohrid Cost of Living Comparison Between Bitola and Ohrid

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $892 in Bitola versus $924 in Ohrid.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,346 in Bitola versus $1,506 in Ohrid.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,800 in Bitola versus $2,088 in Ohrid.

Living in Bitola costs roughly 4% less than in Ohrid, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bitola 33% lower, Ohrid 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.49 MKD 290

$7.29 MKD 385

-24.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.66 MKD 1,511

$33.29 MKD 1,755

-13.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.13 MKD 271

$6.58 MKD 347

-22.04%

Cappuccino

$1.96 MKD 104

$2.22 MKD 117

-11.71%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 MKD 94.4

$1.97 MKD 104

-9.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 MKD 65.0

$1.28 MKD 67.4

-3.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 MKD 121

$2.57 MKD 135

-10.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 MKD 141

$3.40 MKD 179

-21.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 MKD 74.2

$1.29 MKD 67.9

9.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 MKD 36.10

$0.83 MKD 43.59

-18.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MKD 90.2

$1.74 MKD 91.7

-1.72%

Eggs

$2.05 MKD 108

$2.25 MKD 119

-8.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.40 MKD 548

$8.52 MKD 449

22.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.38 MKD 389

$8.08 MKD 426

-8.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.35 MKD 704

$13.53 MKD 713

-1.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 MKD 53.9

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MKD 72.6

$1.41 MKD 74.3

-2.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 MKD 66.9

$1.37 MKD 72.4

-7.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 MKD 81.9

$2.06 MKD 108

-24.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 MKD 51.3

$0.82 MKD 43.00

18.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MKD 70.6

$0.98 MKD 51.5

36.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 MKD 30.22

$0.71 MKD 37.51

-19.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MKD 28.22

$0.59 MKD 30.90

-8.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 MKD 160

$3.11 MKD 164

-2.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 MKD 318

$5.62 MKD 296

7.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 MKD 48.78

$1.11 MKD 58.4

-17.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 MKD 94.5

$1.36 MKD 71.9

31.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MKD 28.70

$1.10 MKD 57.9

-50.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.24 MKD 909

$21.21 MKD 1,118

-18.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 MKD 57.9

$0.95 MKD 50.3

15.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 MKD 27.44

$0.52 MKD 27.64

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.67 MKD 352

$7.53 MKD 397

-11.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 MKD 77.6

$1.46 MKD 77.1

0.68%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$31.8K MKD 1.7M

$33.4K MKD 1.8M

-4.86%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$33.2K MKD 1.8M

$29.0K MKD 1.5M

14.32%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$148 MKD 7,782

$160 MKD 8,425

-7.62%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$17.55 MKD 925

$18.18 MKD 959

-3.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.32 MKD 808

$19.68 MKD 1,038

-22.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.06 MKD 1,269

$35.03 MKD 1,847

-31.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.70 MKD 353

$18.91 MKD 997

-64.57%

Cinema Ticket

$4.77 MKD 252

$6.71 MKD 354

-28.91%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$216 MKD 11.4K

$285 MKD 15.0K

-24.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,195 MKD 63.0K

$3,514 MKD 185.3K

-66.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.2 MKD 4,015

$77.1 MKD 4,066

-1.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.40 MKD 2,552

$39.09 MKD 2,061

23.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 MKD 4,032

$99.2 MKD 5,233

-22.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 MKD 5,903

$111 MKD 5,855

0.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 MKD 15.0K

$228 MKD 12.0K

24.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 MKD 10.4K

$170 MKD 8,962

16.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$592 MKD 31.2K

$570 MKD 30.0K

3.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 MKD 16.5K

$463 MKD 24.4K

-32.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,796 MKD 94.7K

$2,168 MKD 114.3K

-17.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,203 MKD 63.4K

$1,369 MKD 72.2K

-12.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$788 MKD 41.6K

$642 MKD 33.9K

22.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

4.54

56.39%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bitola: April 26, 2026

Last update for Ohrid: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $284 in Bitola and $228 in Ohrid. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bitola pays 23% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $29.00 in Bitola vs $33.00 in Ohrid for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $207 per month, with Bitola cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bitola vs Ohrid: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bitola and Ohrid differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($892 vs $924 including rent). Bitola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bitola pays 23% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $284 in Bitola versus $228 in Ohrid. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Ohrid. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Bitola – a meal for two runs $29.00 versus $33.00 in Ohrid. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Bitola gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Bitola and Ohrid are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bitola gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Ohrid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.