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: $882 in Bitola versus $983 in Ohrid.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,326 in Bitola versus $1,581 in Ohrid.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,771 in Bitola versus $2,179 in Ohrid.

Living in Bitola costs roughly 10% less than in Ohrid, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bitola 36% lower, Ohrid 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.57 MKD 298

$7.29 MKD 390

-23.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.82 MKD 1,489

$37.56 MKD 2,010

-25.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.38 MKD 288

$7.58 MKD 406

-29.02%

Cappuccino

$2.01 MKD 107

$2.70 MKD 145

-25.56%

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

$1.77 MKD 94.7

$3.02 MKD 162

-41.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 MKD 79.0

$1.90 MKD 102

-22.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 MKD 117

$3.68 MKD 197

-40.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MKD 140

$4.59 MKD 245

-43.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 MKD 72.7

$1.28 MKD 68.3

6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 MKD 37.47

$0.72 MKD 38.48

-2.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 MKD 93.9

$1.78 MKD 95.2

-1.69%

Eggs

$2.00 MKD 107

$2.24 MKD 120

-10.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.37 MKD 555

$8.39 MKD 449

23.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.31 MKD 391

$8.52 MKD 456

-14.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.45 MKD 720

$14.92 MKD 799

-9.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 MKD 55.1

$1.09 MKD 58.3

-5.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MKD 74.0

$1.29 MKD 69.3

6.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 MKD 69.4

$1.58 MKD 84.6

-17.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 MKD 82.7

$2.08 MKD 111

-25.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 MKD 48.45

$1.14 MKD 61.1

-20.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 MKD 73.4

$1.48 MKD 79.0

-7.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 MKD 30.54

$1.08 MKD 57.6

-47.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 MKD 27.00

$0.81 MKD 43.26

-38.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 MKD 179

$3.33 MKD 178

0.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 MKD 316

$5.50 MKD 294

7.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 MKD 52.9

$1.07 MKD 57.3

-7.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 MKD 99.3

$1.59 MKD 85.0

16.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MKD 28.67

$1.15 MKD 61.3

-53.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.70 MKD 894

$24.18 MKD 1,294

-30.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MKD 61.6

$1.10 MKD 58.9

4.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 MKD 33.82

$0.93 MKD 49.59

-32.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.44 MKD 345

$9.50 MKD 508

-32.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 MKD 78.4

$1.54 MKD 82.5

-5.19%

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

$32.4K MKD 1.7M

$30.4K MKD 1.6M

6.64%

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

$34.5K MKD 1.8M

$31.2K MKD 1.7M

10.51%

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

$152 MKD 8,139

$132 MKD 7,052

15.42%

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

$14.81 MKD 792

$18.45 MKD 987

-19.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.25 MKD 709

$28.03 MKD 1,500

-52.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.99 MKD 1,177

$34.77 MKD 1,861

-36.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 MKD 349

$18.78 MKD 1,005

-65.23%

Cinema Ticket

$4.65 MKD 249

$6.38 MKD 341

-27.12%

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

$218 MKD 11.6K

$287 MKD 15.3K

-24.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,181 MKD 63.2K

$3,444 MKD 184.3K

-65.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.9 MKD 4,116

$101 MKD 5,389

-23.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.90 MKD 2,564

$56.1 MKD 3,001

-14.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 MKD 4,086

$104 MKD 5,554

-26.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 MKD 5,996

$137 MKD 7,315

-18.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 MKD 14.2K

$297 MKD 15.9K

-10.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$195 MKD 10.4K

$178 MKD 9,541

9.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$415 MKD 22.2K

$556 MKD 29.7K

-25.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 MKD 16.1K

$381 MKD 20.4K

-20.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,774 MKD 94.9K

$2,112 MKD 113.0K

-16.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,204 MKD 64.5K

$1,374 MKD 73.5K

-12.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$780 MKD 41.8K

$642 MKD 34.4K

21.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

7.3

-11.64%

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

Last update for Bitola: September 15, 2026

Last update for Ohrid: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $266 in Bitola and $297 in Ohrid. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bitola pays 22% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $28.00 in Bitola vs $38.00 in Ohrid for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 vs $218 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 11% in total monthly costs ($882 vs $983 including rent). Bitola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 22% higher in Bitola, 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: $266 in Bitola versus $297 in Ohrid. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% 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 $28.00 versus $38.00 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 11% less than in Ohrid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.