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: $883 in Bitola versus $921 in Ohrid.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,337 in Bitola versus $1,517 in Ohrid.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,790 in Bitola versus $2,113 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 34% lower, Ohrid 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.51 MKD 292

$7.29 MKD 387

-24.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.91 MKD 1,481

$33.87 MKD 1,797

-17.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.11 MKD 271

$6.62 MKD 351

-22.81%

Cappuccino

$1.96 MKD 104

$2.30 MKD 122

-14.78%

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

$1.72 MKD 91.2

$2.02 MKD 107

-14.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 MKD 68.2

$1.23 MKD 65.2

4.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 MKD 117

$2.66 MKD 141

-17.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MKD 147

$3.30 MKD 175

-16.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MKD 74.3

$1.23 MKD 65.3

13.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 MKD 35.86

$0.76 MKD 40.54

-10.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MKD 90.6

$1.73 MKD 92.0

-1.16%

Eggs

$2.04 MKD 108

$2.22 MKD 118

-8.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.25 MKD 544

$8.69 MKD 461

17.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.28 MKD 386

$7.99 MKD 424

-8.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.75 MKD 730

$13.86 MKD 735

-0.79%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 MKD 54.7

$0.98 MKD 51.9

5.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MKD 75.8

$1.41 MKD 75.1

1.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 MKD 69.1

$1.32 MKD 69.8

-1.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 MKD 86.7

$2.16 MKD 115

-24.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 MKD 48.37

$0.81 MKD 43.04

12.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MKD 71.3

$0.93 MKD 49.22

44.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 MKD 30.88

$0.72 MKD 37.99

-19.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MKD 27.85

$0.55 MKD 29.13

-5.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 MKD 159

$3.15 MKD 167

-4.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.94 MKD 315

$5.46 MKD 290

8.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 MKD 49.99

$1.09 MKD 58.0

-13.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 MKD 99.7

$1.32 MKD 70.0

42.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MKD 28.91

$1.14 MKD 60.7

-52.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.73 MKD 888

$21.31 MKD 1,131

-21.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 MKD 59.3

$0.91 MKD 48.10

23.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MKD 26.48

$0.49 MKD 26.19

2.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.74 MKD 357

$7.72 MKD 410

-12.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 MKD 75.8

$1.52 MKD 80.7

-5.92%

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

$32.0K MKD 1.7M

$34.2K MKD 1.8M

-6.31%

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

$34.0K MKD 1.8M

$29.1K MKD 1.5M

16.91%

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

$145 MKD 7,695

$160 MKD 8,490

-9.36%

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

$17.86 MKD 948

$17.83 MKD 946

0.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.58 MKD 826

$19.18 MKD 1,018

-18.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.59 MKD 1,305

$34.96 MKD 1,855

-29.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.49 MKD 344

$18.69 MKD 991

-65.28%

Cinema Ticket

$4.84 MKD 257

$6.41 MKD 340

-24.49%

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

$219 MKD 11.6K

$277 MKD 14.7K

-20.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,214 MKD 64.4K

$3,504 MKD 185.9K

-65.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.2 MKD 4,042

$76.4 MKD 4,053

-0.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.94 MKD 2,597

$40.30 MKD 2,139

21.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 MKD 4,013

$98.4 MKD 5,220

-23.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MKD 6,013

$110 MKD 5,853

2.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 MKD 15.1K

$235 MKD 12.5K

21.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 MKD 10.5K

$170 MKD 9,016

16.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$591 MKD 31.4K

$557 MKD 29.6K

5.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 MKD 16.7K

$465 MKD 24.7K

-32.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,726 MKD 91.6K

$2,098 MKD 111.3K

-17.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,188 MKD 63.0K

$1,368 MKD 72.6K

-13.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$785 MKD 41.6K

$629 MKD 33.4K

24.74%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Ohrid: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $285 in Bitola and $235 in Ohrid. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bitola pays 25% 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 $34.00 in Ohrid for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $206 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 ($883 vs $921 including rent). Bitola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bitola pays 25% 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: $285 in Bitola versus $235 in Ohrid. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Ohrid pay roughly 0% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Bitola – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $34.00 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.