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: $880 in Bitola versus $954 in Ohrid.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,333 in Bitola versus $1,545 in Ohrid.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,787 in Bitola versus $2,135 in Ohrid.

Living in Bitola costs roughly 8% less than in Ohrid, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bitola 34% lower, Ohrid 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.56 MKD 299

$7.56 MKD 406

-26.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.29 MKD 1,521

$33.52 MKD 1,802

-15.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.14 MKD 277

$6.71 MKD 361

-23.40%

Cappuccino

$1.91 MKD 103

$2.28 MKD 123

-16.23%

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

$1.76 MKD 94.5

$2.02 MKD 109

-12.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 MKD 67.9

$1.24 MKD 66.7

1.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 MKD 120

$2.56 MKD 138

-12.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 MKD 147

$3.47 MKD 186

-21.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 MKD 72.5

$1.23 MKD 65.9

9.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 MKD 36.41

$0.79 MKD 42.42

-13.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 MKD 94.7

$1.72 MKD 92.7

2.33%

Eggs

$2.01 MKD 108

$2.14 MKD 115

-6.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MKD 540

$8.68 MKD 467

15.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.39 MKD 398

$7.76 MKD 417

-4.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.74 MKD 739

$13.84 MKD 744

-0.72%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 MKD 57.3

$1.03 MKD 55.3

3.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MKD 74.6

$1.40 MKD 75.4

-0.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 MKD 67.9

$1.31 MKD 70.2

-3.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 MKD 87.2

$2.09 MKD 112

-22.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 MKD 50.5

$0.81 MKD 43.53

16.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 MKD 72.4

$0.97 MKD 52.1

39.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 MKD 31.26

$0.72 MKD 38.73

-19.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MKD 30.17

$0.59 MKD 31.64

-5.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 MKD 158

$3.17 MKD 170

-7.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.16 MKD 331

$5.43 MKD 292

13.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 MKD 53.7

$1.06 MKD 56.9

-5.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 MKD 102

$1.34 MKD 71.8

41.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MKD 30.67

$1.16 MKD 62.3

-50.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.81 MKD 904

$22.02 MKD 1,184

-23.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MKD 62.4

$0.91 MKD 48.77

27.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 26.37

$0.49 MKD 26.52

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.52 MKD 350

$7.49 MKD 403

-12.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 MKD 79.4

$1.46 MKD 78.7

1.37%

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

$32.1K MKD 1.7M

$33.6K MKD 1.8M

-4.38%

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

$33.5K MKD 1.8M

$30.0K MKD 1.6M

11.86%

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

$143 MKD 7,702

$163 MKD 8,778

-12.26%

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

$17.64 MKD 949

$17.77 MKD 956

-0.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.37 MKD 827

$19.38 MKD 1,042

-20.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.06 MKD 1,294

$34.72 MKD 1,867

-30.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.73 MKD 362

$19.06 MKD 1,025

-64.69%

Cinema Ticket

$4.77 MKD 257

$6.55 MKD 352

-27.18%

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

$221 MKD 11.9K

$284 MKD 15.3K

-22.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,221 MKD 65.6K

$3,449 MKD 185.5K

-64.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 MKD 4,149

$76.6 MKD 4,118

0.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.66 MKD 2,563

$38.98 MKD 2,096

22.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 MKD 4,058

$100 MKD 5,403

-24.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 MKD 6,141

$110 MKD 5,931

3.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 MKD 15.1K

$233 MKD 12.5K

20.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 MKD 10.4K

$172 MKD 9,263

12.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$597 MKD 32.1K

$573 MKD 30.8K

4.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 MKD 16.9K

$468 MKD 25.2K

-32.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,698 MKD 91.3K

$2,122 MKD 114.1K

-19.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,179 MKD 63.4K

$1,358 MKD 73.0K

-13.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$762 MKD 41.0K

$636 MKD 34.2K

19.79%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Ohrid: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $282 in Bitola and $233 in Ohrid. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bitola pays 20% 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. Groceries flip the comparison at $206 vs $204, with Ohrid cheaper for home cooking.

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 8% in total monthly costs ($880 vs $954 including rent). Bitola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 20% 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: $282 in Bitola versus $233 in Ohrid. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Ohrid pay roughly 1% 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 8% less than in Ohrid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.