Cost of Living Comparison Between Bitola and Prilep Cost of Living Comparison Between Bitola and Prilep

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $892 in Bitola versus $759 in Prilep.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,346 in Bitola versus $1,138 in Prilep.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,800 in Bitola versus $1,518 in Prilep.

Living in Bitola is roughly 17% more expensive than Prilep, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bitola 33% lower, Prilep 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.49 MKD 290

$4.03 MKD 213

36.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.66 MKD 1,511

$27.62 MKD 1,456

3.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.13 MKD 271

$5.72 MKD 302

-10.31%

Cappuccino

$1.96 MKD 104

$1.53 MKD 80.7

28.10%

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

$1.79 MKD 94.4

$1.60 MKD 84.2

11.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 MKD 65.0

$1.22 MKD 64.2

0.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 MKD 121

$1.63 MKD 85.9

40.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 MKD 141

$2.03 MKD 107

31.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 MKD 74.2

$1.21 MKD 63.8

16.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 MKD 36.10

$0.74 MKD 39.13

-8.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MKD 90.2

$1.64 MKD 86.6

4.27%

Eggs

$2.05 MKD 108

$2.10 MKD 111

-2.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.40 MKD 548

$7.21 MKD 380

44.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.38 MKD 389

$5.87 MKD 310

25.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.35 MKD 704

$10.13 MKD 534

31.79%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 MKD 53.9

$0.85 MKD 44.99

20.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MKD 72.6

$1.37 MKD 72.1

0.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 MKD 66.9

$0.94 MKD 49.71

35.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 MKD 81.9

$1.48 MKD 77.8

4.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 MKD 51.3

$0.88 MKD 46.14

10.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MKD 70.6

$1.00 MKD 52.6

34.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 MKD 30.22

$0.65 MKD 34.40

-12.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MKD 28.22

$0.41 MKD 21.88

31.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 MKD 160

$2.97 MKD 157

2.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 MKD 318

$4.66 MKD 246

29.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 MKD 48.78

$0.91 MKD 48.06

1.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 MKD 94.5

$1.18 MKD 62.5

51.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MKD 28.70

$0.40 MKD 20.97

35.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.24 MKD 909

$18.92 MKD 998

-8.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 MKD 57.9

$0.97 MKD 51.0

13.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 MKD 27.44

$0.49 MKD 25.95

6.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.67 MKD 352

$6.52 MKD 344

2.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 MKD 77.6

$1.45 MKD 76.7

1.38%

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

$31.8K MKD 1.7M

$33.3K MKD 1.8M

-4.43%

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

$33.2K MKD 1.8M

$29.7K MKD 1.6M

11.98%

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

$148 MKD 7,782

$129 MKD 6,801

14.44%

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

$17.55 MKD 925

$17.73 MKD 935

-1.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.32 MKD 808

$14.15 MKD 746

8.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.06 MKD 1,269

$16.98 MKD 896

41.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.70 MKD 353

$5.61 MKD 296

19.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.77 MKD 252

$5.32 MKD 281

-10.34%

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

$216 MKD 11.4K

$281 MKD 14.8K

-23.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,195 MKD 63.0K

$1,202 MKD 63.4K

-0.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.2 MKD 4,015

$42.03 MKD 2,216

81.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.40 MKD 2,552

$36.95 MKD 1,949

30.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 MKD 4,032

$75.6 MKD 3,986

1.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 MKD 5,903

$95.4 MKD 5,031

17.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 MKD 15.0K

$234 MKD 12.3K

21.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 MKD 10.4K

$171 MKD 9,020

15.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$592 MKD 31.2K

$522 MKD 27.5K

13.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 MKD 16.5K

$289 MKD 15.2K

8.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,796 MKD 94.7K

$1,041 MKD 54.9K

72.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,203 MKD 63.4K

$865 MKD 45.6K

39.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$788 MKD 41.6K

$620 MKD 32.7K

27.19%

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 Prilep: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $284 in Bitola and $234 in Prilep. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bitola pays 27% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $29.00 in Bitola vs $28.00 in Prilep for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $168 per month, with Prilep 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 Prilep: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bitola and Prilep differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($892 vs $759 including rent). Prilep is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bitola pays 27% 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 $234 in Prilep. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Bitola. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Prilep – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $29.00 in Bitola. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Prilep 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 Prilep 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 Prilep gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Bitola. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.