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: $875 in Bitola versus $811 in Prilep.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,310 in Bitola versus $1,200 in Prilep.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,746 in Bitola versus $1,589 in Prilep.

Living in Bitola is roughly 8% more expensive than in Prilep, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bitola 37% lower, Prilep 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.34 MKD 282

$4.12 MKD 218

29.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.66 MKD 1,514

$28.42 MKD 1,501

0.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.37 MKD 284

$5.83 MKD 308

-7.89%

Cappuccino

$2.01 MKD 106

$1.50 MKD 79.1

34.00%

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

$1.81 MKD 95.7

$1.67 MKD 88.3

8.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 MKD 79.3

$1.29 MKD 68.1

16.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 MKD 117

$1.63 MKD 85.9

36.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 MKD 143

$2.05 MKD 108

31.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 MKD 74.7

$1.18 MKD 62.5

19.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 MKD 37.92

$0.74 MKD 39.30

-2.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MKD 90.3

$1.65 MKD 87.0

3.64%

Eggs

$2.05 MKD 108

$2.11 MKD 111

-2.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.26 MKD 542

$7.25 MKD 383

41.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.38 MKD 390

$5.89 MKD 311

25.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.43 MKD 710

$10.23 MKD 540

31.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 MKD 56.7

$0.92 MKD 48.37

16.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MKD 77.1

$1.38 MKD 73.0

5.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.24 MKD 65.7

$0.97 MKD 51.1

27.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 MKD 85.3

$1.47 MKD 77.9

9.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 MKD 51.7

$0.81 MKD 42.92

20.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MKD 70.9

$0.84 MKD 44.29

59.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 MKD 29.08

$0.62 MKD 32.70

-11.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MKD 28.93

$0.42 MKD 22.13

30.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.08 MKD 163

$3.06 MKD 161

0.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.98 MKD 316

$4.68 MKD 247

27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 MKD 54.3

$0.93 MKD 48.91

10.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 MKD 100

$1.18 MKD 62.3

61.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MKD 28.72

$0.37 MKD 19.49

45.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.81 MKD 888

$19.14 MKD 1,011

-12.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 MKD 58.6

$1.15 MKD 60.9

-3.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 MKD 33.79

$0.69 MKD 36.56

-7.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 MKD 356

$6.47 MKD 342

4.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 MKD 78.6

$1.52 MKD 80.2

-1.97%

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

$31.9K MKD 1.7M

$33.6K MKD 1.8M

-4.92%

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

$34.6K MKD 1.8M

$28.5K MKD 1.5M

21.11%

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

$152 MKD 8,007

$127 MKD 6,725

19.07%

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

$14.63 MKD 773

$17.81 MKD 941

-17.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.36 MKD 706

$14.41 MKD 761

-7.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.77 MKD 1,203

$21.17 MKD 1,118

7.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.72 MKD 355

$18.75 MKD 991

-64.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.66 MKD 246

$5.40 MKD 285

-13.70%

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

$218 MKD 11.5K

$288 MKD 15.2K

-24.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,220 MKD 64.5K

$1,186 MKD 62.6K

2.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MKD 4,009

$42.38 MKD 2,239

79.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.87 MKD 2,529

$37.13 MKD 1,961

28.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.0 MKD 3,912

$74.9 MKD 3,958

-1.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MKD 5,944

$94.7 MKD 5,005

18.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$270 MKD 14.3K

$235 MKD 12.4K

14.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 MKD 10.4K

$206 MKD 10.9K

-4.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$406 MKD 21.5K

$517 MKD 27.3K

-21.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$304 MKD 16.0K

$284 MKD 15.0K

6.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,728 MKD 91.3K

$1,034 MKD 54.6K

67.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,200 MKD 63.4K

$843 MKD 44.6K

42.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$792 MKD 41.8K

$618 MKD 32.6K

28.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

4.25

51.76%

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

Last update for Bitola: September 7, 2026

Last update for Prilep: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $270 in Bitola and $235 in Prilep. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bitola pays 28% 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 $207 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 8% in total monthly costs ($875 vs $811 including rent). Prilep is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 28% 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: $270 in Bitola versus $235 in Prilep. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% 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 8% less than in Bitola. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.