Cost of Living Comparison Between Bitola and Struga Cost of Living Comparison Between Bitola and Struga

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $892 in Bitola versus $808 in Struga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,346 in Bitola versus $1,194 in Struga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,800 in Bitola versus $1,580 in Struga.

Living in Bitola is roughly 10% more expensive than Struga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bitola 33% lower, Struga 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.49 MKD 290

$7.47 MKD 394

-26.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.66 MKD 1,511

$30.53 MKD 1,610

-6.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.13 MKD 271

$4.74 MKD 250

8.23%

Cappuccino

$1.96 MKD 104

$1.58 MKD 83.1

24.05%

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

$1.79 MKD 94.4

$1.78 MKD 93.7

0.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 MKD 65.0

$1.23 MKD 64.8

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 MKD 121

$2.65 MKD 140

-13.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 MKD 141

$3.35 MKD 177

-20.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 MKD 74.2

$1.19 MKD 62.8

18.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 MKD 36.10

$0.67 MKD 35.56

1.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MKD 90.2

$1.76 MKD 92.8

-2.84%

Eggs

$2.05 MKD 108

$2.07 MKD 109

-0.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.40 MKD 548

$6.68 MKD 352

55.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.38 MKD 389

$5.49 MKD 289

34.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.35 MKD 704

$9.31 MKD 491

43.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 MKD 53.9

$0.55 MKD 28.88

85.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MKD 72.6

$1.32 MKD 69.7

4.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 MKD 66.9

$0.95 MKD 50.3

33.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 MKD 81.9

$1.16 MKD 61.0

33.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 MKD 51.3

$0.72 MKD 38.09

34.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MKD 70.6

$0.99 MKD 52.0

35.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 MKD 30.22

$0.58 MKD 30.47

-1.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MKD 28.22

$0.40 MKD 20.93

35.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 MKD 160

$3.26 MKD 172

-6.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 MKD 318

$4.63 MKD 244

30.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 MKD 48.78

$1.10 MKD 57.9

-16.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 MKD 94.5

$1.00 MKD 53.0

79.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MKD 28.70

$0.63 MKD 33.22

-14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.24 MKD 909

$20.30 MKD 1,070

-15.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 MKD 57.9

$0.96 MKD 50.8

14.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 MKD 27.44

$0.50 MKD 26.25

4.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.67 MKD 352

$7.54 MKD 398

-11.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 MKD 77.6

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

$31.8K MKD 1.7M

$33.6K MKD 1.8M

-5.32%

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

$33.2K MKD 1.8M

$29.9K MKD 1.6M

11.09%

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

$148 MKD 7,782

$90.7 MKD 4,783

62.69%

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

$17.55 MKD 925

$15.09 MKD 796

16.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.32 MKD 808

$19.15 MKD 1,010

-20.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.06 MKD 1,269

$26.68 MKD 1,407

-9.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.70 MKD 353

$22.16 MKD 1,169

-69.77%

Cinema Ticket

$4.77 MKD 252

$6.38 MKD 336

-25.24%

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

$216 MKD 11.4K

$323 MKD 17.0K

-33.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,195 MKD 63.0K

$1,180 MKD 62.2K

1.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.2 MKD 4,015

$78.3 MKD 4,127

-2.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.40 MKD 2,552

$27.71 MKD 1,461

74.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 MKD 4,032

$67.0 MKD 3,531

14.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 MKD 5,903

$37.26 MKD 1,965

200.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 MKD 15.0K

$287 MKD 15.1K

-0.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 MKD 10.4K

$230 MKD 12.1K

-13.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$592 MKD 31.2K

$387 MKD 20.4K

53.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 MKD 16.5K

$318 MKD 16.8K

-1.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,796 MKD 94.7K

$1,626 MKD 85.7K

10.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,203 MKD 63.4K

$1,431 MKD 75.5K

-15.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$788 MKD 41.6K

$1,009 MKD 53.2K

-21.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

3.5

102.86%

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

Last update for Bitola: April 26, 2026

Last update for Struga: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $284 in Bitola and $287 in Struga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Struga pays 28% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $29.00 in Bitola vs $31.00 in Struga. Groceries flip the comparison at $205 vs $158, with Struga 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 Struga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bitola and Struga differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($892 vs $808 including rent). Struga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Struga earns 28% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $284 in Bitola versus $287 in Struga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Bitola. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Struga – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $29.00 in Bitola. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Struga 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 Struga 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 Struga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Bitola. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.