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: $877 in Bitola versus $862 in Struga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,328 in Bitola versus $1,320 in Struga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,779 in Bitola versus $1,778 in Struga.

Living in Bitola is roughly 2% more expensive than in Struga, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bitola 36% lower, Struga 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.38 MKD 282

$7.69 MKD 403

-30.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.73 MKD 1,506

$29.26 MKD 1,534

-1.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.35 MKD 281

$5.06 MKD 265

5.73%

Cappuccino

$2.02 MKD 106

$1.54 MKD 80.8

31.17%

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

$1.79 MKD 93.8

$1.75 MKD 92.0

2.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 MKD 77.9

$1.20 MKD 62.8

23.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 MKD 119

$2.88 MKD 151

-21.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MKD 135

$3.19 MKD 167

-19.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 MKD 71.4

$1.24 MKD 64.9

9.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 MKD 34.80

$0.66 MKD 34.51

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 MKD 93.6

$1.56 MKD 81.7

14.74%

Eggs

$1.99 MKD 104

$1.90 MKD 99.5

4.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.18 MKD 534

$7.08 MKD 371

43.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.14 MKD 374

$6.07 MKD 318

17.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.40 MKD 702

$11.47 MKD 601

16.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 MKD 54.1

$1.26 MKD 65.9

-18.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MKD 71.8

$1.39 MKD 72.9

-1.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 MKD 65.9

$1.27 MKD 66.6

-0.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 MKD 83.2

$1.53 MKD 80.4

3.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 MKD 47.70

$0.86 MKD 45.13

5.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 MKD 73.7

$0.86 MKD 45.08

63.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 MKD 30.99

$0.60 MKD 31.67

-1.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MKD 26.55

$0.59 MKD 30.81

-13.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 MKD 163

$3.48 MKD 182

-10.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.86 MKD 307

$3.82 MKD 200

53.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 MKD 52.6

$1.10 MKD 57.5

-9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 MKD 97.7

$1.51 MKD 79.2

23.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 MKD 31.14

$0.89 MKD 46.84

-33.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.13 MKD 898

$57.6 MKD 3,019

-70.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MKD 60.5

$1.15 MKD 60.4

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 MKD 33.46

$0.64 MKD 33.59

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.74 MKD 353

$5.15 MKD 270

30.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 MKD 74.7

$1.47 MKD 77.2

-3.40%

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

$32.4K MKD 1.7M

$36.8K MKD 1.9M

-12.13%

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

$34.3K MKD 1.8M

$28.4K MKD 1.5M

20.82%

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

$154 MKD 8,064

$102 MKD 5,325

51.43%

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

$14.75 MKD 773

$11.32 MKD 594

30.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.99 MKD 681

$19.64 MKD 1,030

-33.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.09 MKD 1,158

$20.67 MKD 1,084

6.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.54 MKD 343

$12.14 MKD 636

-46.13%

Cinema Ticket

$4.57 MKD 240

$6.77 MKD 355

-32.50%

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

$217 MKD 11.4K

$122 MKD 6,377

78.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,209 MKD 63.4K

$1,656 MKD 86.8K

-26.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.5 MKD 4,116

$91.0 MKD 4,773

-13.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.08 MKD 2,521

$32.13 MKD 1,685

49.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.8 MKD 3,871

$75.4 MKD 3,952

-2.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 MKD 5,837

$55.3 MKD 2,900

101.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$274 MKD 14.4K

$280 MKD 14.7K

-2.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$192 MKD 10.1K

$227 MKD 11.9K

-15.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$414 MKD 21.7K

$453 MKD 23.7K

-8.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$306 MKD 16.1K

$370 MKD 19.4K

-17.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,738 MKD 91.1K

$1,565 MKD 82.1K

11.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,204 MKD 63.1K

$1,419 MKD 74.4K

-15.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$799 MKD 41.9K

$901 MKD 47.2K

-11.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

3.75

72.00%

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

Last update for Bitola: August 16, 2026

Last update for Struga: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $274 in Bitola and $280 in Struga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Struga pays 13% 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 $29.00 in Struga. Groceries flip the comparison at $203 vs $176, 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 2% in total monthly costs ($877 vs $862 including rent). Struga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 13% lower in Struga. 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: $274 in Bitola versus $280 in Struga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% 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 $29.00 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 2% less than in Bitola. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.