Cost of Living Comparison Between Bitola and Strumica Cost of Living Comparison Between Bitola and Strumica

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $882 in Bitola versus $894 in Strumica.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,326 in Bitola versus $1,257 in Strumica.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,771 in Bitola versus $1,620 in Strumica.

Living in Bitola costs roughly 1% less than in Strumica, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bitola 36% lower, Strumica 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.57 MKD 298

$3.68 MKD 197

51.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.82 MKD 1,489

$23.66 MKD 1,266

17.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.38 MKD 288

$3.84 MKD 206

40.10%

Cappuccino

$2.01 MKD 107

$1.63 MKD 87.1

23.31%

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

$1.77 MKD 94.7

$1.39 MKD 74.3

27.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 MKD 79.0

$1.24 MKD 66.6

19.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 MKD 117

$1.93 MKD 103

13.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MKD 140

$2.01 MKD 108

29.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 MKD 72.7

$1.31 MKD 70.1

3.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 MKD 37.47

$0.77 MKD 41.19

-9.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 MKD 93.9

$1.80 MKD 96.2

-2.78%

Eggs

$2.00 MKD 107

$2.19 MKD 117

-8.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.37 MKD 555

$8.66 MKD 463

19.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.31 MKD 391

$6.42 MKD 344

13.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.45 MKD 720

$10.27 MKD 550

30.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 MKD 55.1

$0.69 MKD 36.71

49.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MKD 74.0

$1.45 MKD 77.4

-4.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 MKD 69.4

$1.19 MKD 63.6

9.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 MKD 82.7

$2.10 MKD 112

-26.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 MKD 48.45

$0.91 MKD 48.53

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 MKD 73.4

$0.83 MKD 44.17

65.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 MKD 30.54

$0.60 MKD 32.34

-5.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 MKD 27.00

$0.62 MKD 33.32

-19.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 MKD 179

$2.88 MKD 154

16.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 MKD 316

$5.77 MKD 309

2.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 MKD 52.9

$0.97 MKD 52.1

2.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 MKD 99.3

$1.20 MKD 64.3

54.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MKD 28.67

$0.73 MKD 39.32

-26.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.70 MKD 894

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MKD 61.6

$1.11 MKD 59.7

3.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 MKD 33.82

$0.60 MKD 31.88

5.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.44 MKD 345

$7.96 MKD 426

-19.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 MKD 78.4

$1.58 MKD 84.7

-7.59%

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

$32.4K MKD 1.7M

$37.2K MKD 2.0M

-12.93%

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

$34.5K MKD 1.8M

$27.8K MKD 1.5M

23.88%

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

$152 MKD 8,139

$157 MKD 8,419

-3.32%

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

$14.81 MKD 792

$13.02 MKD 697

13.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.25 MKD 709

$18.96 MKD 1,015

-30.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.99 MKD 1,177

$20.68 MKD 1,107

6.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 MKD 349

Cinema Ticket

$4.65 MKD 249

$7.73 MKD 414

-39.84%

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

$218 MKD 11.6K

$372 MKD 19.9K

-41.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,181 MKD 63.2K

$5,799 MKD 310.3K

-79.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.9 MKD 4,116

$86.4 MKD 4,622

-10.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.90 MKD 2,564

$37.62 MKD 2,013

27.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 MKD 4,086

$103 MKD 5,537

-26.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 MKD 5,996

$92.1 MKD 4,928

21.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 MKD 14.2K

$324 MKD 17.3K

-17.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$195 MKD 10.4K

$244 MKD 13.0K

-20.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$415 MKD 22.2K

$490 MKD 26.2K

-15.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 MKD 16.1K

$302 MKD 16.1K

-0.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,774 MKD 94.9K

$1,478 MKD 79.1K

19.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,204 MKD 64.5K

$990 MKD 53.0K

21.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$780 MKD 41.8K

$669 MKD 35.8K

16.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

61.25%

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

Last update for Bitola: September 15, 2026

Last update for Strumica: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $266 in Bitola and $324 in Strumica. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bitola pays 17% 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 $24.00 in Strumica for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 vs $186 per month, with Strumica 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 Strumica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bitola and Strumica differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($882 vs $894 including rent). Bitola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 17% 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: $266 in Bitola versus $324 in Strumica. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Strumica pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $882 per month in Bitola versus $894 in Strumica – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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 Strumica 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 1% less than in Strumica. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.