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: $880 in Bitola versus $864 in Strumica.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,333 in Bitola versus $1,243 in Strumica.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,787 in Bitola versus $1,621 in Strumica.

Living in Bitola is roughly 2% more expensive than in Strumica, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bitola 34% lower, Strumica 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.56 MKD 297

$3.65 MKD 195

52.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.29 MKD 1,512

$28.65 MKD 1,531

-1.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.14 MKD 275

$5.03 MKD 269

2.19%

Cappuccino

$1.91 MKD 102

$1.73 MKD 92.3

10.40%

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

$1.76 MKD 94.0

$1.52 MKD 81.1

15.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 MKD 67.5

$1.16 MKD 62.0

8.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 MKD 119

$1.86 MKD 99.6

19.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 MKD 146

$2.24 MKD 120

22.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 MKD 72.0

$1.36 MKD 72.5

-0.74%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 MKD 36.18

$0.72 MKD 38.53

-5.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 MKD 94.1

$1.78 MKD 95.4

-1.12%

Eggs

$2.01 MKD 108

$2.08 MKD 111

-3.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MKD 536

$10.35 MKD 553

-3.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.39 MKD 395

$6.19 MKD 331

19.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.74 MKD 734

$10.37 MKD 554

32.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 MKD 57.0

$0.65 MKD 34.70

64.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MKD 74.2

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 MKD 67.4

$1.21 MKD 64.7

4.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 MKD 86.7

$1.63 MKD 87.3

-0.61%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 MKD 50.2

$0.87 MKD 46.65

8.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 MKD 72.0

$0.88 MKD 46.81

53.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 MKD 31.07

$0.57 MKD 30.55

1.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MKD 29.99

$0.56 MKD 29.97

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 MKD 157

$2.79 MKD 149

5.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.16 MKD 329

$5.43 MKD 290

13.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 MKD 53.4

$0.96 MKD 51.3

4.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 MKD 101

$1.21 MKD 64.6

56.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MKD 30.48

$0.76 MKD 40.81

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.81 MKD 899

$20.46 MKD 1,094

-17.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MKD 62.0

$1.12 MKD 59.7

3.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 26.21

$0.49 MKD 26.37

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.52 MKD 348

$6.47 MKD 346

0.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 MKD 79.0

$1.43 MKD 76.4

3.50%

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

$32.1K MKD 1.7M

$31.5K MKD 1.7M

1.91%

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

$33.5K MKD 1.8M

-0.07%

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

$143 MKD 7,654

$146 MKD 7,793

-1.78%

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

$17.64 MKD 943

$13.21 MKD 706

33.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.37 MKD 822

$15.52 MKD 830

-0.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.06 MKD 1,286

$20.37 MKD 1,089

18.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.73 MKD 360

Cinema Ticket

$4.77 MKD 255

$4.63 MKD 247

3.02%

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

$221 MKD 11.8K

$215 MKD 11.5K

2.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,221 MKD 65.2K

$1,201 MKD 64.2K

1.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 MKD 4,124

$76.3 MKD 4,080

1.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.66 MKD 2,547

$47.06 MKD 2,515

1.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 MKD 4,033

$75.7 MKD 4,047

-0.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 MKD 6,103

$95.2 MKD 5,089

19.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 MKD 15.1K

$323 MKD 17.3K

-12.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 MKD 10.4K

$239 MKD 12.7K

-18.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$597 MKD 31.9K

$511 MKD 27.3K

16.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 MKD 16.8K

$304 MKD 16.2K

3.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,698 MKD 90.7K

$1,474 MKD 78.8K

15.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,179 MKD 63.0K

$996 MKD 53.2K

18.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$762 MKD 40.7K

$652 MKD 34.9K

16.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

77.50%

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

Last update for Bitola: July 26, 2026

Last update for Strumica: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $282 in Bitola and $323 in Strumica. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bitola pays 17% 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: $28.00 in Bitola vs $29.00 in Strumica. Groceries flip the comparison at $206 vs $185, with Strumica 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 Strumica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bitola and Strumica differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($880 vs $864 including rent). Strumica 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: $282 in Bitola versus $323 in Strumica. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Bitola. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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

Either city works on $800 a month, though Strumica 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 Strumica 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.