Cost of Living Comparison Between Ohrid and Bitola Cost of Living Comparison Between Ohrid and Bitola

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $999 in Ohrid versus $877 in Bitola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,590 in Ohrid versus $1,328 in Bitola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,181 in Ohrid versus $1,779 in Bitola.

Living in Ohrid is roughly 14% more expensive than in Bitola, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ohrid 27% lower, Bitola 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.56 MKD 397

$5.38 MKD 282

40.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.29 MKD 1,955

$28.73 MKD 1,506

29.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.61 MKD 399

$5.35 MKD 281

42.24%

Cappuccino

$2.76 MKD 145

$2.02 MKD 106

36.63%

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

$3.02 MKD 159

$1.79 MKD 93.8

68.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 MKD 96.8

$1.48 MKD 77.9

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.70 MKD 194

$2.27 MKD 119

63.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 MKD 250

$2.58 MKD 135

84.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 MKD 67.2

$1.36 MKD 71.4

-5.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 MKD 38.27

$0.66 MKD 34.80

10.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 MKD 94.2

$1.79 MKD 93.6

0.56%

Eggs

$2.26 MKD 118

$1.99 MKD 104

13.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.56 MKD 449

$10.18 MKD 534

-15.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.57 MKD 449

$7.14 MKD 374

20.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.79 MKD 775

$13.40 MKD 702

10.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 MKD 55.5

$1.03 MKD 54.1

2.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 MKD 69.6

$1.37 MKD 71.8

-2.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 MKD 81.5

$1.26 MKD 65.9

23.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MKD 103

$1.59 MKD 83.2

23.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 MKD 60.7

$0.91 MKD 47.70

27.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 MKD 77.7

$1.41 MKD 73.7

4.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 MKD 58.3

$0.59 MKD 30.99

88.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 MKD 40.04

$0.51 MKD 26.55

49.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.42 MKD 179

$3.10 MKD 163

10.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.80 MKD 304

$5.86 MKD 307

-1.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 MKD 59.5

$1.00 MKD 52.6

14.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 MKD 83.8

$1.86 MKD 97.7

-13.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 MKD 58.0

$0.59 MKD 31.14

88.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.85 MKD 1,303

$17.13 MKD 898

45.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 MKD 60.0

$1.15 MKD 60.5

-0.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 MKD 50.9

$0.64 MKD 33.46

51.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.29 MKD 487

$6.74 MKD 353

37.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MKD 81.5

$1.42 MKD 74.7

9.15%

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

$31.4K MKD 1.6M

$32.4K MKD 1.7M

-2.89%

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

$31.1K MKD 1.6M

$34.3K MKD 1.8M

-9.28%

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

$132 MKD 6,909

$154 MKD 8,064

-14.33%

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

$18.95 MKD 994

$14.75 MKD 773

28.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.39 MKD 1,489

$12.99 MKD 681

118.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.62 MKD 1,815

$22.09 MKD 1,158

56.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.77 MKD 984

$6.54 MKD 343

187.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.54 MKD 343

$4.57 MKD 240

43.11%

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

$283 MKD 14.9K

$217 MKD 11.4K

30.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,537 MKD 185.4K

$1,209 MKD 63.4K

192.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 MKD 5,271

$78.5 MKD 4,116

28.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 MKD 2,858

$48.08 MKD 2,521

13.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MKD 5,335

$73.8 MKD 3,871

37.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 MKD 7,057

$111 MKD 5,837

20.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$291 MKD 15.3K

$274 MKD 14.4K

6.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 MKD 9,308

$192 MKD 10.1K

-7.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$567 MKD 29.7K

$414 MKD 21.7K

36.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 MKD 19.6K

$306 MKD 16.1K

22.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,118 MKD 111.0K

$1,738 MKD 91.1K

21.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,366 MKD 71.6K

$1,204 MKD 63.1K

13.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$634 MKD 33.2K

$799 MKD 41.9K

-20.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.3

6.45

13.18%

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

Last update for Ohrid: August 16, 2026

Last update for Bitola: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $291 in Ohrid and $274 in Bitola. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bitola pays 26% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $37.00 in Ohrid vs $29.00 in Bitola for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $219 vs $203 per month, with Bitola 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

Ohrid vs Bitola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ohrid and Bitola differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($999 vs $877 including rent). Bitola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 26% lower in Bitola. 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: $291 in Ohrid versus $274 in Bitola. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Ohrid. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Bitola – a meal for two runs $29.00 versus $37.00 in Ohrid. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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, Ohrid and Bitola 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 14% less than in Ohrid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.