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: $929 in Ohrid versus $905 in Bitola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,544 in Ohrid versus $1,349 in Bitola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,159 in Ohrid versus $1,793 in Bitola.

Living in Ohrid is roughly 3% more expensive than Bitola, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ohrid 30% lower, Bitola 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.73 MKD 409

$5.79 MKD 307

33.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.14 MKD 1,755

$27.90 MKD 1,478

18.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.42 MKD 340

$4.99 MKD 265

28.66%

Cappuccino

$2.19 MKD 116

$1.88 MKD 99.7

16.49%

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

$1.95 MKD 103

$1.75 MKD 92.7

11.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 MKD 65.2

$1.22 MKD 64.8

0.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 MKD 138

$2.22 MKD 117

17.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 MKD 175

$2.70 MKD 143

22.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 MKD 65.9

$1.35 MKD 71.6

-8.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 MKD 41.01

$0.67 MKD 35.73

14.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MKD 89.3

$1.72 MKD 91.3

-1.74%

Eggs

$2.26 MKD 120

$2.12 MKD 112

6.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 MKD 454

$10.24 MKD 542

-16.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.92 MKD 419

$7.38 MKD 391

7.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.74 MKD 728

$13.44 MKD 712

2.23%

Apples (1kg)

$0.98 MKD 52.0

$1.03 MKD 54.4

-4.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 MKD 75.4

$1.44 MKD 76.5

-1.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 MKD 69.8

$1.26 MKD 66.6

4.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MKD 109

$1.56 MKD 82.6

32.05%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 MKD 46.28

$0.96 MKD 50.9

-9.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 MKD 48.12

$1.37 MKD 72.8

-33.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 MKD 38.41

$0.57 MKD 30.21

28.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MKD 28.88

$0.58 MKD 30.47

-5.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.26 MKD 172

$2.97 MKD 157

9.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.49 MKD 291

$6.08 MKD 322

-9.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 MKD 55.9

$0.95 MKD 50.2

11.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 MKD 70.1

$1.88 MKD 99.8

-29.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 MKD 59.0

$0.54 MKD 28.34

105.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.64 MKD 1,146

$16.96 MKD 898

27.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 MKD 51.5

$1.14 MKD 60.4

-14.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MKD 25.67

$0.49 MKD 25.89

-2.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.35 MKD 389

$6.76 MKD 358

8.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 MKD 77.1

$1.49 MKD 78.8

-2.01%

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

$33.7K MKD 1.8M

$32.6K MKD 1.7M

3.57%

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

$29.9K MKD 1.6M

$33.5K MKD 1.8M

-10.88%

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

$163 MKD 8,611

$144 MKD 7,615

13.08%

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

$18.35 MKD 972

$17.45 MKD 924

5.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.97 MKD 1,005

$15.36 MKD 813

23.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.38 MKD 1,821

$24.77 MKD 1,312

38.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 MKD 992

$6.62 MKD 351

182.93%

Cinema Ticket

$6.53 MKD 346

$4.74 MKD 251

37.76%

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

$281 MKD 14.9K

$218 MKD 11.5K

29.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,438 MKD 182.1K

$1,200 MKD 63.5K

186.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MKD 4,020

$77.1 MKD 4,084

-1.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.08 MKD 2,070

$48.93 MKD 2,591

-20.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MKD 5,353

$74.3 MKD 3,934

36.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 MKD 5,812

$111 MKD 5,902

-1.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$236 MKD 12.5K

$287 MKD 15.2K

-17.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$166 MKD 8,809

$196 MKD 10.4K

-15.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$552 MKD 29.3K

$598 MKD 31.7K

-7.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$464 MKD 24.6K

$315 MKD 16.7K

47.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,138 MKD 113.2K

$1,772 MKD 93.8K

20.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 MKD 72.7K

$1,189 MKD 63.0K

15.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 MKD 34.5K

$792 MKD 42.0K

-17.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.54

7.1

-36.06%

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

Last update for Ohrid: June 16, 2026

Last update for Bitola: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $236 in Ohrid and $287 in Bitola. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bitola pays 22% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ohrid vs $28.00 in Bitola. Groceries flip the comparison at $204 vs $206, with Ohrid 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

Ohrid vs Bitola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ohrid and Bitola differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($929 vs $905 including rent). Bitola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bitola earns 22% 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: $236 in Ohrid versus $287 in Bitola. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Ohrid pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Bitola – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $33.00 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 3% less than in Ohrid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.