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: $986 in Ohrid versus $856 in Bitola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,532 in Ohrid versus $1,271 in Bitola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,078 in Ohrid versus $1,686 in Bitola.

Living in Ohrid is roughly 15% more expensive than in Bitola, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ohrid 26% lower, Bitola 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.29 MKD 397

$5.13 MKD 279

42.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.81 MKD 1,949

$27.02 MKD 1,471

32.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.21 MKD 393

$5.27 MKD 287

36.81%

Cappuccino

$2.74 MKD 149

$1.89 MKD 103

44.97%

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

$3.05 MKD 166

$1.79 MKD 97.6

70.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 MKD 97.4

$1.40 MKD 76.4

27.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 MKD 197

$2.14 MKD 117

68.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 MKD 245

$2.49 MKD 135

80.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MKD 70.0

$1.38 MKD 74.9

-6.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 MKD 38.12

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MKD 93.9

$1.66 MKD 90.5

3.61%

Eggs

$2.16 MKD 117

$2.00 MKD 109

8.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.04 MKD 438

$9.75 MKD 531

-17.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MKD 459

$7.18 MKD 391

17.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.28 MKD 778

$13.03 MKD 710

9.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 MKD 55.2

$1.00 MKD 54.3

1.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 MKD 71.6

$1.38 MKD 75.4

-5.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 MKD 85.2

$1.23 MKD 67.2

26.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 MKD 105

$1.53 MKD 83.1

26.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 MKD 61.1

$0.89 MKD 48.54

25.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 MKD 76.8

$1.30 MKD 70.9

8.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MKD 58.4

$0.53 MKD 28.82

101.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 MKD 42.62

$0.52 MKD 28.33

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 MKD 173

$3.25 MKD 177

-2.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.50 MKD 299

$5.92 MKD 322

-7.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MKD 57.1

$0.98 MKD 53.6

7.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 MKD 84.6

$1.77 MKD 96.2

-12.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 MKD 58.5

$0.52 MKD 28.56

105.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.69 MKD 1,290

$16.10 MKD 877

47.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.08 MKD 58.7

$1.10 MKD 59.9

-1.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 MKD 48.98

$0.61 MKD 33.03

47.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.83 MKD 481

$6.21 MKD 338

42.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MKD 78.5

$1.51 MKD 82.4

-4.64%

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

$30.1K MKD 1.6M

$30.8K MKD 1.7M

-2.36%

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

$30.1K MKD 1.6M

$32.4K MKD 1.8M

-7.28%

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

$125 MKD 6,809

$145 MKD 7,898

-13.79%

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

$18.41 MKD 1,002

$13.90 MKD 757

32.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.05 MKD 1,472

$13.01 MKD 709

107.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.61 MKD 1,830

$21.40 MKD 1,165

57.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.88 MKD 974

$6.28 MKD 342

184.71%

Cinema Ticket

$6.54 MKD 356

$4.49 MKD 244

45.66%

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

$269 MKD 14.7K

$211 MKD 11.5K

27.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,428 MKD 186.6K

$1,146 MKD 62.4K

199.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.5 MKD 5,254

$75.3 MKD 4,101

28.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 MKD 2,889

$46.55 MKD 2,534

14.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MKD 5,490

$72.0 MKD 3,917

40.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 MKD 7,217

$112 MKD 6,071

18.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 MKD 15.5K

$264 MKD 14.4K

7.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$168 MKD 9,163

$185 MKD 10.1K

-9.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$538 MKD 29.3K

$397 MKD 21.6K

35.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 MKD 19.9K

$295 MKD 16.1K

24.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,114 MKD 115.1K

$1,707 MKD 92.9K

23.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,326 MKD 72.2K

$1,180 MKD 64.2K

12.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$619 MKD 33.7K

$755 MKD 41.1K

-18.08%

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: October 3, 2026

Last update for Bitola: October 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $284 in Ohrid and $264 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: $36.00 in Ohrid vs $27.00 in Bitola for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $213 vs $199 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 15% in total monthly costs ($986 vs $856 including rent). Bitola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 22% 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: $284 in Ohrid versus $264 in Bitola. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% 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 $27.00 versus $36.00 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 15% less than in Ohrid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.