Cost of Living Comparison Between Ohrid and Skopje Cost of Living Comparison Between Ohrid and Skopje

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $924 per month in Ohrid vs $1,083 in Skopje, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,506 per month in Ohrid vs $1,616 in Skopje, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,088 per month in Ohrid vs $2,149 in Skopje, rent included.

Ohrid is about 15% cheaper than Skopje, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ohrid and Skopje are more affordable than the global median – Ohrid 31% lower, Skopje 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.29 MKD 383

$7.47 MKD 392

-2.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.29 MKD 1,748

$34.48 MKD 1,811

-3.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.58 MKD 346

$6.60 MKD 347

-0.30%

Cappuccino

$2.22 MKD 117

$2.29 MKD 120

-3.06%

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

$1.97 MKD 103

$1.96 MKD 103

0.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 MKD 67.1

$1.29 MKD 67.7

-0.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 MKD 135

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 MKD 178

$3.30 MKD 173

3.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MKD 67.6

$1.34 MKD 70.2

-3.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 MKD 43.42

$0.77 MKD 40.27

7.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 MKD 91.4

$1.69 MKD 88.7

2.96%

Eggs

$2.25 MKD 118

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.52 MKD 448

$8.97 MKD 471

-5.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.08 MKD 424

$8.11 MKD 426

-0.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 MKD 710

$13.90 MKD 730

-2.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 MKD 53.7

$1.02 MKD 53.8

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 MKD 74.0

$1.36 MKD 71.6

3.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 MKD 72.1

$1.36 MKD 71.6

0.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MKD 108

$2.16 MKD 113

-4.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 MKD 42.83

$0.84 MKD 43.97

-2.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 MKD 51.3

$0.98 MKD 51.6

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 MKD 37.36

$0.71 MKD 37.33

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MKD 30.78

$0.55 MKD 29.07

7.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.11 MKD 163

$3.20 MKD 168

-2.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.62 MKD 295

$7.53 MKD 395

-25.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 MKD 58.2

$1.05 MKD 55.4

5.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 MKD 71.6

$1.58 MKD 82.7

-13.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 MKD 57.7

$0.78 MKD 40.77

41.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.21 MKD 1,114

$28.32 MKD 1,487

-25.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 MKD 50.1

$0.92 MKD 48.09

3.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 MKD 27.53

$0.50 MKD 26.15

4.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.53 MKD 395

$7.32 MKD 384

2.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 MKD 76.8

$1.54 MKD 80.7

-5.19%

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

$33.4K MKD 1.8M

$34.4K MKD 1.8M

-2.95%

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

$29.0K MKD 1.5M

$30.0K MKD 1.6M

-3.04%

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

$160 MKD 8,391

$160 MKD 8,423

-0.39%

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

$18.18 MKD 955

$18.02 MKD 947

0.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.68 MKD 1,034

$19.00 MKD 998

3.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.03 MKD 1,840

$39.49 MKD 2,074

-11.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.91 MKD 993

$17.78 MKD 934

6.36%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 MKD 352

$6.38 MKD 335

5.17%

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

$285 MKD 15.0K

$322 MKD 16.9K

-11.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,514 MKD 184.6K

$4,517 MKD 237.2K

-22.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.1 MKD 4,050

$78.5 MKD 4,120

-1.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.09 MKD 2,053

$39.91 MKD 2,096

-2.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.2 MKD 5,212

$101 MKD 5,306

-1.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 MKD 5,831

$110 MKD 5,790

0.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$228 MKD 12.0K

$423 MKD 22.2K

-46.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$170 MKD 8,926

$311 MKD 16.3K

-45.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$570 MKD 29.9K

$626 MKD 32.9K

-8.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$463 MKD 24.3K

$465 MKD 24.4K

-0.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,168 MKD 113.9K

$2,841 MKD 149.2K

-23.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,369 MKD 71.9K

$1,883 MKD 98.9K

-27.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$642 MKD 33.7K

$888 MKD 46.6K

-27.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.54

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

Last update for Ohrid: April 25, 2026

Last update for Skopje: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $228 in Ohrid versus $423 in Skopje. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 38% higher in Skopje, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ohrid versus $34.00 in Skopje. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $207 vs $213 – making Ohrid the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Skopje: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Skopje costs about 17% more than Ohrid, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,387 per month in Ohrid and $1,625 in Skopje. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ohrid, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $285 per month in Ohrid and $322 in Skopje. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Skopje, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ohrid, where all-in costs run around $924, than in Skopje at $1,083. In Ohrid it covers expenses comfortably, while in Skopje it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ohrid costs $924 versus $1,083 in Skopje. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ohrid. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Skopje makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.