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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $921 per month in Ohrid vs $1,105 in Skopje, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,517 per month in Ohrid vs $1,631 in Skopje, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,113 per month in Ohrid vs $2,156 in Skopje, rent included.

Ohrid is about 17% cheaper than Skopje, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Ohrid and Skopje are more affordable than the global median – Ohrid 31% lower, Skopje 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.29 MKD 387

$7.49 MKD 397

-2.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.87 MKD 1,797

$34.48 MKD 1,830

-1.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.62 MKD 351

$6.75 MKD 358

-1.93%

Cappuccino

$2.30 MKD 122

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

$2.02 MKD 107

$2.01 MKD 106

0.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 MKD 65.2

$1.29 MKD 68.3

-4.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.66 MKD 141

$2.60 MKD 138

2.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 MKD 175

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 MKD 65.3

$1.34 MKD 71.0

-8.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 MKD 40.54

$0.77 MKD 41.09

-1.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 MKD 92.0

$1.68 MKD 89.2

2.98%

Eggs

$2.22 MKD 118

$2.19 MKD 116

1.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.69 MKD 461

$9.35 MKD 496

-7.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 MKD 424

$7.76 MKD 412

2.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.86 MKD 735

$13.48 MKD 715

2.82%

Apples (1kg)

$0.98 MKD 51.9

$1.07 MKD 56.7

-8.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 MKD 75.1

$1.42 MKD 75.3

-0.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 MKD 69.8

$1.38 MKD 73.2

-4.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 MKD 115

$2.08 MKD 110

3.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 MKD 43.04

$0.88 MKD 46.94

-7.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 MKD 49.22

$0.93 MKD 49.41

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 MKD 37.99

$0.69 MKD 36.58

4.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MKD 29.13

$0.56 MKD 29.71

-1.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 MKD 167

$3.10 MKD 164

1.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.46 MKD 290

$7.29 MKD 387

-25.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MKD 58.0

$1.11 MKD 59.0

-1.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 MKD 70.0

$1.52 MKD 80.6

-13.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 MKD 60.7

$0.78 MKD 41.46

46.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.31 MKD 1,131

$28.09 MKD 1,491

-24.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 MKD 48.10

$0.96 MKD 51.1

-5.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 26.19

$0.50 MKD 26.27

-2.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.72 MKD 410

$7.68 MKD 407

0.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MKD 80.7

$1.49 MKD 78.8

2.01%

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

$34.2K MKD 1.8M

$33.4K MKD 1.8M

2.27%

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

$29.1K MKD 1.5M

-0.15%

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

$160 MKD 8,490

$159 MKD 8,449

0.49%

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

$17.83 MKD 946

$18.34 MKD 973

-2.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.18 MKD 1,018

$19.12 MKD 1,015

0.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.96 MKD 1,855

$39.05 MKD 2,072

-10.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.69 MKD 991

$17.56 MKD 932

6.44%

Cinema Ticket

$6.41 MKD 340

$6.47 MKD 343

-0.93%

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

$277 MKD 14.7K

$321 MKD 17.0K

-13.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,504 MKD 185.9K

$4,590 MKD 243.5K

-23.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.4 MKD 4,053

$78.4 MKD 4,161

-2.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.30 MKD 2,139

$39.02 MKD 2,070

3.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.4 MKD 5,220

$100 MKD 5,328

-2.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 MKD 5,853

$113 MKD 5,970

-1.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$235 MKD 12.5K

$429 MKD 22.7K

-45.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$170 MKD 9,016

$313 MKD 16.6K

-45.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$557 MKD 29.6K

$645 MKD 34.2K

-13.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MKD 24.7K

$455 MKD 24.1K

2.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,098 MKD 111.3K

$2,768 MKD 146.9K

-24.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,368 MKD 72.6K

$1,796 MKD 95.3K

-23.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$629 MKD 33.4K

$880 MKD 46.7K

-28.52%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Skopje: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $235 in Ohrid versus $429 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 40% 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 $34.00 in Ohrid versus $34.00 in Skopje. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $211 – 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 20% more than Ohrid, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,381 per month in Ohrid and $1,657 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 $277 per month in Ohrid and $321 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 $921, than in Skopje at $1,105. 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 $921 versus $1,105 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.