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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,012 per month in Ohrid vs $1,182 in Skopje, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,617 per month in Ohrid vs $1,723 in Skopje, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,221 per month in Ohrid vs $2,263 in Skopje, rent included.

Ohrid is about 14% cheaper than Skopje, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Ohrid and Skopje are more affordable than the global median – Ohrid 27% lower, Skopje 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.42 MKD 392

$9.68 MKD 511

-23.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.41 MKD 1,976

$34.37 MKD 1,816

8.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.73 MKD 408

$6.65 MKD 351

16.24%

Cappuccino

$2.75 MKD 145

$2.23 MKD 118

23.32%

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

$3.09 MKD 163

$1.86 MKD 98.5

66.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 MKD 102

$1.28 MKD 67.6

51.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.69 MKD 195

$2.81 MKD 148

31.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.84 MKD 255

$3.25 MKD 172

48.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 MKD 70.3

$1.33 MKD 70.4

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 MKD 40.96

$0.78 MKD 41.46

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 MKD 91.9

$1.94 MKD 102

-10.31%

Eggs

$2.27 MKD 120

$2.47 MKD 131

-8.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.36 MKD 442

$8.73 MKD 461

-4.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.90 MKD 470

$7.49 MKD 396

18.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.17 MKD 802

$15.07 MKD 796

0.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 MKD 55.1

$1.53 MKD 80.7

-32.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MKD 72.5

$1.50 MKD 79.0

-8.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 MKD 85.6

$1.38 MKD 73.0

17.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 MKD 109

$2.08 MKD 110

-0.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 MKD 58.6

$0.92 MKD 48.78

20.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 MKD 78.2

$0.84 MKD 44.24

76.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MKD 57.0

$0.62 MKD 32.51

74.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 MKD 39.94

$0.57 MKD 30.31

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 MKD 182

$3.63 MKD 192

-4.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.59 MKD 295

$7.37 MKD 389

-24.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 MKD 60.1

$1.09 MKD 57.5

4.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 MKD 81.4

$1.56 MKD 82.3

-1.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 MKD 61.3

$0.80 MKD 42.10

45.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.91 MKD 1,316

$28.14 MKD 1,487

-11.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 MKD 58.0

$1.11 MKD 58.4

-0.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 MKD 49.65

$0.68 MKD 35.75

38.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.22 MKD 487

$7.98 MKD 422

15.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 MKD 81.0

$1.54 MKD 81.2

-0.65%

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

$31.2K MKD 1.7M

$37.0K MKD 2.0M

-15.60%

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

$31.8K MKD 1.7M

$28.4K MKD 1.5M

12.15%

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

$133 MKD 7,046

$168 MKD 8,854

-20.42%

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

$18.96 MKD 1,002

$19.55 MKD 1,033

-3.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.38 MKD 1,500

$19.73 MKD 1,042

43.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.42 MKD 1,818

$38.05 MKD 2,010

-9.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 MKD 1,011

$17.83 MKD 942

7.35%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 MKD 339

$7.13 MKD 377

-9.82%

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

$283 MKD 15.0K

$389 MKD 20.5K

-27.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,466 MKD 183.1K

$5,501 MKD 290.6K

-37.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 MKD 5,321

$91.6 MKD 4,837

9.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.7 MKD 2,941

$39.71 MKD 2,098

40.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MKD 5,452

$107 MKD 5,629

-3.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 MKD 7,287

$114 MKD 6,023

20.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$291 MKD 15.4K

$443 MKD 23.4K

-34.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 MKD 9,230

$339 MKD 17.9K

-48.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$563 MKD 29.7K

$750 MKD 39.6K

-24.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 MKD 19.7K

$535 MKD 28.3K

-30.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,186 MKD 115.5K

$2,778 MKD 146.8K

-21.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,351 MKD 71.4K

$1,892 MKD 99.9K

-28.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$650 MKD 34.4K

$906 MKD 47.9K

-28.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.3

4.25

71.76%

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

Last update for Ohrid: September 7, 2026

Last update for Skopje: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $291 in Ohrid versus $443 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 39% 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 $37.00 in Ohrid versus $34.00 in Skopje. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $217 – making Skopje 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 Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,518 per month in Ohrid and $1,774 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 $283 per month in Ohrid and $389 in Skopje. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Skopje – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ohrid, where all-in costs run around $1,012, than in Skopje at $1,182. 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 $1,012 versus $1,182 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.