Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Prilep and Bitola

For one person, living is cheaper in Prilep: $730 a month against $859 in Bitola, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Prilep, North Macedonia
Bitola, North Macedonia
Prilep
🇲🇰 North Macedonia
$730
/mo nomad
Bitola
🇲🇰 North Macedonia
$859
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Prilep and in Bitola

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Prilep and in Bitola actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $730 in Prilep versus $859 in Bitola.

  • Prilep $730
  • Bitola $859

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,110 in Prilep versus $1,289 in Bitola.

  • Prilep $1,110
  • Bitola $1,289

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,489 in Prilep versus $1,718 in Bitola.

  • Prilep $1,489
  • Bitola $1,718

Living in Prilep costs roughly 15% less than in Bitola, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Prilep 46% lower, Bitola 37% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Prilep
Bitola
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.90 MKD 215
$5.23 MKD 287
-25.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$27.36 MKD 1,505
$26.77 MKD 1,472
2.20%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.77 MKD 317
$5.04 MKD 277
14.48%
Cappuccino
$1.43 MKD 78.6
$1.96 MKD 108
-27.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.61 MKD 88.4
$1.71 MKD 93.9
-5.85%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.18 MKD 64.8
$1.46 MKD 80.3
-19.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.58 MKD 87.1
$2.16 MKD 119
-26.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96 MKD 108
$2.62 MKD 144
-25.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Prilep
Bitola
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.13 MKD 62.3
$1.38 MKD 75.7
-18.12%
White Bread (500g)
$0.67 MKD 37.09
$0.66 MKD 36.57
1.52%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.55 MKD 85.4
$1.72 MKD 94.7
-9.88%
Eggs
$2.04 MKD 112
$1.98 MKD 109
3.03%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.95 MKD 383
$9.93 MKD 546
-30.01%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.88 MKD 323
$6.81 MKD 375
-13.66%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.23 MKD 618
$13.08 MKD 719
-14.14%
Apples (1kg)
$0.85 MKD 46.53
$1.01 MKD 55.4
-15.84%
Banana (1kg)
$1.34 MKD 73.8
$1.39 MKD 76.6
-3.60%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.00 MKD 55.2
$1.24 MKD 68.1
-19.35%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.24 MKD 68.3
$1.59 MKD 87.4
-22.01%
Potato (1kg)
$0.75 MKD 41.43
$0.91 MKD 49.82
-17.58%
Onion (1kg)
$0.85 MKD 46.76
$1.34 MKD 73.6
-36.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.58 MKD 32.03
$0.53 MKD 28.91
9.43%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.44 MKD 24.38
$0.50 MKD 27.30
-12.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.89 MKD 159
$3.30 MKD 181
-12.42%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.09 MKD 280
$6.06 MKD 333
-16.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.01 MKD 55.4
$0.91 MKD 49.92
10.99%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.18 MKD 64.9
$1.83 MKD 101
-35.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Prilep
Bitola
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.35 MKD 19.07
$0.54 MKD 29.49
-35.19%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.30 MKD 1,006
$16.24 MKD 893
12.68%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.11 MKD 60.8
$1.08 MKD 59.3
2.78%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.60 MKD 33.14
$0.57 MKD 31.35
5.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.47 MKD 356
$6.32 MKD 348
2.37%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 MKD 81.1
$1.50 MKD 82.4
-2.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.1K MKD 1.8M
$30.9K MKD 1.7M
7.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K MKD 1.5M
$32.4K MKD 1.8M
-18.00%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Prilep
Bitola
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$123 MKD 6,778
$148 MKD 8,113
-16.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.30 MKD 952
$14.08 MKD 774
22.87%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$13.82 MKD 760
$12.62 MKD 694
9.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Prilep
Bitola
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$20.03 MKD 1,102
$22.16 MKD 1,219
-9.61%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.23 MKD 452
$6.43 MKD 354
27.99%
Cinema Ticket
$5.12 MKD 282
$4.57 MKD 252
12.04%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Prilep
Bitola
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$277 MKD 15.2K
$211 MKD 11.6K
30.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,158 MKD 63.7K
$1,167 MKD 64.2K
-0.82%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Prilep
Bitola
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$37.29 MKD 2,051
$76.3 MKD 4,198
-51.14%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.81 MKD 2,024
$46.27 MKD 2,545
-20.45%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$67.2 MKD 3,695
$73.3 MKD 4,029
-8.29%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$80.1 MKD 4,405
$111 MKD 6,088
-27.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Prilep
Bitola
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$229 MKD 12.6K
$260 MKD 14.3K
-11.91%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$166 MKD 9,113
$185 MKD 10.2K
-10.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$497 MKD 27.3K
$396 MKD 21.8K
25.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$276 MKD 15.2K
$293 MKD 16.1K
-5.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,029 MKD 56.6K
$1,709 MKD 94.0K
-39.80%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$807 MKD 44.4K
$1,142 MKD 62.8K
-29.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Prilep
Bitola
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$603 MKD 33.2K
$750 MKD 41.3K
-19.61%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.23
6.45
-34.42%

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

Last update for Prilep: October 25, 2026

Last update for Bitola: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Prilep
$168
Bitola
$198 18% $30
Accommodation & Living
Prilep
$166
Bitola
$185 11.8% $20
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Prilep
$154
Bitola
$174 12.9% $20
Clothing & Footwear
Prilep
$100
Bitola
$138 38.5% $38
Eating Out
Prilep
$89
Bitola
$109 23.2% $21
Sport & Entertainment
Prilep
$30
Bitola
$31 3.4% $1
Getting Around
Prilep
$24
Bitola
$22 6.3% $1.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $229 in Prilep and $260 in Bitola. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bitola pays 24% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $27 in Prilep vs $27 in Bitola for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $168 vs $198 per month, with Prilep cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇰 Prilep
🇲🇰 Bitola
🕒 Local time
01:46 1:46 AM
01:46 1:46 AM
Same time as Prilep
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
63,308
74,550
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MKD – North Macedonian Denar Converter

North Macedonian Denar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 55 MKD (100 MKD = 1.82 USD). 1 EUR = 61.41 MKD (100 MKD = 1.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Prilep Bitola 39 km
From you
  • Prilep
  • Bitola

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Prilep vs Bitola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Prilep and in Bitola?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $730 in Prilep and $859 in Bitola, so Prilep is about 15% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 20% lower in Prilep. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Prilep and in Bitola?
Rent for a central apartment: $229 in Prilep versus $260 in Bitola. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Bitola. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Prilep or Bitola?
All in, you’ll spend $730 per month in Prilep versus $859 in Bitola – Prilep is about 15% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How does quality of life compare between Prilep and Bitola?
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.
Is Prilep or Bitola safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Prilep and Bitola are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
How do I decide between Prilep and Bitola?
It comes down to priorities – Prilep wins on affordability, Bitola on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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