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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,081 per month in Skopje vs $929 in Ohrid, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,622 per month in Skopje vs $1,544 in Ohrid, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,163 per month in Skopje vs $2,159 in Ohrid, rent included.

Skopje costs about 16% more than Ohrid, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Skopje and Ohrid are more affordable than the global median – Skopje 19% lower, Ohrid 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.56 MKD 400

$7.73 MKD 409

-2.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.21 MKD 1,759

$33.14 MKD 1,755

0.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.70 MKD 355

$6.42 MKD 340

4.36%

Cappuccino

$2.23 MKD 118

$2.19 MKD 116

1.83%

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

$2.03 MKD 107

$1.95 MKD 103

4.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 MKD 64.8

$1.23 MKD 65.2

-0.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 MKD 139

$2.61 MKD 138

0.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 MKD 184

$3.30 MKD 175

5.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 MKD 70.6

$1.24 MKD 65.9

7.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 MKD 41.05

$0.77 MKD 41.01

1.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 MKD 88.0

$1.69 MKD 89.3

-1.78%

Eggs

$2.24 MKD 119

$2.26 MKD 120

-0.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.23 MKD 489

$8.57 MKD 454

7.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.08 MKD 428

$7.92 MKD 419

2.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.49 MKD 714

$13.74 MKD 728

-1.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 MKD 56.6

$0.98 MKD 52.0

9.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 MKD 71.5

$1.42 MKD 75.4

-4.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 MKD 72.1

$1.32 MKD 69.8

3.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 MKD 114

$2.06 MKD 109

4.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 MKD 43.84

$0.87 MKD 46.28

-4.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 MKD 52.8

$0.91 MKD 48.12

9.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 MKD 38.21

$0.73 MKD 38.41

-1.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MKD 29.01

$0.55 MKD 28.88

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.16 MKD 167

$3.26 MKD 172

-3.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.72 MKD 409

$5.49 MKD 291

40.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 MKD 58.6

$1.06 MKD 55.9

4.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 MKD 82.1

$1.32 MKD 70.1

17.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MKD 40.74

$1.11 MKD 59.0

-30.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.72 MKD 1,468

$21.64 MKD 1,146

28.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 MKD 47.46

$0.97 MKD 51.5

-7.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MKD 28.17

$0.48 MKD 25.67

10.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.71 MKD 408

$7.35 MKD 389

4.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 MKD 78.2

$1.46 MKD 77.1

1.37%

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

$34.5K MKD 1.8M

$33.7K MKD 1.8M

2.21%

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

$29.4K MKD 1.6M

$29.9K MKD 1.6M

-1.62%

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

$164 MKD 8,679

$163 MKD 8,611

0.78%

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

$18.26 MKD 967

$18.35 MKD 972

-0.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.08 MKD 1,010

$18.97 MKD 1,005

0.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.38 MKD 2,085

$34.38 MKD 1,821

14.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.51 MKD 927

$18.73 MKD 992

-6.51%

Cinema Ticket

$6.45 MKD 342

$6.53 MKD 346

-1.23%

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

$324 MKD 17.1K

$281 MKD 14.9K

15.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,636 MKD 245.5K

$3,438 MKD 182.1K

34.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 MKD 4,087

$75.9 MKD 4,020

1.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.10 MKD 2,071

$39.08 MKD 2,070

0.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MKD 5,335

$101 MKD 5,353

-0.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 MKD 5,886

$110 MKD 5,812

1.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$421 MKD 22.3K

$236 MKD 12.5K

78.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 MKD 16.8K

$166 MKD 8,809

90.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 MKD 33.1K

$552 MKD 29.3K

13.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 MKD 24.0K

$464 MKD 24.6K

-2.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,829 MKD 149.8K

$2,138 MKD 113.2K

32.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,827 MKD 96.7K

$1,372 MKD 72.7K

33.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$886 MKD 46.9K

$652 MKD 34.5K

36.02%

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 Skopje: June 14, 2026

Last update for Ohrid: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $421 in Skopje versus $236 in Ohrid. 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 36% 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 Skopje versus $33.00 in Ohrid. Groceries tell a different story – $213 in Skopje vs $204 in Ohrid – so Ohrid wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Skopje vs Ohrid: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Skopje costs about 16% 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 $1,622 per month in Skopje and $1,393 in Ohrid. 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 $324 per month in Skopje and $281 in Ohrid. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% 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 $929, than in Skopje at $1,081. 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 $929 versus $1,081 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.