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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,147 per month in Skopje vs $999 in Ohrid, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,735 per month in Skopje vs $1,590 in Ohrid, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,323 per month in Skopje vs $2,181 in Ohrid, rent included.

Skopje costs about 15% more than Ohrid, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Skopje and Ohrid are more affordable than the global median – Skopje 16% lower, Ohrid 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.55 MKD 501

$7.56 MKD 397

26.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.95 MKD 1,780

$37.29 MKD 1,955

-8.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.66 MKD 349

$7.61 MKD 399

-12.48%

Cappuccino

$2.18 MKD 114

$2.76 MKD 145

-21.01%

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

$1.84 MKD 96.6

$3.02 MKD 159

-39.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 MKD 64.3

$1.85 MKD 96.8

-33.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 MKD 145

$3.70 MKD 194

-25.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 MKD 170

$4.76 MKD 250

-31.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 MKD 69.3

$1.28 MKD 67.2

3.13%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 MKD 39.84

$0.73 MKD 38.27

4.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 MKD 101

$1.80 MKD 94.2

6.67%

Eggs

$2.54 MKD 133

$2.26 MKD 118

12.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.91 MKD 467

$8.56 MKD 449

4.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.72 MKD 405

$8.57 MKD 449

-9.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.61 MKD 766

$14.79 MKD 775

-1.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.42 MKD 74.3

$1.06 MKD 55.5

33.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 MKD 74.4

$1.33 MKD 69.6

6.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 MKD 70.4

$1.55 MKD 81.5

-13.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MKD 110

$1.97 MKD 103

6.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 MKD 47.51

$1.16 MKD 60.7

-21.55%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 MKD 47.41

$1.48 MKD 77.7

-39.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 MKD 33.36

$1.11 MKD 58.3

-42.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 MKD 32.63

$0.76 MKD 40.04

-18.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.67 MKD 192

$3.42 MKD 179

7.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.67 MKD 402

$5.80 MKD 304

32.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MKD 56.8

$1.14 MKD 59.5

-5.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 MKD 81.4

$1.60 MKD 83.8

-3.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MKD 40.58

$1.11 MKD 58.0

-30.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.28 MKD 1,483

$24.85 MKD 1,303

13.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 MKD 60.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 MKD 33.26

$0.97 MKD 50.9

-35.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.87 MKD 413

$9.29 MKD 487

-15.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MKD 80.7

$1.55 MKD 81.5

-0.65%

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

$36.6K MKD 1.9M

$31.4K MKD 1.6M

16.42%

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

$28.0K MKD 1.5M

$31.1K MKD 1.6M

-10.01%

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

$160 MKD 8,412

$132 MKD 6,909

21.77%

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

$18.89 MKD 990

$18.95 MKD 994

-0.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.61 MKD 1,028

$28.39 MKD 1,489

-30.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.89 MKD 1,986

$34.62 MKD 1,815

9.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.26 MKD 957

$18.77 MKD 984

-2.72%

Cinema Ticket

$6.75 MKD 354

$6.54 MKD 343

3.21%

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

$381 MKD 20.0K

$283 MKD 14.9K

34.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,681 MKD 297.9K

$3,537 MKD 185.4K

60.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 MKD 4,692

$101 MKD 5,271

-10.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.39 MKD 2,065

$54.5 MKD 2,858

-27.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 MKD 5,708

$102 MKD 5,335

6.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 MKD 6,146

$135 MKD 7,057

-12.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 MKD 22.7K

$291 MKD 15.3K

48.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 MKD 17.6K

$178 MKD 9,308

89.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$751 MKD 39.4K

$567 MKD 29.7K

32.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$544 MKD 28.5K

$374 MKD 19.6K

45.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,722 MKD 142.7K

$2,118 MKD 111.0K

28.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,839 MKD 96.4K

$1,366 MKD 71.6K

34.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$881 MKD 46.2K

$634 MKD 33.2K

38.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

7.3

-41.78%

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

Last update for Skopje: August 17, 2026

Last update for Ohrid: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $432 in Skopje versus $291 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 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 $34.00 in Skopje versus $37.00 in Ohrid. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $218 vs $219 – 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

Skopje vs Ohrid: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Skopje costs about 15% 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 $1,721 per month in Skopje and $1,498 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 $381 per month in Skopje and $283 in Ohrid. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% 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 $999, than in Skopje at $1,147. 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 $999 versus $1,147 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.