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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,131 per month in Skopje vs $986 in Ohrid, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,675 per month in Skopje vs $1,532 in Ohrid, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,220 per month in Skopje vs $2,078 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 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.58 MKD 521

$7.29 MKD 397

31.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.25 MKD 1,865

$35.81 MKD 1,949

-4.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.45 MKD 351

$7.21 MKD 393

-10.54%

Cappuccino

$2.14 MKD 116

$2.74 MKD 149

-21.90%

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

$1.81 MKD 98.3

$3.05 MKD 166

-40.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 MKD 71.4

$1.79 MKD 97.4

-26.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 MKD 148

$3.61 MKD 197

-24.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 MKD 170

$4.50 MKD 245

-30.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MKD 70.0

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 MKD 40.40

$0.70 MKD 38.12

5.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 MKD 100

$1.72 MKD 93.9

6.98%

Eggs

$2.52 MKD 137

$2.16 MKD 117

16.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.89 MKD 430

$8.04 MKD 438

-1.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.57 MKD 412

$8.43 MKD 459

-10.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.00 MKD 817

$14.28 MKD 778

5.04%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 MKD 80.5

$1.01 MKD 55.2

46.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MKD 79.1

$1.31 MKD 71.6

10.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 MKD 72.9

$1.56 MKD 85.2

-14.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 MKD 106

$1.93 MKD 105

1.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 MKD 49.01

$1.12 MKD 61.1

-19.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 MKD 46.09

$1.41 MKD 76.8

-39.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 MKD 34.58

$1.07 MKD 58.4

-40.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MKD 29.81

$0.78 MKD 42.62

-29.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.52 MKD 192

$3.18 MKD 173

10.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.06 MKD 384

$5.50 MKD 299

28.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 MKD 57.7

$1.05 MKD 57.1

0.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 MKD 78.6

$1.55 MKD 84.6

-7.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 MKD 40.99

$1.07 MKD 58.5

-29.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.74 MKD 1,510

$23.69 MKD 1,290

17.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 MKD 60.4

$1.08 MKD 58.7

2.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 MKD 33.64

$0.90 MKD 48.98

-31.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.71 MKD 419

$8.83 MKD 481

-12.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MKD 87.9

$1.44 MKD 78.5

12.50%

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

$34.9K MKD 1.9M

$30.1K MKD 1.6M

16.08%

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

$27.7K MKD 1.5M

$30.1K MKD 1.6M

-7.81%

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

$153 MKD 8,354

$125 MKD 6,809

22.70%

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

$18.75 MKD 1,021

$18.41 MKD 1,002

1.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.33 MKD 1,052

$27.05 MKD 1,472

-28.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.53 MKD 2,097

$33.61 MKD 1,830

14.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.65 MKD 961

$17.88 MKD 974

-1.29%

Cinema Ticket

$7.15 MKD 389

$6.54 MKD 356

9.33%

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

$358 MKD 19.5K

$269 MKD 14.7K

32.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,690 MKD 309.8K

$3,428 MKD 186.6K

66.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.1 MKD 4,580

$96.5 MKD 5,254

-12.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.22 MKD 2,026

$53.1 MKD 2,889

-29.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MKD 5,583

$101 MKD 5,490

1.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 MKD 6,096

$133 MKD 7,217

-15.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$416 MKD 22.6K

$284 MKD 15.5K

46.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$327 MKD 17.8K

$168 MKD 9,163

94.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$731 MKD 39.8K

$538 MKD 29.3K

35.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$497 MKD 27.0K

$366 MKD 19.9K

35.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,702 MKD 147.1K

$2,114 MKD 115.1K

27.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,807 MKD 98.4K

$1,326 MKD 72.2K

36.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$877 MKD 47.7K

$619 MKD 33.7K

41.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.23

7.3

-42.05%

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

Last update for Skopje: October 5, 2026

Last update for Ohrid: October 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $416 in Skopje versus $284 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 42% 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 $36.00 in Ohrid. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $211 vs $213 – 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 $1,696 per month in Skopje and $1,479 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 $358 per month in Skopje and $269 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 $986, than in Skopje at $1,131. 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 $986 versus $1,131 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.