Cost of Living Comparison Between Struga and Bitola Cost of Living Comparison Between Struga and Bitola

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $789 in Struga versus $905 in Bitola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,198 in Struga versus $1,349 in Bitola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,607 in Struga versus $1,793 in Bitola.

Living in Struga costs roughly 13% less than in Bitola, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Struga 41% lower, Bitola 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.65 MKD 405

$5.79 MKD 307

32.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.64 MKD 1,623

$27.90 MKD 1,478

9.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.68 MKD 248

$4.99 MKD 265

-6.21%

Cappuccino

$1.52 MKD 80.4

$1.88 MKD 99.7

-19.15%

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

$1.76 MKD 93.4

$1.75 MKD 92.7

0.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 MKD 68.0

$1.22 MKD 64.8

4.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 MKD 143

$2.22 MKD 117

21.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 MKD 183

$2.70 MKD 143

28.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 MKD 62.8

$1.35 MKD 71.6

-11.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.64 MKD 34.16

$0.67 MKD 35.73

-4.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MKD 88.4

$1.72 MKD 91.3

-2.91%

Eggs

$2.01 MKD 106

$2.12 MKD 112

-5.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.80 MKD 360

$10.24 MKD 542

-33.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.81 MKD 308

$7.38 MKD 391

-21.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.44 MKD 500

$13.44 MKD 712

-29.76%

Apples (1kg)

$0.58 MKD 30.76

$1.03 MKD 54.4

-43.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 MKD 70.7

$1.44 MKD 76.5

-7.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 MKD 52.0

$1.26 MKD 66.6

-22.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 MKD 61.1

$1.56 MKD 82.6

-26.28%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 MKD 38.83

$0.96 MKD 50.9

-23.96%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 MKD 49.15

$1.37 MKD 72.8

-32.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 MKD 28.89

$0.57 MKD 30.21

-3.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 MKD 19.42

$0.58 MKD 30.47

-36.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.11 MKD 165

$2.97 MKD 157

4.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.72 MKD 250

$6.08 MKD 322

-22.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MKD 55.7

$0.95 MKD 50.2

10.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 MKD 53.9

$1.88 MKD 99.8

-45.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MKD 36.02

$0.54 MKD 28.34

25.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.43 MKD 1,082

$16.96 MKD 898

20.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 MKD 47.80

$1.14 MKD 60.4

-21.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 26.21

$0.49 MKD 25.89

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.47 MKD 395

$6.76 MKD 358

10.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 MKD 75.5

$1.49 MKD 78.8

-4.03%

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

$34.0K MKD 1.8M

$32.6K MKD 1.7M

4.49%

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

$29.5K MKD 1.6M

$33.5K MKD 1.8M

-12.01%

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

$91.7 MKD 4,854

$144 MKD 7,615

-36.26%

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

$15.06 MKD 798

$17.45 MKD 924

-13.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.98 MKD 1,005

$15.36 MKD 813

23.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.71 MKD 1,414

$24.77 MKD 1,312

7.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.74 MKD 1,204

$6.62 MKD 351

243.50%

Cinema Ticket

$6.52 MKD 345

$4.74 MKD 251

37.55%

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

$319 MKD 16.9K

$218 MKD 11.5K

46.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,211 MKD 64.2K

$1,200 MKD 63.5K

0.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MKD 4,019

$77.1 MKD 4,084

-1.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.85 MKD 1,475

$48.93 MKD 2,591

-43.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.7 MKD 3,535

$74.3 MKD 3,934

-10.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.10 MKD 2,018

$111 MKD 5,902

-65.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$283 MKD 15.0K

$287 MKD 15.2K

-1.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 MKD 11.9K

$196 MKD 10.4K

14.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 MKD 20.6K

$598 MKD 31.7K

-35.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$323 MKD 17.1K

$315 MKD 16.7K

2.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,570 MKD 83.1K

$1,772 MKD 93.8K

-11.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,405 MKD 74.4K

$1,189 MKD 63.0K

18.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$974 MKD 51.6K

$792 MKD 42.0K

22.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

7.1

-50.70%

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

Last update for Struga: June 13, 2026

Last update for Bitola: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $283 in Struga and $287 in Bitola. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Struga pays 23% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $31.00 in Struga vs $28.00 in Bitola. Groceries flip the comparison at $159 vs $206, with Struga cheaper for home cooking.

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

Struga vs Bitola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Struga and Bitola differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($789 vs $905 including rent). Struga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Struga pays 23% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $283 in Struga versus $287 in Bitola. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Bitola. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Struga – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $28.00 in Bitola. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Struga gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.

Safety-wise, Struga and Bitola are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Struga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Bitola. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.