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: $862 in Struga versus $877 in Bitola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,320 in Struga versus $1,328 in Bitola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,778 in Struga versus $1,779 in Bitola.

Living in Struga costs roughly 2% less than in Bitola, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Struga 37% lower, Bitola 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.69 MKD 403

$5.38 MKD 282

42.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.26 MKD 1,534

$28.73 MKD 1,506

1.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 MKD 265

$5.35 MKD 281

-5.42%

Cappuccino

$1.54 MKD 80.8

$2.02 MKD 106

-23.76%

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

$1.75 MKD 92.0

$1.79 MKD 93.8

-2.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 MKD 62.8

$1.48 MKD 77.9

-18.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 MKD 151

$2.27 MKD 119

26.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 MKD 167

$2.58 MKD 135

23.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 MKD 64.9

$1.36 MKD 71.4

-8.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 MKD 34.51

$0.66 MKD 34.80

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MKD 81.7

$1.79 MKD 93.6

-12.85%

Eggs

$1.90 MKD 99.5

$1.99 MKD 104

-4.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.08 MKD 371

$10.18 MKD 534

-30.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.07 MKD 318

$7.14 MKD 374

-14.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.47 MKD 601

$13.40 MKD 702

-14.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 MKD 65.9

$1.03 MKD 54.1

22.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MKD 72.9

$1.37 MKD 71.8

1.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 MKD 66.6

$1.26 MKD 65.9

0.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 MKD 80.4

$1.59 MKD 83.2

-3.77%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 MKD 45.13

$0.91 MKD 47.70

-5.49%

Onion (1kg)

$0.86 MKD 45.08

$1.41 MKD 73.7

-39.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 MKD 31.67

$0.59 MKD 30.99

1.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MKD 30.81

$0.51 MKD 26.55

15.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.48 MKD 182

$3.10 MKD 163

12.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.82 MKD 200

$5.86 MKD 307

-34.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 MKD 57.5

$1.00 MKD 52.6

10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 MKD 79.2

$1.86 MKD 97.7

-18.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 MKD 46.84

$0.59 MKD 31.14

50.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.6 MKD 3,019

$17.13 MKD 898

236.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MKD 60.4

$1.15 MKD 60.5

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 MKD 33.59

$0.64 MKD 33.46

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.15 MKD 270

$6.74 MKD 353

-23.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 MKD 77.2

$1.42 MKD 74.7

3.52%

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

$36.8K MKD 1.9M

$32.4K MKD 1.7M

13.81%

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

$28.4K MKD 1.5M

$34.3K MKD 1.8M

-17.23%

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

$102 MKD 5,325

$154 MKD 8,064

-33.96%

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

$11.32 MKD 594

$14.75 MKD 773

-23.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.64 MKD 1,030

$12.99 MKD 681

51.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.67 MKD 1,084

$22.09 MKD 1,158

-6.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.14 MKD 636

$6.54 MKD 343

85.63%

Cinema Ticket

$6.77 MKD 355

$4.57 MKD 240

48.14%

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

$122 MKD 6,377

$217 MKD 11.4K

-43.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,656 MKD 86.8K

$1,209 MKD 63.4K

36.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.0 MKD 4,773

$78.5 MKD 4,116

15.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.13 MKD 1,685

$48.08 MKD 2,521

-33.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.4 MKD 3,952

$73.8 MKD 3,871

2.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.3 MKD 2,900

$111 MKD 5,837

-50.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$280 MKD 14.7K

$274 MKD 14.4K

2.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$227 MKD 11.9K

$192 MKD 10.1K

18.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$453 MKD 23.7K

$414 MKD 21.7K

9.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 MKD 19.4K

$306 MKD 16.1K

20.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,565 MKD 82.1K

$1,738 MKD 91.1K

-9.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,419 MKD 74.4K

$1,204 MKD 63.1K

17.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$901 MKD 47.2K

$799 MKD 41.9K

12.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.75

6.45

-41.86%

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

Last update for Struga: August 16, 2026

Last update for Bitola: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $280 in Struga and $274 in Bitola. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Struga pays 13% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $29.00 in Struga vs $29.00 in Bitola for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $176 vs $203 per month, with Struga cheaper across the board.

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 2% in total monthly costs ($862 vs $877 including rent). Struga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 13% higher in Struga, 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: $280 in Struga versus $274 in Bitola. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% 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 $29.00 versus $29.00 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 2% less than in Bitola. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.