Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sveti Nikole and Bitola

For one person, living costs are similar in Sveti Nikole and in Bitola: $858 and $859 a month, rent and utilities included.

41

Cost of Living Index in Sveti Nikole
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Sveti Nikole Living Index
42

Cost of Living Index in Bitola
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Bitola Living Index

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Sveti Nikole

🇲🇰 North Macedonia

$858

/mo nomad

Bitola

🇲🇰 North Macedonia

$859

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sveti Nikole and in Bitola

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sveti Nikole and in Bitola actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $858 in Sveti Nikole versus $859 in Bitola.

Sveti Nikole $858
Bitola $859

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,309 in Sveti Nikole versus $1,287 in Bitola.

Sveti Nikole $1,309
Bitola $1,287

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,760 in Sveti Nikole versus $1,714 in Bitola.

Sveti Nikole $1,760
Bitola $1,714

Monthly costs are close between Sveti Nikole and Bitola; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sveti Nikole 36% lower, Bitola 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.81 MKD 481

$5.25 MKD 286

67.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.98 MKD 1,799

$27.59 MKD 1,505

19.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.36 MKD 292

$5.28 MKD 288

1.52%

Cappuccino

$1.61 MKD 88.0

$1.89 MKD 103

-14.81%

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

$1.38 MKD 75.5

$1.78 MKD 97.0

-22.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 MKD 56.2

$1.38 MKD 75.4

-25.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.51 MKD 82.2

$2.23 MKD 122

-32.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 MKD 101

$2.55 MKD 139

-27.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 MKD 72.6

$1.32 MKD 72.1

0.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 MKD 30.14

$0.65 MKD 35.45

-15.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 MKD 63.8

$1.66 MKD 90.8

-29.52%

Eggs

$2.43 MKD 132

$2.01 MKD 110

20.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.29 MKD 507

$9.70 MKD 529

-4.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.62 MKD 252

$7.16 MKD 391

-35.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.58 MKD 632

$12.95 MKD 706

-10.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.29 MKD 70.1

$1.00 MKD 54.6

29.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 MKD 71.1

$1.39 MKD 75.8

-6.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 MKD 69.9

$1.20 MKD 65.7

6.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 MKD 94.7

$1.59 MKD 86.7

9.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 MKD 40.20

$0.90 MKD 49.03

-17.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 MKD 62.2

$1.28 MKD 70.0

-10.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 MKD 46.91

$0.55 MKD 30.20

56.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 MKD 21.64

$0.53 MKD 28.98

-24.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 MKD 168

$3.20 MKD 175

-4.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.48 MKD 354

$6.08 MKD 331

6.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 MKD 55.9

$0.95 MKD 51.9

7.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 MKD 81.3

$1.84 MKD 100

-19.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 MKD 38.82

$0.56 MKD 30.79

26.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.57 MKD 1,286

$16.02 MKD 874

47.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 MKD 79.8

$1.08 MKD 58.9

35.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 MKD 55.2

$0.62 MKD 33.65

62.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.65 MKD 199

$6.29 MKD 343

-41.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 MKD 76.3

$1.49 MKD 81.3

-6.04%

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

$31.4K MKD 1.7M

$30.9K MKD 1.7M

1.70%

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

$27.7K MKD 1.5M

$32.3K MKD 1.8M

-14.20%

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

$127 MKD 6,901

$146 MKD 7,982

-13.54%

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

$15.70 MKD 857

$14.27 MKD 778

10.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.97 MKD 653

$12.60 MKD 687

-5.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.94 MKD 1,197

$21.67 MKD 1,182

1.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.74 MKD 1,077

$6.20 MKD 338

218.39%

Cinema Ticket

$5.10 MKD 278

$4.49 MKD 245

13.59%

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

$280 MKD 15.3K

$212 MKD 11.6K

32.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,095 MKD 168.8K

$1,142 MKD 62.3K

171.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.7 MKD 3,968

$75.1 MKD 4,095

-3.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.84 MKD 1,737

$47.48 MKD 2,590

-32.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MKD 4,474

$72.3 MKD 3,943

13.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.4 MKD 4,765

$108 MKD 5,909

-19.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$313 MKD 17.1K

$258 MKD 14.0K

21.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$207 MKD 11.3K

$188 MKD 10.3K

10.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$451 MKD 24.6K

$397 MKD 21.7K

13.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 MKD 17.2K

$290 MKD 15.8K

8.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,523 MKD 83.1K

$1,665 MKD 90.8K

-8.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,169 MKD 63.8K

$1,163 MKD 63.4K

0.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$539 MKD 29.4K

$748 MKD 40.8K

-28.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.23

6.45

-34.42%

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

Last update for Sveti Nikole: October 13, 2026

Last update for Bitola: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Sveti Nikole

$207 24.2%

Bitola

$188 21.9% 9.2% $19

Groceries & Markets

Sveti Nikole

$181 21.1%

Bitola

$199 23.1% 9.9% $18

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sveti Nikole

$154 18%

Bitola

$173 20.2% 12.3% $19

Eating Out

Sveti Nikole

$127 14.8%

Bitola

$109 12.7% 13.7% $17

Clothing & Footwear

Sveti Nikole

$123 14.4%

Bitola

$136 15.9% 10.7% $13

Getting Around

Sveti Nikole

$33 3.8%

Bitola

$22 2.6% 31.9% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Sveti Nikole

$32 3.8%

Bitola

$31 3.6% 4.6% $1.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $313 in Sveti Nikole and $258 in Bitola. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bitola pays 39% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $33.00 in Sveti Nikole vs $28.00 in Bitola. Groceries flip the comparison at $181 vs $199, with Sveti Nikole cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇲🇰 Sveti Nikole

🇲🇰 Bitola

🕒 Local time

21:00 9:00 PM

Same time as Sveti Nikole

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

13,220

74,550

💱 Currency

North Macedonian Denar MKD ден

📈 Exchange rate

100 MKD = 1.83 USD

100 MKD = 1.63 EUR

100 MKD = 1.83 USD

100 MKD = 1.63 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Sveti Nikole Bitola 110 km

From you

Sveti Nikole
Bitola

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Sveti Nikole vs Bitola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 39% lower in Bitola. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $313 in Sveti Nikole versus $258 in Bitola. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sveti Nikole runs roughly 47% less than in Bitola. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Bitola. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Sveti Nikole 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, Sveti Nikole 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.

It comes down to priorities – Sveti Nikole wins on affordability, Bitola on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.