Is Macedonia Expensive? The answer to that is you most probably will not find many cheaper countries to visit in Europe. It is definitely one of the cheapest and a fantastic option for a quick getaway. While you find yourself longing for an escape but do not have the budget to do so, a trip to Macedonia may surprise you in terms of affordability. As such here is a full budget breakdown and options on whether to extend your stay and the corresponding costs.
The aim of this post is to provide as accurate as possible estimate on how much a trip to Macedonia will cost. Hopefully this will answer all your questions including how to get here, as well as transportation, accommodation and places of interest and their costs.
The below poster is a summary of costs and should answer the question on whether or not is Macedonia expensive. Make sure to continue reading for a more in depth crunch of the numbers and a way to tailor your holiday and costs to yourself!
Getting Here – Macedonia Airports
There are two main international airports in Macedonia: Skopje and Ohrid international airports. Depending on your type of visit and flight availability, I recommend going to the cheapest available airport between the two. You would want to visit both Skopje and Ohrid anyways on your trip. If not, then Skopje is perfect for a 3 day itinerary which you can read about here – 10 UNMISSABLE Things to Do in Skopje: Complete Guide & Itinerary
Skopje Airport
This is the country’s main airport being it the capital of Macedonia. Wizzair is the main budget airline which serves Macedonia as Ryanair does not come here. There are plenty of destinations all around Europe which WizzAir serves including Rome, Barcelona, Paris Beauvais, London Stansted, Germany (Berlin, Dortmund, Frankfurt and others) Eindhoven, Brussels Charleroi and other countries including Malta, Gothenburg and Bratislava.
Of course there are also other more expensive airlines which cover other locations, and as usual compare prices using SkyScanner
Ohrid Airport
This is a much quieter airport and only serves a few location. However Turkish Airlines do come here and it is an option worth considering if you are flying with this major airline from around the world and connecting in Istanbul. You can choose to fly in/out from Skopje and then return from Ohrid or vice versa. There are also a handful of destinations which Wizzair also go to from Ohrid including Vienna and Memmingen.
Macedonia Budget Accommodation
Now that you got here, the other headache of any holiday is your choice of accommodation. In Macedonia there are two places that I would say are worth basing yourself in and staying overnight and they are the same where the two major airports are located: Skopje and Ohrid. I would say that accommodation in Ohrid is slightly more expensive than in Skopje but let’s delve right into it.
All estimates are provided based on a 2 night stay.
Skopje Budget Accommodation
Hostel
This choice is best suited for the solo travelers, the ones seeking adventure and want to save and squeeze every penny out of their budget. However, while in other countries I would wholeheartedly recommend going to a hostel, the jump in price from a hostel to a mid budget hotel is not that big and in my opinion the upgrade is something worth considering.
Average cost of a hostel in Skopje is around €10-15 per night. I would check prices with HostelWorld and Booking.com.
Average Hostel Total Cost for a 3 Day / 2 Night stay in Skopje is €25 per person.
AirBnb
Airbnb is a great option for solo and group travelers. The prices vary according the time of year and the larger the group I would dare say to be the cheaper. Here is an average table breakdown for 2 nights in Skopje.
| No. of persons | Cost Per Night | Total Cost Per Person | Total Cost (2 nights) |
| 4 | 55 | 27.50 | 110 |
| 2 | 36 | 36 | 72 |
| 1 | 30 | 60 | 60 |
Prices above are taken in peak summer season from around 3 months in advance. I would still expect to find deals at these prices even when booking last minute from 2 weeks prior. There is also confidence that you will find even cheaper prices than the ones above the table especially if you are traveling off peak.
Total Estimated Cost per Person for Airbnb: €40
As you can see the difference in price between a hostel and Airbnb is not that much around 30 euros more.
Hotel
Staying in a hotel is definitely the more expensive option but still popular due to the service and peace of mind it offers that maybe an AirBnb lacks. The price shoots up for solo travelers choosing to stay in a hotel, and if you definitely do not wish to go to a hostel then I would choose the Airbnb. However for a couple it is worth looking into with decent hotels starting at around €60-80 per night.
Total Estimated Cost per Person for a Hotel: €70
Ohrid Budget Accommodation
Budget accommodation in Ohrid is almost price for price the same as Skopje. As such it doesn’t make a difference whether you are staying in Skopje or Ohrid, the budget for your accommodation and ultimately your stay should be calculated the same per night. The one thing to notice is that maybe you should book earlier as there is slightly less options for accommodation in Ohrid than in Skopje.
Public Transport in Macedonia
My experience in Macedonia was that the public transport was a tad unreliable and information was very difficult to find online. At least that is how it was in Skopje. If you do manage to figure out the ins and outs of the bus system in Skopje then that is great with a one way ticket costing less than the equivalent of €1.
I opted for comfort on this trip and caught a taxi almost anywhere, as they are so cheap. A 30 minute ride to Matka Canyon only costs about €10 one way. Combine this with the fact if you are traveling in a group or a family, the cost and comfort of a taxi might come closer and closer to that of a bus ride.
For more information and to get an idea on the costs of how much to get to a place read this example on How to get to Mount Vodno where you will find detailed information on buses and taxis alike.
Is Food in Macedonia Cheap?
Food in Macedonia can be extremely cheap and even the more luxurious and busy restaurants right in the center will have prices which would be comparatively normal back home/ in the rest of Europe. Having a coffee or a soft drink in the center of the city sitting down in a nice cafeteria can be as cheap as €1. One nice place to explore,have a stroll and have lunch is the Old Bazaar.
Dinner Options
Sadly, for all the junk food enthusiasts there is no McDonalds in Macedonia due to a dispute with franchising and the government wanting a large sum of money for McDonalds to operate here. There is Burger King and KFC available however not easily findable and accessible to the touristy areas.
Fear not as you can eat like a king in this country and pay very little. For the price of a Big Mac you can get almost get a full 3 course meal in some places. Dining in the most popular place in the middle of Skopje’s main square sets you back around €25 having eaten a Rib eye and a glass of wine. Extremely good value for money in my opinion!
Average Costs for a Day in Macedonia
It is really cheap to visit the main attractions in Skopje. For instance a visit to the zoo albeit not the biggest of zoos it is still well worth the money considering it only costs €2. Loads of other attractions are free to see and visit. A typical day in Macedonia would involve €5-10 transportation costs and around €20-25 for food depending on how stringent you want to be.
Full Budget Breakdown for 3 Days
The below representation is taken on an above average calculation. The total cost here can be further reduced. This is for a 3 day – 2 night stay in Skopje.
| Area of Expense | Total Cost |
|---|---|
| Flights | 120 |
| Accommodation | 70 |
| Transport / Attractions | 85 |
| Food | 75 |
TOTAL COST: €350 Per Person incl. Baggage and a stay at a hotel or an Airbnb. I can confidently say that you can plan a 3 day all costs inclusive holiday in Macedonia with anywhere between €280-400.
If you want to extend your holiday by a day or two and want to visit Ohrid I would add an extra €100 on average per day including transport costs to head yourself over there.
Final Thoughts: Is Macedonia Expensive?
To conclude, Macedonia is CHEAP! You will not find better value for your money and in fact it is one of our Top 10 Cheapest Summer Destinations You Must Visit. Macedonia is not expensive at all and is one of the cheapest countries around in 2025! For more information make sure to visit my other posts on Skopje and Macedonia here
