What budget for activities and outings Northern Macedonia?
One of the destination's great assets is its mountain hiking trails: easy, moderately easy, difficult or only feasible with a professional guide. All in all, there's plenty of opportunity to stretch your legs at low cost, with the added bonus of superb scenery.
Local handicrafts are of little interest, except in Ohrid with the famous "Ohrid pearls", the secret of which is held by only two families of goldsmiths. Some Orthodox monasteries are also good shopping stops: honey, wine, rakija, cider, ajvar, cheeses, jams, infusions and aromatic herbs, etc. And don't forget hand-painted icons in a few specialized monasteries. But these are quite expensive.
A small bottle of water costs 55 Mden, a soda 80 Mden, half a liter of local beer 100 Mden, a cocktail 300 Mden and a bottle of wine between 250 and 2,000 Mden. Tickets for classical music, opera and dance performances range from Mden 400 to Mden 600.
What budget to eat Northern Macedonia?
Expect to pay between 700 and 1,000 MKD (€11/16) on average in restaurants for a full meal without alcohol. But it's often very hearty. Prices are even cheaper in small street restaurants (250/500 MKD). It's very rare to spend more than MKD 1,500 per person. For wine, you can try the "good" bottles from the country's major wineries (Tikveš, Bovin. Sobi...), but it's generally expensive and disappointing. Better to stick to home-made wine, as the locals do. Credit cards are often accepted, except in small villages. It is sometimes possible to pay in euros.
For a soda, count between 60 and 100 MKD. For a local beer, between 100 and 150 MKD per 50 cl. Above all, try to be generous in tipping the waiters, who are often very poorly paid.
What is the budget for accommodation Northern Macedonia?
Expect to pay €20-40 for two people staying in a youth hostel, camping site or guesthouse, €40-70 in family-run hotels, €70-100 in good classic hotels and over €100 if you want to treat yourself. Beware, though, that rates can sometimes double if you book online: we've seen big variations between rates posted locally and those charged by booking.com, for example. For your reservations, first try to contact the establishments directly by e-mail, Facebook or Instagram, or book on the chosen hotel's website when possible. If that doesn't work, then book on booking.com or similar.
Travel budget Northern Macedonia and cost of living
Plan on a budget of less than €100 per day for two if you're thrifty, and around €200 if you opt for a more upmarket vacation. For meals, allow around €45 per day for two people, eating out only (no alcohol). You can reduce this by two or three by eating on the go (pita, burek, ćevapi...) and buying victuals in the markets. There are also wide variations on accommodation: €20-40 for two sleeping in a youth hostel or guesthouse, €40-70 in family-run hotels, €70-100 in good classic hotels and over €100 if you want to treat yourself. For transport, if you rent a city car, count €30-45 per day between rental fees and fuel, if you use only the bus and cab, count €20-30 for two people per day. For visits, museums are not expensive (1-2 €), but allow 5-25 € per person for wine tastings and 40-100 € per day for the services of a mountain guide.
