Old bazaars, lake towns, and pocket-friendly prices
North Macedonia uses the denar (MKD) and is one of the most affordable destinations in Europe. Cash is still the default in most situations. Cards work at hotels, larger restaurants, and supermarkets in Skopje and Ohrid, but smaller shops, markets, and cafes expect cash. ATMs are easy to find in cities. Skopje has a decent bus network, and intercity buses connect major towns reliably. The country is small enough that Ohrid is only three hours from Skopje by road. English is spoken in tourist-facing businesses, though less so outside the main centers.
Licensed-taxi booking in Skopje with a published app discount, upfront route information and an English interface.
Skopje ride-booking app that connects passengers with local drivers and shows the trip in English.
A Skopje-based taxi dispatch app connecting to licensed local drivers. Useful backup when other options are unresponsive.
Conventional licensed-taxi dispatch app for Skopje, useful when Wizi and BeeRide show no nearby car.
Restaurant and retail delivery in Skopje, Bitola, Ohrid and Tetovo, with English support and foreign-card payment.
Local restaurant-delivery app in Skopje with cash and card payment and a different restaurant list from Wolt.
Active in Skopje with a good range of local restaurants, bakeries, and grocery stores. Useful for ordering in after a long day of exploring the city's eclectic monuments and bazaars.
Converts to Macedonian denar at the interbank rate, a currency almost no bank sells abroad. Tap to pay works in Skopje and Ohrid supermarkets, malls and most sit-down restaurants.
Mid-market conversion to denars with fees shown before you pay. Handy for the regular cash withdrawals that bazaars, taxis, monasteries and village guesthouses still require across North Macedonia.
The go-to messaging platform for locals and businesses alike. Guesthouses in Ohrid, tour operators for Matka Canyon trips, and airport transfer services all communicate via WhatsApp.
Good coverage across North Macedonia for driving, walking, and finding businesses. Transit data for Skopje buses is partially available. Essential for navigating the streets around Skopje's Old Bazaar and for driving routes to Ohrid and Mavrovo.
The official app for Skopje's public bus network run by JSP (Javno Soobrakajno Pretprijatie). Shows bus routes, stops, and schedules across the capital. Useful if you're staying outside the walkable center or heading to the outskirts.
Macedonian uses the Cyrillic alphabet, and menus, street signs, and transit information are often only in Macedonian. The camera translation feature is particularly useful for reading Cyrillic signage and restaurant menus outside tourist zones.
Reliable mobile internet at better prices than most travel eSIMs, with polished iOS and Android apps and support for making and receiving phone calls.
One of the biggest travel eSIM brands, with a very large destination catalog.
Known for unlimited-data plans in many destinations, at a higher price per gigabyte.
Despite what some guides claim, North Macedonia is not in the EU roaming zone: an EU SIM still pays roaming charges here, capped but far above domestic rates, so a local SIM or travel eSIM is worth buying. What does exist is roam-like-at-home among the six Western Balkans countries, which is why local Balkans roaming allowances matter: Telekom's 30-day plan includes 10 GB usable across the region, A1's prepaid reportedly includes none, and MTEL's just 1 GB, so a multi-country Balkans trip should decide your operator, not price. If you are driving, take A1 or Telekom rather than MTEL. On an mSTART SIM, top up immediately so you have usable credit.
Reliable nationwide coverage and, crucially, the only operator whose prepaid plans include meaningful Western Balkans roaming.
Good coverage including motorways and rural areas like Mavrovo and Galicica, and the best choice for a small cheap package. Its prepaid plans reportedly include no Balkans roaming at all.
The cheapest option, running on A1's network, but it reportedly loses signal outside urban areas, so it is not suited to a driving trip. Formerly Lycamobile, relaunched as MTEL after a late-2024 sale.
The essential apps for North Macedonia are Wizi, BeeRide, Wolt, Korpa, WhatsApp.
We've curated 13 apps across 7 categories for traveling in North Macedonia, including 7 essential apps.
Wizi is the top-rated ride hailing app in North Macedonia. Licensed-taxi booking in Skopje with a published app discount, upfront route information and an English interface.
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