Cost of Living Comparison Between Belem and Gostivar Cost of Living Comparison Between Belem and Gostivar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $910 in Belem versus $863 in Gostivar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,369 in Belem versus $1,329 in Gostivar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,828 in Belem versus $1,795 in Gostivar.

Living in Belem is roughly 5% more expensive than in Gostivar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Belem 34% lower, Gostivar 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.79 R$24.42

$6.67 MKD 352

-28.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.23 R$98.1

$28.70 MKD 1,513

-33.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.91 R$35.22

$6.08 MKD 321

13.65%

Cappuccino

$1.92 R$9.79

$1.38 MKD 73.0

39.13%

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

$0.98 R$4.99

$1.40 MKD 73.9

-30.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 R$2.39

$1.15 MKD 60.7

-59.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.51 R$7.70

$1.35 MKD 71.0

11.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 R$12.05

$1.87 MKD 98.7

26.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 R$6.57

$1.34 MKD 70.5

-3.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 R$12.65

$0.74 MKD 38.80

235.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 R$6.78

$1.47 MKD 77.6

-9.52%

Eggs

$2.17 R$11.05

$2.50 MKD 132

-13.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.71 R$44.42

$6.74 MKD 355

29.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 R$21.99

$5.50 MKD 290

-21.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.25 R$36.95

$15.01 MKD 792

-51.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 R$11.81

$1.45 MKD 76.3

60.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 R$7.03

$1.49 MKD 78.6

-7.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 R$7.11

$1.42 MKD 75.1

-2.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 R$8.18

$1.86 MKD 97.9

-13.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 R$5.12

$0.86 MKD 45.48

16.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 R$2.86

$0.78 MKD 41.31

-28.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 R$6.47

$0.65 MKD 34.15

95.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 R$7.22

$0.55 MKD 28.97

158.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.64 R$13.47

$2.91 MKD 154

-9.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.54 R$48.65

$4.62 MKD 244

106.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 R$7.03

$0.96 MKD 50.4

43.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 R$25.24

$1.49 MKD 78.4

232.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 R$4.62

$0.76 MKD 40.11

19.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.15 R$174

$25.30 MKD 1,334

34.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 R$5.84

$0.78 MKD 40.89

47.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 R$5.86

$0.34 MKD 17.96

238.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.37 R$42.68

$8.04 MKD 424

4.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 R$6.31

$1.55 MKD 81.7

-20.00%

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

$23.0K R$117.5K

$33.8K MKD 1.8M

-31.73%

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

$30.7K R$156.7K

$28.0K MKD 1.5M

9.59%

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

$95.5 R$487

$131 MKD 6,920

-27.22%

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

$11.18 R$57.0

$11.45 MKD 604

-2.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.00 R$153

$19.56 MKD 1,031

53.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.31 R$109

$28.43 MKD 1,499

-25.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.83 R$198

$20.65 MKD 1,089

88.04%

Cinema Ticket

$7.86 R$40.07

$7.26 MKD 383

8.26%

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

$107 R$547

$377 MKD 19.9K

-71.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,321 R$16.9K

$5,491 MKD 289.5K

-39.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.77 R$162

$37.80 MKD 1,993

-15.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.20 R$220

$37.20 MKD 1,962

16.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 R$410

$109 MKD 5,770

-26.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.0 R$332

$117 MKD 6,175

-44.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 R$2,604

$282 MKD 14.9K

81.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 R$1,387

$201 MKD 10.6K

35.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$843 R$4,301

$462 MKD 24.3K

82.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 R$2,586

$305 MKD 16.1K

66.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,941 R$9,900

$1,572 MKD 82.9K

23.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 R$7,107

$1,211 MKD 63.9K

15.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$407 R$2,074

$903 MKD 47.6K

-54.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.48

4.25

170.12%

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

Last update for Belem: August 31, 2026

Last update for Gostivar: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $511 in Belem and $282 in Gostivar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gostivar pays 122% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Belem vs $29.00 in Gostivar. Groceries flip the comparison at $217 vs $191, with Gostivar cheaper for home cooking.

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

Belem vs Gostivar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gostivar is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 122% lower in Gostivar. 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: $511 in Belem versus $282 in Gostivar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Gostivar runs roughly 35% less than in Belem. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $107 in Belem versus $377 in Gostivar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $863 in Gostivar versus $910 in Belem, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Gostivar but tight or insufficient in Belem. The gap between the two cities makes Gostivar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Expats usually find Gostivar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Belem. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.