Cost of Living Comparison Between Bitola and George Town Cost of Living Comparison Between Bitola and George Town

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $883 in Bitola versus $828 in George Town.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,337 in Bitola versus $1,304 in George Town.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,790 in Bitola versus $1,781 in George Town.

Living in Bitola is roughly 7% more expensive than George Town, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bitola 34% lower, George Town 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.51 MKD 292

$3.13 MYR 12.71

76.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.91 MKD 1,481

$21.31 MYR 86.4

30.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.11 MKD 271

$4.14 MYR 16.80

23.43%

Cappuccino

$1.96 MKD 104

$2.58 MYR 10.46

-24.03%

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

$1.72 MKD 91.2

$0.77 MYR 3.14

123.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 MKD 68.2

$0.33 MYR 1.36

290.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 MKD 117

$4.26 MYR 17.26

-48.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MKD 147

$4.79 MYR 19.42

-42.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MKD 74.3

$1.85 MYR 7.50

-24.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 MKD 35.86

$1.12 MYR 4.54

-39.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MKD 90.6

$1.69 MYR 6.85

1.18%

Eggs

$2.04 MKD 108

$2.05 MYR 8.32

-0.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.25 MKD 544

$17.52 MYR 71.0

-41.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.28 MKD 386

$4.95 MYR 20.07

47.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.75 MKD 730

$10.66 MYR 43.24

28.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 MKD 54.7

$2.82 MYR 11.44

-63.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MKD 75.8

$1.43 MYR 5.82

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 MKD 69.1

$2.19 MYR 8.87

-40.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 MKD 86.7

$1.26 MYR 5.12

29.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 MKD 48.37

$0.89 MYR 3.59

2.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MKD 71.3

$1.21 MYR 4.91

10.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 MKD 30.88

$0.69 MYR 2.78

-15.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MKD 27.85

$0.55 MYR 2.25

-5.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 MKD 159

$4.02 MYR 16.28

-25.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.94 MKD 315

$12.54 MYR 50.9

-52.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 MKD 49.99

$2.63 MYR 10.68

-64.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 MKD 99.7

$3.38 MYR 13.72

-44.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MKD 28.91

$0.49 MYR 1.97

10.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.73 MKD 888

$11.56 MYR 46.89

44.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 MKD 59.3

$1.16 MYR 4.72

-3.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MKD 26.48

$0.44 MYR 1.78

13.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.74 MKD 357

$6.61 MYR 26.80

1.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 MKD 75.8

$0.47 MYR 1.89

204.26%

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

$32.0K MKD 1.7M

$33.2K MYR 134.6K

-3.56%

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

$34.0K MKD 1.8M

$24.7K MYR 100.2K

37.58%

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

$145 MKD 7,695

$38.53 MYR 156

276.41%

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

$17.86 MKD 948

$9.93 MYR 40.25

79.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.58 MKD 826

$29.52 MYR 120

-47.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.59 MKD 1,305

$38.84 MYR 157

-36.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.49 MKD 344

$3.66 MYR 14.85

77.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.84 MKD 257

$4.06 MYR 16.45

19.21%

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

$219 MKD 11.6K

$150 MYR 607

46.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,214 MKD 64.4K

$4,580 MYR 18.6K

-73.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.2 MKD 4,042

$50.8 MYR 206

50.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.94 MKD 2,597

$29.05 MYR 118

68.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 MKD 4,013

$60.5 MYR 245

24.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MKD 6,013

$52.4 MYR 213

116.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 MKD 15.1K

$370 MYR 1,501

-23.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 MKD 10.5K

$259 MYR 1,051

-23.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$591 MKD 31.4K

$712 MYR 2,887

-17.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 MKD 16.7K

$498 MYR 2,018

-36.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,726 MKD 91.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,188 MKD 63.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$785 MKD 41.6K

$1,085 MYR 4,400

-27.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

4.16

70.67%

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

Last update for Bitola: June 8, 2026

Last update for George Town: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $285 in Bitola and $370 in George Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 38% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $28.00 in Bitola vs $21.00 in George Town. Groceries flip the comparison at $206 vs $251, with Bitola 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

Bitola vs George Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bitola and George Town differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($883 vs $828 including rent). George Town is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, George Town earns 38% less. 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: $285 in Bitola versus $370 in George Town. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Bitola pay roughly 22% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in George Town – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $28.00 in Bitola. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though George Town 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, Bitola and George Town are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find George Town gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Bitola. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.