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: $882 in Bitola versus $969 in George Town.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,326 in Bitola versus $1,614 in George Town.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,771 in Bitola versus $2,259 in George Town.

Living in Bitola costs roughly 9% less than in George Town, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bitola 36% lower, George Town 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.57 MKD 296

$3.36 MYR 13.72

65.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.82 MKD 1,479

$15.02 MYR 61.3

85.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.38 MKD 286

$4.75 MYR 19.39

13.26%

Cappuccino

$2.01 MKD 107

$2.78 MYR 11.35

-27.70%

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

$1.77 MKD 94.1

$0.77 MYR 3.14

129.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 MKD 78.5

$0.32 MYR 1.32

362.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 MKD 116

$2.44 MYR 9.96

-10.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MKD 139

$4.36 MYR 17.78

-40.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 MKD 72.3

$1.80 MYR 7.36

-24.44%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 MKD 37.23

$1.09 MYR 4.45

-35.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 MKD 93.3

$1.69 MYR 6.89

3.55%

Eggs

$2.00 MKD 106

$2.22 MYR 9.06

-9.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.37 MKD 552

$12.99 MYR 53.0

-20.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.31 MKD 389

$4.30 MYR 17.55

70.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.45 MKD 715

$8.63 MYR 35.22

55.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 MKD 54.8

$2.43 MYR 9.93

-57.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MKD 73.5

$1.48 MYR 6.05

-6.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 MKD 69.0

$2.24 MYR 9.13

-41.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 MKD 82.1

$1.22 MYR 4.96

26.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 MKD 48.14

$0.92 MYR 3.77

-1.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 MKD 72.9

$0.85 MYR 3.49

61.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 MKD 30.35

$0.77 MYR 3.15

-25.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 MKD 26.83

$0.54 MYR 2.21

-7.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 MKD 178

$4.62 MYR 18.84

-27.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 MKD 314

$19.06 MYR 77.8

-68.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 MKD 52.5

$2.51 MYR 10.26

-60.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 MKD 98.6

$3.59 MYR 14.65

-48.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MKD 28.48

$0.47 MYR 1.90

14.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.70 MKD 888

$10.93 MYR 44.63

52.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MKD 61.2

$1.20 MYR 4.92

-4.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 MKD 33.60

$0.47 MYR 1.94

34.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.44 MKD 343

$6.71 MYR 27.41

-4.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 MKD 77.9

$0.76 MYR 3.10

92.11%

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

$32.4K MKD 1.7M

$42.6K MYR 173.7K

-23.81%

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

$34.5K MKD 1.8M

$28.7K MYR 117.1K

20.14%

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

$152 MKD 8,088

$36.69 MYR 150

314.50%

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

$14.81 MKD 787

$8.25 MYR 33.68

79.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.25 MKD 705

$29.93 MYR 122

-55.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.99 MKD 1,169

$41.24 MYR 168

-46.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 MKD 347

$4.77 MYR 19.49

36.90%

Cinema Ticket

$4.65 MKD 247

$4.71 MYR 19.23

-1.27%

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

$218 MKD 11.6K

$175 MYR 715

24.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,181 MKD 62.8K

$4,966 MYR 20.3K

-76.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.9 MKD 4,090

$55.0 MYR 225

39.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.90 MKD 2,548

$34.40 MYR 140

39.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 MKD 4,060

$73.1 MYR 298

4.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 MKD 5,958

$71.2 MYR 291

57.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 MKD 14.1K

$498 MYR 2,034

-46.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$195 MKD 10.3K

$373 MYR 1,524

-47.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$415 MKD 22.1K

$919 MYR 3,750

-54.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 MKD 16.0K

$980 MYR 4,001

-69.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,774 MKD 94.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,204 MKD 64.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$780 MKD 41.5K

$1,081 MYR 4,414

-27.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

4.24

52.12%

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

Last update for Bitola: September 15, 2026

Last update for George Town: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $266 in Bitola and $498 in George Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 39% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $28.00 in Bitola vs $15.00 in George Town. Groceries flip the comparison at $204 vs $239, 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 10% in total monthly costs ($882 vs $969 including rent). Bitola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 39% lower in George Town. 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: $266 in Bitola versus $498 in George Town. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in George Town. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Bitola – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $15.00 in George Town. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $882 in Bitola versus $969 in George Town, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bitola but tight or insufficient in George Town. The gap between the two cities makes Bitola 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.

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 Bitola gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in George Town. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.