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: $880 in Bitola versus $865 in George Town.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,333 in Bitola versus $1,328 in George Town.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,787 in Bitola versus $1,791 in George Town.

Living in Bitola is roughly 2% more expensive than in George Town, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bitola 34% lower, George Town 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.56 MKD 299

$2.99 MYR 12.23

85.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.29 MKD 1,521

$21.46 MYR 87.7

31.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.14 MKD 277

$4.14 MYR 16.92

24.15%

Cappuccino

$1.91 MKD 103

$2.58 MYR 10.53

-25.97%

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

$1.76 MKD 94.5

$0.78 MYR 3.17

125.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 MKD 67.9

$0.34 MYR 1.38

270.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 MKD 120

$4.22 MYR 17.24

-47.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 MKD 147

$4.62 MYR 18.90

-40.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 MKD 72.5

$1.81 MYR 7.41

-25.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 MKD 36.41

$1.07 MYR 4.37

-36.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 MKD 94.7

$1.63 MYR 6.66

7.98%

Eggs

$2.01 MKD 108

$2.06 MYR 8.42

-2.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MKD 540

$17.36 MYR 71.0

-42.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.39 MKD 398

$5.11 MYR 20.88

44.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.74 MKD 739

$10.81 MYR 44.19

27.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 MKD 57.3

$2.92 MYR 11.93

-63.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MKD 74.6

$1.40 MYR 5.72

-0.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 MKD 67.9

$2.15 MYR 8.77

-41.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 MKD 87.2

$1.22 MYR 5.01

32.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 MKD 50.5

$0.84 MYR 3.45

11.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 MKD 72.4

$1.17 MYR 4.79

15.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 MKD 31.26

$0.74 MYR 3.01

-21.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MKD 30.17

$0.55 MYR 2.23

1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 MKD 158

$4.18 MYR 17.09

-29.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.16 MKD 331

$19.20 MYR 78.5

-67.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 MKD 53.7

$2.72 MYR 11.13

-63.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 MKD 102

$3.54 MYR 14.45

-46.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MKD 30.67

$0.45 MYR 1.84

26.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.81 MKD 904

$11.63 MYR 47.54

44.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MKD 62.4

$1.20 MYR 4.92

-3.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 26.37

$0.46 MYR 1.89

6.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.52 MKD 350

$6.60 MYR 26.98

-1.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 MKD 79.4

$0.46 MYR 1.87

221.74%

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

$32.1K MKD 1.7M

$34.0K MYR 138.8K

-5.52%

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

$33.5K MKD 1.8M

$24.9K MYR 101.7K

34.65%

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

$143 MKD 7,702

$38.72 MYR 158

269.91%

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

$17.64 MKD 949

$9.78 MYR 39.98

80.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.37 MKD 827

$29.08 MYR 119

-47.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.06 MKD 1,294

$38.41 MYR 157

-37.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.73 MKD 362

$3.81 MYR 15.57

76.64%

Cinema Ticket

$4.77 MKD 257

$3.92 MYR 16.00

21.68%

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

$221 MKD 11.9K

$148 MYR 607

48.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,221 MKD 65.6K

$4,522 MYR 18.5K

-73.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 MKD 4,149

$52.6 MYR 215

46.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.66 MKD 2,563

$28.34 MYR 116

68.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 MKD 4,058

$62.3 MYR 255

21.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 MKD 6,141

$52.3 MYR 214

118.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 MKD 15.1K

$364 MYR 1,490

-22.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 MKD 10.4K

$257 MYR 1,051

-24.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$597 MKD 32.1K

$711 MYR 2,904

-16.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 MKD 16.9K

$495 MYR 2,021

-36.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,698 MKD 91.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,179 MKD 63.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$762 MKD 41.0K

$1,072 MYR 4,382

-28.93%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for George Town: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $282 in Bitola and $364 in George Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 41% 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 $265, 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 2% in total monthly costs ($880 vs $865 including rent). George Town is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 41% 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: $282 in Bitola versus $364 in George Town. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Bitola pay roughly 28% 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 2% less than in Bitola. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.