Cost of Living Comparison Between Bitola and Gostivar Cost of Living Comparison Between Bitola and Gostivar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $883 in Bitola versus $798 in Gostivar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,337 in Bitola versus $1,195 in Gostivar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,790 in Bitola versus $1,592 in Gostivar.

Living in Bitola is roughly 11% more expensive than Gostivar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bitola 34% lower, Gostivar 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.51 MKD 292

$5.13 MKD 272

7.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.91 MKD 1,481

$23.07 MKD 1,224

20.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.11 MKD 271

$4.98 MKD 264

2.61%

Cappuccino

$1.96 MKD 104

$1.39 MKD 73.5

41.01%

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

$1.72 MKD 91.2

$1.16 MKD 61.7

48.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 MKD 68.2

$1.15 MKD 61.0

12.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 MKD 117

$1.39 MKD 73.7

58.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MKD 147

$1.91 MKD 101

45.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MKD 74.3

$1.34 MKD 71.1

4.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 MKD 35.86

$0.71 MKD 37.73

-4.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MKD 90.6

$1.54 MKD 81.7

11.04%

Eggs

$2.04 MKD 108

$2.12 MKD 113

-3.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.25 MKD 544

$6.39 MKD 339

60.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.28 MKD 386

$5.52 MKD 293

31.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.75 MKD 730

$13.64 MKD 724

0.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 MKD 54.7

$1.06 MKD 56.4

-2.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MKD 75.8

$1.44 MKD 76.6

-0.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 MKD 69.1

$1.32 MKD 69.9

-1.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 MKD 86.7

$1.58 MKD 83.8

3.16%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 MKD 48.37

$0.94 MKD 49.73

-3.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MKD 71.3

$0.72 MKD 38.34

86.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 MKD 30.88

$0.54 MKD 28.92

7.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MKD 27.85

$0.56 MKD 29.78

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 MKD 159

$2.80 MKD 148

7.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.94 MKD 315

$4.60 MKD 244

29.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 MKD 49.99

$0.96 MKD 51.0

-2.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 MKD 99.7

$1.53 MKD 81.1

22.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MKD 28.91

$0.68 MKD 36.30

-20.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.73 MKD 888

$19.86 MKD 1,054

-15.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 MKD 59.3

$0.97 MKD 51.7

15.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MKD 26.48

$0.36 MKD 18.94

38.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.74 MKD 357

$6.47 MKD 343

4.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 MKD 75.8

$1.47 MKD 78.2

-2.72%

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

$32.0K MKD 1.7M

$31.5K MKD 1.7M

1.51%

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

$34.0K MKD 1.8M

$46.2K MKD 2.5M

-26.47%

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

$145 MKD 7,695

$131 MKD 6,939

10.90%

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

$17.86 MKD 948

$11.32 MKD 601

57.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.58 MKD 826

$15.23 MKD 808

2.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.59 MKD 1,305

$26.46 MKD 1,404

-7.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.49 MKD 344

Cinema Ticket

$4.84 MKD 257

$4.79 MKD 254

1.04%

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

$219 MKD 11.6K

0.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,214 MKD 64.4K

$1,209 MKD 64.2K

0.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.2 MKD 4,042

$37.49 MKD 1,989

103.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.94 MKD 2,597

$38.20 MKD 2,027

28.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 MKD 4,013

$73.7 MKD 3,908

2.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MKD 6,013

$113 MKD 5,985

0.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 MKD 15.1K

$283 MKD 15.0K

0.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 MKD 10.5K

$193 MKD 10.2K

2.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$591 MKD 31.4K

$555 MKD 29.5K

6.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 MKD 16.7K

$305 MKD 16.2K

3.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,726 MKD 91.6K

$1,656 MKD 87.9K

4.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,188 MKD 63.0K

$1,252 MKD 66.4K

-5.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$785 MKD 41.6K

$885 MKD 47.0K

-11.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

6.5

9.23%

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

Last update for Bitola: June 8, 2026

Last update for Gostivar: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $285 in Bitola and $283 in Gostivar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gostivar pays 13% 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 $23.00 in Gostivar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $180 per month, with Gostivar cheaper across the board.

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 Gostivar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bitola and Gostivar differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($883 vs $798 including rent). Gostivar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Gostivar earns 13% 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 $283 in Gostivar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Bitola. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Gostivar – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $28.00 in Bitola. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Gostivar 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 Gostivar 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 Gostivar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Bitola. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.