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: $880 in Bitola versus $813 in Gostivar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,333 in Bitola versus $1,191 in Gostivar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,787 in Bitola versus $1,570 in Gostivar.

Living in Bitola is roughly 8% more expensive than in Gostivar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bitola 34% lower, Gostivar 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.56 MKD 297

$5.19 MKD 277

7.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.29 MKD 1,512

$23.38 MKD 1,250

21.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.14 MKD 275

$5.03 MKD 269

2.19%

Cappuccino

$1.91 MKD 102

$1.44 MKD 76.7

32.64%

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

$1.76 MKD 94.0

$1.15 MKD 61.5

53.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 MKD 67.5

$1.16 MKD 61.7

8.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 MKD 119

$1.35 MKD 72.1

65.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 MKD 146

$1.84 MKD 98.4

48.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 MKD 72.0

$1.41 MKD 75.2

-4.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 MKD 36.18

$0.67 MKD 35.64

1.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 MKD 94.1

$1.54 MKD 82.3

14.29%

Eggs

$2.01 MKD 108

$2.09 MKD 112

-3.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MKD 536

$6.66 MKD 356

50.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.39 MKD 395

$5.79 MKD 310

27.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.74 MKD 734

$13.47 MKD 720

2.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 MKD 57.0

$1.08 MKD 57.6

-0.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MKD 74.2

$1.42 MKD 76.1

-2.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 MKD 67.4

$1.26 MKD 67.2

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 MKD 86.7

$1.63 MKD 87.3

-0.61%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 MKD 50.2

$0.98 MKD 52.4

-4.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 MKD 72.0

$0.78 MKD 41.92

73.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 MKD 31.07

$0.54 MKD 28.80

7.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MKD 29.99

$0.56 MKD 29.94

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 MKD 157

$2.78 MKD 148

5.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.16 MKD 329

$4.71 MKD 252

30.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 MKD 53.4

$0.90 MKD 48.36

11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 MKD 101

$1.54 MKD 82.2

22.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MKD 30.48

$0.63 MKD 33.61

-9.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.81 MKD 899

$20.00 MKD 1,069

-15.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MKD 62.0

$0.93 MKD 49.59

24.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 26.21

$0.35 MKD 18.79

40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.52 MKD 348

$6.60 MKD 353

-1.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 MKD 79.0

$1.44 MKD 77.2

2.78%

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

$32.1K MKD 1.7M

$31.9K MKD 1.7M

0.56%

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

$33.5K MKD 1.8M

$46.2K MKD 2.5M

-27.37%

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

$143 MKD 7,654

$132 MKD 7,079

8.13%

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

$17.64 MKD 943

$11.05 MKD 590

59.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.37 MKD 822

$15.45 MKD 826

-0.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.06 MKD 1,286

$26.09 MKD 1,394

-7.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.73 MKD 360

Cinema Ticket

$4.77 MKD 255

$4.67 MKD 250

2.14%

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

$221 MKD 11.8K

$218 MKD 11.7K

1.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,221 MKD 65.2K

$1,197 MKD 64.0K

1.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 MKD 4,124

$37.51 MKD 2,004

105.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.66 MKD 2,547

$38.26 MKD 2,045

24.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 MKD 4,033

$74.2 MKD 3,964

1.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 MKD 6,103

$114 MKD 6,093

0.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 MKD 15.1K

$280 MKD 15.0K

0.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 MKD 10.4K

$193 MKD 10.3K

0.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$597 MKD 31.9K

$569 MKD 30.4K

4.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 MKD 16.8K

-0.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,698 MKD 90.7K

$1,584 MKD 84.6K

7.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,179 MKD 63.0K

$1,238 MKD 66.1K

-4.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$762 MKD 40.7K

$887 MKD 47.4K

-14.11%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Gostivar: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $282 in Bitola and $280 in Gostivar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gostivar pays 16% 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 $182 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 8% in total monthly costs ($880 vs $813 including rent). Gostivar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 16% 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: $282 in Bitola versus $280 in Gostivar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% 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 8% less than in Bitola. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.