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: $882 in Bitola versus $868 in Gostivar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,326 in Bitola versus $1,295 in Gostivar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,771 in Bitola versus $1,721 in Gostivar.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Bitola 36% lower, Gostivar 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.57 MKD 296

$6.51 MKD 346

-14.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.82 MKD 1,479

$28.17 MKD 1,498

-1.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.38 MKD 286

$6.07 MKD 323

-11.37%

Cappuccino

$2.01 MKD 107

$1.39 MKD 74.0

44.60%

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

$1.77 MKD 94.1

$1.38 MKD 73.2

28.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 MKD 78.5

$1.10 MKD 58.6

34.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 MKD 116

$1.33 MKD 70.7

64.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MKD 139

$1.93 MKD 103

35.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 MKD 72.3

$1.33 MKD 70.7

2.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 MKD 37.23

$0.73 MKD 39.04

-4.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 MKD 93.3

$1.47 MKD 78.4

19.05%

Eggs

$2.00 MKD 106

$2.46 MKD 131

-18.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.37 MKD 552

$6.50 MKD 345

59.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.31 MKD 389

$5.72 MKD 304

27.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.45 MKD 715

$15.27 MKD 812

-11.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 MKD 54.8

$1.46 MKD 77.9

-29.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MKD 73.5

$1.44 MKD 76.6

-4.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 MKD 69.0

$1.35 MKD 71.7

-3.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 MKD 82.1

$1.86 MKD 98.8

-17.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 MKD 48.14

$0.89 MKD 47.32

2.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 MKD 72.9

$0.72 MKD 38.29

90.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 MKD 30.35

$0.60 MKD 32.02

-5.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 MKD 26.83

$0.59 MKD 31.20

-15.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 MKD 178

$2.89 MKD 154

15.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 MKD 314

$4.60 MKD 245

28.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 MKD 52.5

$0.97 MKD 51.4

2.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 MKD 98.6

$1.46 MKD 77.7

26.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MKD 28.48

$0.68 MKD 36.33

-20.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.70 MKD 888

$25.14 MKD 1,337

-33.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MKD 61.2

$0.79 MKD 41.81

45.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 MKD 33.60

$0.34 MKD 18.24

85.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.44 MKD 343

$7.84 MKD 417

-17.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 MKD 77.9

$1.54 MKD 81.8

-5.19%

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

$32.4K MKD 1.7M

$33.5K MKD 1.8M

-3.08%

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

$34.5K MKD 1.8M

$28.6K MKD 1.5M

20.36%

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

$152 MKD 8,088

$131 MKD 6,951

16.35%

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

$14.81 MKD 787

$11.29 MKD 600

31.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.25 MKD 705

$18.88 MKD 1,004

-29.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.99 MKD 1,169

$25.62 MKD 1,362

-14.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 MKD 347

$19.14 MKD 1,018

-65.88%

Cinema Ticket

$4.65 MKD 247

$7.63 MKD 406

-39.06%

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

$218 MKD 11.6K

$366 MKD 19.5K

-40.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,181 MKD 62.8K

$5,823 MKD 309.6K

-79.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.9 MKD 4,090

$37.84 MKD 2,012

103.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.90 MKD 2,548

$36.88 MKD 1,961

29.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 MKD 4,060

$106 MKD 5,636

-27.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 MKD 5,958

$115 MKD 6,137

-2.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 MKD 14.1K

$271 MKD 14.4K

-1.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$195 MKD 10.3K

$195 MKD 10.4K

-0.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$415 MKD 22.1K

$471 MKD 25.1K

-11.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 MKD 16.0K

$304 MKD 16.1K

-0.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,774 MKD 94.3K

$1,532 MKD 81.5K

15.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,204 MKD 64.0K

$1,155 MKD 61.4K

4.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$780 MKD 41.5K

$882 MKD 46.9K

-11.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

4.23

52.48%

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

Last update for Bitola: September 15, 2026

Last update for Gostivar: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $266 in Bitola and $271 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 $28.00 in Gostivar. Groceries flip the comparison at $204 vs $191, with Gostivar 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 Gostivar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bitola and Gostivar differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($882 vs $868 including rent). Gostivar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 13% 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: $266 in Bitola versus $271 in Gostivar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% 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 $28.00 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 2% less than in Bitola. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.