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: $892 in Bitola versus $822 in Gostivar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,346 in Bitola versus $1,201 in Gostivar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,800 in Bitola versus $1,580 in Gostivar.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Bitola 33% lower, Gostivar 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.49 MKD 290

$5.31 MKD 280

3.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.66 MKD 1,511

$23.13 MKD 1,219

23.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.13 MKD 271

Cappuccino

$1.96 MKD 104

$1.44 MKD 75.9

36.11%

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

$1.79 MKD 94.4

$1.12 MKD 58.9

59.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 MKD 65.0

$1.16 MKD 61.1

6.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 MKD 121

$1.39 MKD 73.2

64.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 MKD 141

$1.87 MKD 98.4

42.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 MKD 74.2

$1.33 MKD 70.4

6.02%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 MKD 36.10

$0.69 MKD 36.25

-1.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MKD 90.2

$1.47 MKD 77.6

16.33%

Eggs

$2.05 MKD 108

$2.03 MKD 107

0.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.40 MKD 548

$6.76 MKD 356

53.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.38 MKD 389

$5.73 MKD 302

28.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.35 MKD 704

$13.63 MKD 718

-2.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 MKD 53.9

$1.04 MKD 54.8

-1.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MKD 72.6

$1.39 MKD 73.2

-0.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 MKD 66.9

$1.24 MKD 65.5

2.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 MKD 81.9

$1.59 MKD 83.8

-2.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 MKD 51.3

$0.94 MKD 49.36

3.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MKD 70.6

$0.73 MKD 38.60

83.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 MKD 30.22

$0.53 MKD 28.15

7.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MKD 28.22

$0.57 MKD 29.84

-5.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 MKD 160

$2.84 MKD 150

7.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 MKD 318

$4.81 MKD 254

25.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 MKD 48.78

$0.97 MKD 51.0

-5.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 MKD 94.5

$1.53 MKD 80.6

16.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MKD 28.70

$0.68 MKD 35.90

-20.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.24 MKD 909

$20.01 MKD 1,055

-13.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 MKD 57.9

$0.95 MKD 50.1

15.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 MKD 27.44

$0.33 MKD 17.30

57.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.67 MKD 352

$6.61 MKD 349

0.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 MKD 77.6

$1.50 MKD 79.0

-2.00%

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

$31.8K MKD 1.7M

$31.9K MKD 1.7M

-0.49%

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

$33.2K MKD 1.8M

$47.5K MKD 2.5M

-30.12%

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

$148 MKD 7,782

$134 MKD 7,041

10.54%

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

$17.55 MKD 925

$11.12 MKD 586

57.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.32 MKD 808

$15.29 MKD 806

0.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.06 MKD 1,269

$26.10 MKD 1,376

-7.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.70 MKD 353

Cinema Ticket

$4.77 MKD 252

$4.81 MKD 254

-0.83%

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

$216 MKD 11.4K

$222 MKD 11.7K

-2.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,195 MKD 63.0K

$1,184 MKD 62.4K

0.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.2 MKD 4,015

$37.77 MKD 1,992

101.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.40 MKD 2,552

$37.22 MKD 1,963

30.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 MKD 4,032

$76.2 MKD 4,020

0.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 MKD 5,903

$113 MKD 5,948

-0.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 MKD 15.0K

$283 MKD 14.9K

0.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 MKD 10.4K

$197 MKD 10.4K

0.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$592 MKD 31.2K

$569 MKD 30.0K

4.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 MKD 16.5K

$312 MKD 16.4K

0.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,796 MKD 94.7K

$1,627 MKD 85.8K

10.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,203 MKD 63.4K

$1,207 MKD 63.6K

-0.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$788 MKD 41.6K

$903 MKD 47.6K

-12.71%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Gostivar: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $284 in Bitola and $283 in Gostivar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gostivar pays 15% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $29.00 in Bitola vs $23.00 in Gostivar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $181 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 ($892 vs $822 including rent). Gostivar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Gostivar earns 15% 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: $284 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 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 $29.00 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.