Cost of Living Comparison Between Bitola and Stip Cost of Living Comparison Between Bitola and Stip

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $892 in Bitola versus $778 in Stip.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,322 in Bitola versus $1,138 in Stip.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,751 in Bitola versus $1,497 in Stip.

Living in Bitola is roughly 15% more expensive than Stip, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bitola 33% lower, Stip 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.80 MKD 306

$5.74 MKD 302

1.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.96 MKD 1,473

$16.11 MKD 849

73.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.21 MKD 275

$4.92 MKD 259

5.89%

Cappuccino

$1.96 MKD 103

$1.89 MKD 99.4

3.70%

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

$1.81 MKD 95.3

$1.74 MKD 92.0

4.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 MKD 65.2

$1.21 MKD 64.0

2.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 MKD 121

$2.21 MKD 117

4.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 MKD 142

$2.79 MKD 147

-3.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 MKD 74.3

$1.29 MKD 67.9

9.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 MKD 35.07

$0.68 MKD 35.66

-1.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 MKD 91.0

$1.10 MKD 58.2

57.27%

Eggs

$2.10 MKD 111

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.25 MKD 540

$10.32 MKD 544

-0.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.26 MKD 383

$7.23 MKD 381

0.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.55 MKD 714

$7.43 MKD 392

82.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 MKD 53.8

$0.97 MKD 51.2

5.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 MKD 73.6

$1.43 MKD 75.6

-2.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 MKD 66.7

$1.31 MKD 69.0

-3.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 MKD 86.6

$1.58 MKD 83.1

3.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 MKD 51.8

$0.93 MKD 48.85

5.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MKD 70.4

$1.39 MKD 73.1

-3.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 MKD 28.07

$0.53 MKD 28.17

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MKD 27.61

$0.40 MKD 21.30

30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 MKD 157

$3.05 MKD 161

-2.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.08 MKD 321

$7.49 MKD 395

-18.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 MKD 49.84

$1.01 MKD 53.4

-5.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 MKD 98.9

$1.81 MKD 95.3

3.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 MKD 30.97

$0.63 MKD 33.06

-6.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.92 MKD 892

$20.52 MKD 1,082

-17.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 MKD 58.3

$1.10 MKD 58.1

0.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 MKD 27.44

$0.49 MKD 25.84

6.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 MKD 356

$5.61 MKD 296

20.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 MKD 77.6

$1.45 MKD 76.2

1.38%

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

$31.9K MKD 1.7M

$31.4K MKD 1.7M

1.55%

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

$33.8K MKD 1.8M

$34.4K MKD 1.8M

-1.68%

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

$144 MKD 7,588

$144 MKD 7,568

0.26%

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

$17.79 MKD 938

$9.23 MKD 486

92.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.47 MKD 815

$15.31 MKD 807

1.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.09 MKD 1,269

$27.83 MKD 1,467

-13.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.47 MKD 341

Cinema Ticket

$4.63 MKD 244

$4.74 MKD 250

-2.32%

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

$217 MKD 11.4K

$216 MKD 11.4K

0.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,193 MKD 62.9K

$1,182 MKD 62.3K

0.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.8 MKD 3,995

$38.03 MKD 2,004

99.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 MKD 2,516

$31.80 MKD 1,676

50.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.7 MKD 3,939

$74.6 MKD 3,933

0.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 MKD 5,828

$114 MKD 6,013

-3.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$288 MKD 15.2K

$207 MKD 10.9K

39.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 MKD 10.2K

$133 MKD 7,008

45.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 MKD 30.8K

$344 MKD 18.1K

69.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 MKD 16.1K

$204 MKD 10.8K

49.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,732 MKD 91.3K

$1,257 MKD 66.3K

37.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,183 MKD 62.3K

$1,026 MKD 54.1K

15.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$799 MKD 42.1K

$467 MKD 24.6K

71.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

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

Last update for Bitola: June 1, 2026

Last update for Stip: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $288 in Bitola and $207 in Stip. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bitola pays 71% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $28.00 in Bitola vs $16.00 in Stip for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $185 per month, with Stip 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 Stip: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bitola and Stip differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($892 vs $778 including rent). Stip is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bitola pays 71% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $288 in Bitola versus $207 in Stip. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Bitola. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Stip – a meal for two runs $16.00 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 Stip 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 Stip 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 Stip gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Bitola. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.