Cost of Living Comparison Between Bitola and Tetovo Cost of Living Comparison Between Bitola and Tetovo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $880 in Bitola versus $996 in Tetovo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,333 in Bitola versus $1,490 in Tetovo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,787 in Bitola versus $1,985 in Tetovo.

Living in Bitola costs roughly 12% less than in Tetovo, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bitola 34% lower, Tetovo 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.56 MKD 297

$5.77 MKD 308

-3.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.29 MKD 1,512

$24.99 MKD 1,336

13.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.14 MKD 275

$5.17 MKD 276

-0.58%

Cappuccino

$1.91 MKD 102

$1.52 MKD 81.4

25.66%

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

$1.76 MKD 94.0

$1.54 MKD 82.2

14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 MKD 67.5

$0.96 MKD 51.2

31.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 MKD 119

$2.27 MKD 121

-1.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 MKD 146

$2.22 MKD 119

23.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 MKD 72.0

$1.30 MKD 69.5

3.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 MKD 36.18

$0.66 MKD 35.19

3.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 MKD 94.1

$1.36 MKD 72.9

29.41%

Eggs

$2.01 MKD 108

$2.03 MKD 109

-0.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MKD 536

$7.31 MKD 391

37.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.39 MKD 395

$5.33 MKD 285

38.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.74 MKD 734

$10.70 MKD 572

28.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 MKD 57.0

$1.03 MKD 55.3

3.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MKD 74.2

$1.43 MKD 76.5

-2.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 MKD 67.4

$1.02 MKD 54.4

23.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 MKD 86.7

$1.58 MKD 84.4

2.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 MKD 50.2

$0.93 MKD 49.96

1.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 MKD 72.0

$0.73 MKD 39.04

84.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 MKD 31.07

$0.89 MKD 47.60

-34.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MKD 29.99

$0.56 MKD 29.91

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 MKD 157

$3.14 MKD 168

-6.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.16 MKD 329

$4.60 MKD 246

33.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 MKD 53.4

$0.95 MKD 50.8

5.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 MKD 101

$1.47 MKD 78.8

28.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MKD 30.48

$0.37 MKD 19.70

54.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.81 MKD 899

$11.40 MKD 609

47.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MKD 62.0

$1.11 MKD 59.5

4.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 26.21

$0.53 MKD 28.17

-7.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.52 MKD 348

$6.75 MKD 361

-3.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 MKD 79.0

$1.42 MKD 76.0

4.23%

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

$32.1K MKD 1.7M

$32.2K MKD 1.7M

-0.43%

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

$33.5K MKD 1.8M

$34.1K MKD 1.8M

-1.83%

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

$143 MKD 7,654

$143 MKD 7,624

0.39%

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

$17.64 MKD 943

$17.92 MKD 958

-1.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.37 MKD 822

$15.73 MKD 841

-2.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.06 MKD 1,286

$87.9 MKD 4,697

-72.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.73 MKD 360

Cinema Ticket

$4.77 MKD 255

$4.57 MKD 244

4.38%

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

$221 MKD 11.8K

$217 MKD 11.6K

1.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,221 MKD 65.2K

$2,250 MKD 120.3K

-45.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 MKD 4,124

$64.7 MKD 3,455

19.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.66 MKD 2,547

$48.85 MKD 2,611

-2.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 MKD 4,033

0.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 MKD 6,103

$112 MKD 5,961

2.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 MKD 15.1K

$357 MKD 19.1K

-21.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 MKD 10.4K

$283 MKD 15.1K

-31.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$597 MKD 31.9K

$607 MKD 32.4K

-1.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 MKD 16.8K

$501 MKD 26.8K

-37.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,698 MKD 90.7K

$1,230 MKD 65.7K

38.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,179 MKD 63.0K

$1,114 MKD 59.5K

5.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$762 MKD 40.7K

$885 MKD 47.3K

-13.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

3.75

89.33%

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

Last update for Bitola: July 26, 2026

Last update for Tetovo: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $282 in Bitola and $357 in Tetovo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tetovo pays 16% 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 $25.00 in Tetovo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $171 per month, with Tetovo 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 Tetovo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bitola and Tetovo differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($880 vs $996 including rent). Bitola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 16% lower in Tetovo. 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 $357 in Tetovo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Tetovo pay roughly 21% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Bitola – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $25.00 in Tetovo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Bitola 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 Tetovo 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 Bitola gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Tetovo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.