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: $892 in Bitola versus $1,000 in Tetovo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,346 in Bitola versus $1,469 in Tetovo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,800 in Bitola versus $1,939 in Tetovo.

Living in Bitola costs roughly 11% less than in Tetovo, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bitola 33% lower, Tetovo 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.49 MKD 288

$5.53 MKD 291

-0.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.66 MKD 1,505

$25.53 MKD 1,341

12.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.13 MKD 270

$4.95 MKD 260

3.64%

Cappuccino

$1.96 MKD 103

$1.54 MKD 80.7

27.27%

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

$1.79 MKD 94.0

$1.46 MKD 76.5

22.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 MKD 64.8

$1.01 MKD 52.9

21.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 MKD 120

$2.28 MKD 120

0.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 MKD 140

$2.12 MKD 111

25.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 MKD 73.9

$1.31 MKD 68.7

7.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 MKD 35.96

$0.65 MKD 33.90

4.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MKD 89.9

$1.36 MKD 71.4

25.74%

Eggs

$2.05 MKD 108

$2.03 MKD 107

0.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.40 MKD 546

$7.44 MKD 391

39.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.38 MKD 388

$5.33 MKD 280

38.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.35 MKD 701

$10.58 MKD 556

26.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 MKD 53.7

$1.03 MKD 54.0

-0.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MKD 72.3

$1.44 MKD 75.6

-4.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 MKD 66.7

$1.01 MKD 53.2

25.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 MKD 81.5

$1.62 MKD 84.9

-4.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 MKD 51.1

$0.97 MKD 50.8

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MKD 70.4

$0.72 MKD 37.93

86.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 MKD 30.10

$0.84 MKD 44.00

-32.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MKD 28.11

$0.56 MKD 29.29

-3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 MKD 160

$3.09 MKD 162

-1.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 MKD 317

$4.72 MKD 248

27.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 MKD 48.58

$1.00 MKD 52.4

-8.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 MKD 94.2

$1.47 MKD 77.2

21.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MKD 28.59

$0.39 MKD 20.69

38.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.24 MKD 906

$11.19 MKD 587

54.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 MKD 57.7

$1.16 MKD 60.7

-5.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 MKD 27.33

$0.49 MKD 25.61

6.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.67 MKD 350

$6.40 MKD 336

4.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 MKD 77.2

$1.49 MKD 78.3

-1.34%

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

$31.8K MKD 1.7M

$31.9K MKD 1.7M

-0.34%

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

$33.2K MKD 1.7M

$33.4K MKD 1.8M

-0.68%

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

$148 MKD 7,751

$146 MKD 7,653

1.28%

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

$17.55 MKD 922

$17.51 MKD 920

0.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.32 MKD 805

$15.68 MKD 824

-2.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.06 MKD 1,264

$89.8 MKD 4,713

-73.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.70 MKD 352

Cinema Ticket

$4.77 MKD 251

$4.72 MKD 248

1.06%

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

$216 MKD 11.3K

$218 MKD 11.5K

-1.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,195 MKD 62.8K

$2,238 MKD 117.5K

-46.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.2 MKD 3,999

$66.6 MKD 3,498

14.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.40 MKD 2,542

$48.20 MKD 2,531

0.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 MKD 4,016

$75.3 MKD 3,957

1.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 MKD 5,880

$114 MKD 5,972

-1.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 MKD 14.9K

$357 MKD 18.8K

-20.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 MKD 10.4K

$284 MKD 14.9K

-30.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$592 MKD 31.1K

$608 MKD 31.9K

-2.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 MKD 16.4K

$495 MKD 26.0K

-36.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,796 MKD 94.3K

$1,305 MKD 68.6K

37.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,203 MKD 63.2K

$1,162 MKD 61.0K

3.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$788 MKD 41.4K

$920 MKD 48.3K

-14.36%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Tetovo: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $284 in Bitola and $357 in Tetovo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tetovo pays 17% 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: $29.00 in Bitola vs $26.00 in Tetovo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 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 12% in total monthly costs ($892 vs $1,000 including rent). Bitola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Tetovo earns 17% 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 $357 in Tetovo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Tetovo pay roughly 20% 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 $29.00 versus $26.00 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 12% less than in Tetovo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.