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: $882 in Bitola versus $1,026 in Tetovo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,326 in Bitola versus $1,549 in Tetovo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,771 in Bitola versus $2,072 in Tetovo.

Living in Bitola costs roughly 14% less than in Tetovo, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bitola 36% lower, Tetovo 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.57 MKD 296

$7.68 MKD 409

-27.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.82 MKD 1,479

$27.72 MKD 1,474

0.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.38 MKD 286

$6.01 MKD 320

-10.48%

Cappuccino

$2.01 MKD 107

$1.55 MKD 82.5

29.68%

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

$1.77 MKD 94.1

$1.55 MKD 82.7

14.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 MKD 78.5

$1.00 MKD 53.2

48.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 MKD 116

$2.20 MKD 117

-0.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MKD 139

$2.31 MKD 123

12.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 MKD 72.3

$1.26 MKD 67.2

7.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 MKD 37.23

$0.65 MKD 34.56

7.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 MKD 93.3

$1.37 MKD 72.8

27.74%

Eggs

$2.00 MKD 106

$2.18 MKD 116

-8.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.37 MKD 552

$7.42 MKD 394

39.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.31 MKD 389

$5.32 MKD 283

37.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.45 MKD 715

$10.40 MKD 553

29.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 MKD 54.8

$1.41 MKD 75.1

-26.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MKD 73.5

$1.40 MKD 74.2

-1.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 MKD 69.0

$0.98 MKD 52.0

32.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 MKD 82.1

$2.02 MKD 107

-23.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 MKD 48.14

$0.91 MKD 48.45

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 MKD 72.9

$0.77 MKD 40.74

77.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 MKD 30.35

$0.63 MKD 33.55

-9.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 MKD 26.83

$0.52 MKD 27.66

-3.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 MKD 178

$3.17 MKD 168

5.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 MKD 314

$4.83 MKD 257

22.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 MKD 52.5

$1.08 MKD 57.6

-8.33%

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

$0.39 MKD 20.88

38.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.70 MKD 888

$11.33 MKD 602

47.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MKD 61.2

$1.10 MKD 58.5

4.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 MKD 33.60

$0.54 MKD 28.94

16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.44 MKD 343

$7.62 MKD 405

-15.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 MKD 77.9

$1.51 MKD 80.2

-3.31%

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

$32.4K MKD 1.7M

$36.8K MKD 2.0M

-11.83%

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

$34.5K MKD 1.8M

$28.1K MKD 1.5M

22.55%

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

$152 MKD 8,088

$163 MKD 8,689

-6.92%

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

$14.81 MKD 787

$18.45 MKD 981

-19.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.25 MKD 705

$18.98 MKD 1,009

-30.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.99 MKD 1,169

$71.3 MKD 3,794

-69.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 MKD 347

$18.40 MKD 979

-64.51%

Cinema Ticket

$4.65 MKD 247

$5.56 MKD 296

-16.37%

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

$218 MKD 11.6K

$222 MKD 11.8K

-2.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,181 MKD 62.8K

$2,292 MKD 121.9K

-48.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.9 MKD 4,090

$65.2 MKD 3,466

18.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.90 MKD 2,548

$38.23 MKD 2,033

25.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 MKD 4,060

$105 MKD 5,581

-27.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 MKD 5,958

$115 MKD 6,113

-2.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 MKD 14.1K

$366 MKD 19.5K

-27.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$195 MKD 10.3K

$286 MKD 15.2K

-31.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$415 MKD 22.1K

$607 MKD 32.3K

-31.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 MKD 16.0K

$504 MKD 26.8K

-40.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,774 MKD 94.3K

$1,251 MKD 66.5K

41.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,204 MKD 64.0K

$1,122 MKD 59.7K

7.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$780 MKD 41.5K

$898 MKD 47.8K

-13.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

3.75

72.00%

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

Last update for Bitola: September 15, 2026

Last update for Tetovo: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $266 in Bitola and $366 in Tetovo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tetovo pays 15% 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 $28.00 in Tetovo. Groceries flip the comparison at $204 vs $174, with Tetovo 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 Tetovo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bitola and Tetovo differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($882 vs $1,026 including rent). Bitola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 15% 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: $266 in Bitola versus $366 in Tetovo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Tetovo pay roughly 17% 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 $28.00 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 16% less than in Tetovo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.