Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cairo and Gostivar

For one person, living is cheaper in Cairo: $647 a month against $835 in Gostivar, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Cairo
🇪🇬 Egypt
$647
/mo nomad
Gostivar
🇲🇰 North Macedonia
$835
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cairo and in Gostivar

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Cairo and in Gostivar actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $647 per month in Cairo vs $835 in Gostivar, rent included.

  • Cairo $647
  • Gostivar $835

A couple spends around $1,035 per month in Cairo vs $1,262 in Gostivar, rent included.

  • Cairo $1,035
  • Gostivar $1,262

A family of three spends $1,423 per month in Cairo vs $1,689 in Gostivar, rent included.

  • Cairo $1,423
  • Gostivar $1,689

Cairo is about 23% cheaper than Gostivar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Cairo and Gostivar are more affordable than the global median – Cairo 52% lower, Gostivar 38% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cairo
Gostivar
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.64 E£248
$6.25 MKD 341
-25.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.12 E£1,501
$26.92 MKD 1,468
4.46%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.03 E£322
$5.81 MKD 317
3.79%
Cappuccino
$1.72 E£92.1
$1.39 MKD 75.9
23.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36 E£19.38
$1.32 MKD 72.2
-72.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.12 E£6.41
$1.07 MKD 58.1
-88.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.51 E£80.4
$1.31 MKD 71.5
15.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.32 E£124
$1.77 MKD 96.3
31.07%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cairo
Gostivar
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.92 E£48.92
$1.29 MKD 70.2
-28.68%
White Bread (500g)
$0.73 E£38.92
$0.75 MKD 40.84
-2.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.74 E£39.64
$1.42 MKD 77.3
-47.89%
Eggs
$1.19 E£63.7
$2.46 MKD 134
-51.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.33 E£231
$6.49 MKD 354
-33.28%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.03 E£269
$5.59 MKD 305
-10.02%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.28 E£496
$14.35 MKD 783
-35.33%
Apples (1kg)
$1.77 E£94.4
$1.43 MKD 78.1
23.78%
Banana (1kg)
$0.73 E£39.03
$1.39 MKD 75.8
-47.48%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.55 E£29.51
$1.35 MKD 73.8
-59.26%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.50 E£26.91
$1.78 MKD 97.1
-71.91%
Potato (1kg)
$0.42 E£22.42
$0.83 MKD 45.18
-49.40%
Onion (1kg)
$0.41 E£21.81
$0.70 MKD 38.06
-41.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.33 E£17.51
$0.64 MKD 34.74
-48.44%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.21 E£11.20
$0.57 MKD 30.92
-63.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.98 E£106
$2.76 MKD 150
-28.26%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.81 E£417
$4.63 MKD 253
68.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 E£84.7
$0.88 MKD 47.86
80.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09 E£112
$1.41 MKD 77.1
48.23%
🚌 Getting Around
Cairo
Gostivar
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.35 E£18.83
$0.74 MKD 40.29
-52.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.69 E£464
$21.14 MKD 1,153
-58.89%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.39 E£21.02
$0.75 MKD 40.97
-48.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.22 E£11.57
$0.34 MKD 18.33
-35.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.51 E£80.5
$7.75 MKD 423
-80.52%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.43 E£22.88
$1.44 MKD 78.4
-70.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.7K E£1.7M
$31.9K MKD 1.7M
2.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.2K E£1.5M
$27.1K MKD 1.5M
0.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cairo
Gostivar
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$27.27 E£1,456
$129 MKD 7,046
-78.89%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.58 E£458
$10.75 MKD 586
-20.19%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$13.99 E£747
$18.87 MKD 1,029
-25.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cairo
Gostivar
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$29.69 E£1,585
$21.76 MKD 1,187
36.44%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.25 E£387
$18.73 MKD 1,022
-61.29%
Cinema Ticket
$4.86 E£260
$7.10 MKD 387
-31.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cairo
Gostivar
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$121 E£6,438
$362 MKD 19.7K
-66.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,560 E£190.1K
$5,736 MKD 312.9K
-37.94%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cairo
Gostivar
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$40.28 E£2,151
$36.91 MKD 2,014
9.13%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.53 E£2,645
$36.52 MKD 1,992
35.62%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 E£6,137
$102 MKD 5,589
12.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$60.0 E£3,206
$115 MKD 6,252
-47.62%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cairo
Gostivar
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$222 E£11.9K
$275 MKD 15.0K
-19.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$195 E£10.4K
$194 MKD 10.6K
0.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$550 E£29.3K
$504 MKD 27.5K
9.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$346 E£18.5K
$298 MKD 16.3K
16.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$800 E£42.7K
$1,525 MKD 83.2K
-47.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$525 E£28.0K
$1,133 MKD 61.8K
-53.68%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cairo
Gostivar
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$200 E£10.7K
$863 MKD 47.1K
-76.86%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
16.21
4.23
283.22%

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

Last update for Cairo: October 11, 2026

Last update for Gostivar: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cairo
$195
Gostivar
$194 0.7% $1.3
Groceries & Markets
Cairo
$142
Gostivar
$186 31.1% $44
Clothing & Footwear
Cairo
$119
Gostivar
$131 9.7% $12
Eating Out
Cairo
$90
Gostivar
$104 15.3% $14
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cairo
$50
Gostivar
$159 219% $109
Sport & Entertainment
Cairo
$39
Gostivar
$36 8.8% $3.5
Getting Around
Cairo
$12
Gostivar
$27 129% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $222 in Cairo versus $275 in Gostivar. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 332% higher in Gostivar, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Cairo versus $27.00 in Gostivar. Groceries tell a different story – $142 in Cairo vs $186 in Gostivar – so Cairo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇪🇬 Cairo
🇲🇰 Gostivar
🕒 Local time
08:47 8:47 AM
07:47 7:47 AM
1 h behind Cairo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,120,350 Capital
36,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MKD, USD, EUR to EGP – Egyptian Pound Converter

Egyptian Pound exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 53.4 EGP (100 EGP = 1.87 USD). 1 EUR = 60.03 EGP (100 EGP = 1.67 EUR).

North Macedonian Denar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 54.55 MKD (100 MKD = 1.83 USD). 1 EUR = 61.33 MKD (100 MKD = 1.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cairo Gostivar 1,600 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Cairo
  • Gostivar

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Cairo vs Gostivar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gostivar cheaper than Cairo?
Yes – Gostivar is pricier by about 29%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $970 per month in Cairo and $1,253 in Gostivar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Cairo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do food prices compare in Cairo and in Gostivar?
Groceries cost about 31% more in Gostivar, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is eating out cheaper in Cairo or in Gostivar?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Cairo and $27.00 in Gostivar. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,000 enough for either Cairo or Gostivar?
$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $647 in Cairo and $835 in Gostivar, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is Cairo or Gostivar more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Cairo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Cairo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Gostivar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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