Cost of Living Comparison Between George Town and Bitola Cost of Living Comparison Between George Town and Bitola

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $969 in George Town versus $882 in Bitola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,614 in George Town versus $1,326 in Bitola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,259 in George Town versus $1,771 in Bitola.

Living in George Town is roughly 10% more expensive than in Bitola, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: George Town 29% lower, Bitola 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.36 MYR 13.72

$5.57 MKD 296

-39.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.02 MYR 61.3

$27.82 MKD 1,479

-46.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.75 MYR 19.39

$5.38 MKD 286

-11.71%

Cappuccino

$2.78 MYR 11.35

$2.01 MKD 107

38.31%

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

$0.77 MYR 3.14

$1.77 MKD 94.1

-56.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 MYR 1.32

$1.48 MKD 78.5

-78.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 MYR 9.96

$2.19 MKD 116

11.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 MYR 17.78

$2.61 MKD 139

67.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.36

$1.36 MKD 72.3

32.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 MYR 4.45

$0.70 MKD 37.23

55.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MYR 6.89

$1.75 MKD 93.3

-3.43%

Eggs

$2.22 MYR 9.06

$2.00 MKD 106

11.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.99 MYR 53.0

$10.37 MKD 552

25.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.30 MYR 17.55

$7.31 MKD 389

-41.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.63 MYR 35.22

$13.45 MKD 715

-35.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 MYR 9.93

$1.03 MKD 54.8

135.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 6.05

$1.38 MKD 73.5

7.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 MYR 9.13

$1.30 MKD 69.0

72.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.96

$1.54 MKD 82.1

-20.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 MYR 3.77

$0.91 MKD 48.14

1.10%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 MYR 3.49

$1.37 MKD 72.9

-37.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 MYR 3.15

$0.57 MKD 30.35

35.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.21

$0.50 MKD 26.83

8.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.62 MYR 18.84

$3.35 MKD 178

37.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.06 MYR 77.8

$5.91 MKD 314

222.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 MYR 10.26

$0.99 MKD 52.5

153.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 MYR 14.65

$1.85 MKD 98.6

94.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 MYR 1.90

$0.54 MKD 28.48

-12.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.93 MYR 44.63

$16.70 MKD 888

-34.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.92

$1.15 MKD 61.2

4.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 MYR 1.94

$0.63 MKD 33.60

-25.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.71 MYR 27.41

$6.44 MKD 343

4.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 MYR 3.10

$1.46 MKD 77.9

-47.95%

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

$42.6K MYR 173.7K

$32.4K MKD 1.7M

31.25%

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

$28.7K MYR 117.1K

$34.5K MKD 1.8M

-16.76%

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

$36.69 MYR 150

$152 MKD 8,088

-75.87%

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

$8.25 MYR 33.68

$14.81 MKD 787

-44.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.93 MYR 122

$13.25 MKD 705

125.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.24 MYR 168

$21.99 MKD 1,169

87.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.77 MYR 19.49

$6.53 MKD 347

-26.95%

Cinema Ticket

$4.71 MYR 19.23

$4.65 MKD 247

1.29%

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

$175 MYR 715

$218 MKD 11.6K

-19.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,966 MYR 20.3K

$1,181 MKD 62.8K

320.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 MYR 225

$76.9 MKD 4,090

-28.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.40 MYR 140

$47.90 MKD 2,548

-28.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.1 MYR 298

$76.3 MKD 4,060

-4.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.2 MYR 291

$112 MKD 5,958

-36.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 MYR 2,034

$266 MKD 14.1K

87.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 MYR 1,524

$195 MKD 10.3K

91.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$919 MYR 3,750

$415 MKD 22.1K

121.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$980 MYR 4,001

$301 MKD 16.0K

225.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,774 MKD 94.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,204 MKD 64.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,081 MYR 4,414

$780 MKD 41.5K

38.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.24

6.45

-34.26%

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

Last update for George Town: September 15, 2026

Last update for Bitola: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $498 in George Town and $266 in Bitola. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 39% 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: $15.00 in George Town vs $28.00 in Bitola. Groceries flip the comparison at $239 vs $204, with Bitola 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

George Town vs Bitola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

George Town and Bitola differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($969 vs $882 including rent). Bitola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 39% higher in George Town, 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: $498 in George Town versus $266 in Bitola. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in George Town. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Bitola – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $15.00 in George Town. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $882 in Bitola versus $969 in George Town, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bitola but tight or insufficient in George Town. The gap between the two cities makes Bitola the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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, George Town and Bitola 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 10% less than in George Town. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.