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: $865 in George Town versus $880 in Bitola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,328 in George Town versus $1,333 in Bitola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,791 in George Town versus $1,787 in Bitola.

Living in George Town costs roughly 2% less than in Bitola, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: George Town 35% lower, Bitola 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.99 MYR 12.23

$5.56 MKD 299

-46.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.46 MYR 87.7

$28.29 MKD 1,521

-24.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.14 MYR 16.92

$5.14 MKD 277

-19.46%

Cappuccino

$2.58 MYR 10.53

$1.91 MKD 103

35.08%

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

$0.78 MYR 3.17

$1.76 MKD 94.5

-55.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.38

$1.26 MKD 67.9

-73.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.22 MYR 17.24

$2.23 MKD 120

89.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MYR 18.90

$2.74 MKD 147

68.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MYR 7.41

$1.35 MKD 72.5

34.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 MYR 4.37

$0.68 MKD 36.41

57.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MYR 6.66

$1.76 MKD 94.7

-7.39%

Eggs

$2.06 MYR 8.42

$2.01 MKD 108

2.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.36 MYR 71.0

$10.03 MKD 540

73.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.11 MYR 20.88

$7.39 MKD 398

-30.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.81 MYR 44.19

$13.74 MKD 739

-21.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MYR 11.93

$1.07 MKD 57.3

172.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.72

$1.39 MKD 74.6

0.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MYR 8.77

$1.26 MKD 67.9

70.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 5.01

$1.62 MKD 87.2

-24.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 MYR 3.45

$0.94 MKD 50.5

-10.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.79

$1.35 MKD 72.4

-13.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 MYR 3.01

$0.58 MKD 31.26

27.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.23

$0.56 MKD 30.17

-1.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 MYR 17.09

$2.94 MKD 158

42.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.20 MYR 78.5

$6.16 MKD 331

211.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 MYR 11.13

$1.00 MKD 53.7

172.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 MYR 14.45

$1.89 MKD 102

87.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 MYR 1.84

$0.57 MKD 30.67

-21.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.63 MYR 47.54

$16.81 MKD 904

-30.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.92

$1.16 MKD 62.4

3.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 MYR 1.89

$0.49 MKD 26.37

-6.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.60 MYR 26.98

$6.52 MKD 350

1.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.87

$1.48 MKD 79.4

-68.92%

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

$34.0K MYR 138.8K

$32.1K MKD 1.7M

5.85%

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

$24.9K MYR 101.7K

$33.5K MKD 1.8M

-25.74%

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

$38.72 MYR 158

$143 MKD 7,702

-72.97%

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

$9.78 MYR 39.98

$17.64 MKD 949

-44.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.08 MYR 119

$15.37 MKD 827

89.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.41 MYR 157

$24.06 MKD 1,294

59.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.81 MYR 15.57

$6.73 MKD 362

-43.39%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 MYR 16.00

$4.77 MKD 257

-17.82%

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

$148 MYR 607

$221 MKD 11.9K

-32.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,522 MYR 18.5K

$1,221 MKD 65.6K

270.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 MYR 215

$77.2 MKD 4,149

-31.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.34 MYR 116

$47.66 MKD 2,563

-40.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.3 MYR 255

$75.5 MKD 4,058

-17.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.3 MYR 214

$114 MKD 6,141

-54.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$364 MYR 1,490

$282 MKD 15.1K

29.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$257 MYR 1,051

$194 MKD 10.4K

32.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$711 MYR 2,904

$597 MKD 32.1K

19.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 MYR 2,021

$315 MKD 16.9K

57.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,698 MKD 91.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,179 MKD 63.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,072 MYR 4,382

$762 MKD 41.0K

40.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

7.1

-41.41%

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

Last update for George Town: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bitola: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $364 in George Town and $282 in Bitola. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 41% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $21.00 in George Town vs $28.00 in Bitola. Groceries flip the comparison at $265 vs $206, 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 2% in total monthly costs ($865 vs $880 including rent). George Town is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 41% 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: $364 in George Town versus $282 in Bitola. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Bitola pay roughly 28% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in George Town – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $28.00 in Bitola. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though George Town 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, 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 George Town gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Bitola. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.