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: $843 in George Town versus $892 in Bitola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,306 in George Town versus $1,346 in Bitola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,769 in George Town versus $1,800 in Bitola.

Living in George Town costs roughly 5% less than in Bitola, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: George Town 37% lower, Bitola 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.02 MYR 11.93

$5.49 MKD 290

-44.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.35 MYR 84.3

$28.66 MKD 1,511

-25.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.27 MYR 16.86

$5.13 MKD 271

-16.76%

Cappuccino

$2.62 MYR 10.35

$1.96 MKD 104

33.67%

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

$0.77 MYR 3.03

$1.79 MKD 94.4

-56.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.44

$1.23 MKD 65.0

-70.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 MYR 17.20

$2.29 MKD 121

90.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MYR 18.49

$2.67 MKD 141

75.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.21

$1.41 MKD 74.2

29.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 MYR 4.43

$0.68 MKD 36.10

64.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.60

$1.71 MKD 90.2

-2.34%

Eggs

$2.10 MYR 8.31

$2.05 MKD 108

2.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.50 MYR 69.1

$10.40 MKD 548

68.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.97 MYR 19.65

$7.38 MKD 389

-32.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.47 MYR 41.35

$13.35 MKD 704

-21.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MYR 11.30

$1.02 MKD 53.9

180.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.53

$1.38 MKD 72.6

1.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 MYR 8.90

$1.27 MKD 66.9

77.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.04

$1.55 MKD 81.9

-17.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 MYR 3.44

$0.97 MKD 51.3

-10.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.57

$1.34 MKD 70.6

-13.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 MYR 2.76

$0.57 MKD 30.22

22.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.04

$0.54 MKD 28.22

-3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.18 MYR 16.51

$3.04 MKD 160

37.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.70 MYR 50.2

$6.03 MKD 318

110.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 MYR 10.45

$0.92 MKD 48.78

186.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 MYR 13.29

$1.79 MKD 94.5

87.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 MYR 1.93

$0.54 MKD 28.70

-9.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.80 MYR 46.62

$17.24 MKD 909

-31.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.59

$1.10 MKD 57.9

5.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 MYR 1.73

$0.52 MKD 27.44

-15.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.39 MYR 25.26

$6.67 MKD 352

-4.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.94

$1.47 MKD 77.6

-66.67%

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

$34.1K MYR 134.6K

$31.8K MKD 1.7M

7.20%

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

$25.0K MYR 98.7K

$33.2K MKD 1.8M

-24.73%

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

$38.18 MYR 151

$148 MKD 7,782

-74.13%

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

$9.68 MYR 38.23

$17.55 MKD 925

-44.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.98 MYR 114

$15.32 MKD 808

89.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.37 MYR 152

$24.06 MKD 1,269

59.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.78 MYR 14.94

$6.70 MKD 353

-43.58%

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 MYR 16.30

$4.77 MKD 252

-13.42%

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

$146 MYR 578

$216 MKD 11.4K

-32.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,643 MYR 18.3K

$1,195 MKD 63.0K

288.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 MYR 207

$76.2 MKD 4,015

-31.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.61 MYR 113

$48.40 MKD 2,552

-40.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.5 MYR 247

$76.5 MKD 4,032

-18.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.1 MYR 206

$112 MKD 5,903

-53.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$371 MYR 1,465

$284 MKD 15.0K

30.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$253 MYR 999

$198 MKD 10.4K

27.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 MYR 2,799

$592 MKD 31.2K

19.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 MYR 1,969

$313 MKD 16.5K

59.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,796 MKD 94.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,203 MKD 63.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,112 MYR 4,393

$788 MKD 41.6K

41.10%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Bitola: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $371 in George Town and $284 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 $29.00 in Bitola. Groceries flip the comparison at $251 vs $205, 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 6% in total monthly costs ($843 vs $892 including rent). George Town is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

George Town pays 41% more on average, 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: $371 in George Town versus $284 in Bitola. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Bitola pay roughly 22% 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 $29.00 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 6% less than in Bitola. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.