Cost of Living Comparison Between Gostivar and Belem Cost of Living Comparison Between Gostivar and Belem

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $802 in Gostivar versus $783 in Belem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,198 in Gostivar versus $1,254 in Belem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,594 in Gostivar versus $1,724 in Belem.

Living in Gostivar is roughly 2% more expensive than in Belem, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Gostivar 40% lower, Belem 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.08 MKD 272

$4.43 R$22.66

14.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.50 MKD 1,261

$28.89 R$148

-18.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 MKD 266

$6.26 R$32.02

-20.61%

Cappuccino

$1.43 MKD 76.7

$1.60 R$8.16

-10.63%

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

$1.16 MKD 62.2

$0.93 R$4.73

24.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MKD 62.0

$0.47 R$2.38

146.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 MKD 75.3

$1.60 R$8.16

-12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 MKD 104

$3.51 R$17.93

-45.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 MKD 71.6

$1.15 R$5.90

15.65%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 MKD 38.31

$2.11 R$10.79

-66.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 MKD 78.9

$1.25 R$6.36

17.60%

Eggs

$2.12 MKD 114

$1.98 R$10.11

7.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.63 MKD 356

$10.31 R$52.7

-35.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 MKD 311

$3.95 R$20.18

46.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.84 MKD 742

$6.71 R$34.28

106.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 MKD 57.0

$1.71 R$8.74

-38.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MKD 74.1

$1.73 R$8.83

-20.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 MKD 67.6

$1.29 R$6.59

-2.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 MKD 87.3

$1.46 R$7.47

11.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 MKD 49.38

$0.92 R$4.72

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 MKD 38.98

$0.55 R$2.81

32.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 MKD 28.80

$1.03 R$5.27

-47.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MKD 28.59

$1.35 R$6.88

-60.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.90 MKD 156

$2.49 R$12.74

16.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.60 MKD 247

$9.88 R$50.5

-53.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 MKD 51.2

$1.31 R$6.70

-27.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MKD 81.5

$4.56 R$23.32

-66.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MKD 36.77

$0.74 R$3.80

-6.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.28 MKD 1,088

$21.48 R$110

-5.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 MKD 48.05

$1.11 R$5.67

-18.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 MKD 18.84

$0.74 R$3.79

-52.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.49 MKD 348

$8.84 R$45.17

-26.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 MKD 76.1

$1.04 R$5.30

36.54%

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

$31.4K MKD 1.7M

$16.1K R$82.3K

94.69%

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

$46.8K MKD 2.5M

$29.0K R$148.0K

61.71%

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

$133 MKD 7,143

$111 R$568

19.82%

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

$11.11 MKD 596

$14.53 R$74.3

-23.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.48 MKD 831

$21.28 R$109

-27.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.78 MKD 1,437

$21.25 R$109

26.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.56 R$110

Cinema Ticket

$4.74 MKD 254

$6.21 R$31.76

-23.67%

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

$222 MKD 11.9K

$101 R$514

121.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,225 MKD 65.7K

$3,082 R$15.7K

-60.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.14 MKD 2,046

$32.98 R$169

15.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.21 MKD 1,996

$28.89 R$148

28.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.0 MKD 4,024

$75.8 R$387

-0.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 MKD 5,983

$41.88 R$214

166.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$286 MKD 15.3K

$435 R$2,225

-34.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 MKD 10.4K

$188 R$962

3.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$573 MKD 30.7K

$800 R$4,091

-28.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$312 MKD 16.7K

$466 R$2,382

-33.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,575 MKD 84.5K

$1,951 R$9,972

-19.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,282 MKD 68.8K

$1,369 R$6,995

-6.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$877 MKD 47.0K

$409 R$2,090

114.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

12.2

-46.72%

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

Last update for Gostivar: July 12, 2026

Last update for Belem: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $286 in Gostivar and $435 in Belem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gostivar pays 114% 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: $24.00 in Gostivar vs $29.00 in Belem for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $207 per month, with Gostivar cheaper across the board.

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

Gostivar vs Belem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Belem is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 114% higher in Gostivar, 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: $286 in Gostivar versus $435 in Belem. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Belem runs roughly 6% less than in Gostivar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $222 in Gostivar versus $101 in Belem. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Belem 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.

Expats usually find Belem gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Gostivar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.