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: $863 in Gostivar versus $910 in Belem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,329 in Gostivar versus $1,369 in Belem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,795 in Gostivar versus $1,828 in Belem.

Living in Gostivar costs roughly 5% less than in Belem, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Gostivar 37% lower, Belem 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.67 MKD 352

$4.79 R$24.42

39.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.70 MKD 1,513

$19.23 R$98.1

49.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.08 MKD 321

$6.91 R$35.22

-12.01%

Cappuccino

$1.38 MKD 73.0

$1.92 R$9.79

-28.13%

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

$1.40 MKD 73.9

$0.98 R$4.99

42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MKD 60.7

$0.47 R$2.39

144.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 MKD 71.0

$1.51 R$7.70

-10.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 MKD 98.7

$2.36 R$12.05

-20.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 MKD 70.5

$1.29 R$6.57

3.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 MKD 38.80

$2.48 R$12.65

-70.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 MKD 77.6

$1.33 R$6.78

10.53%

Eggs

$2.50 MKD 132

$2.17 R$11.05

15.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.74 MKD 355

$8.71 R$44.42

-22.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.50 MKD 290

$4.31 R$21.99

27.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.01 MKD 792

$7.25 R$36.95

107.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.45 MKD 76.3

$2.32 R$11.81

-37.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MKD 78.6

$1.38 R$7.03

7.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 MKD 75.1

$1.39 R$7.11

2.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 MKD 97.9

$1.60 R$8.18

16.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 MKD 45.48

$1.00 R$5.12

-14.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 MKD 41.31

$0.56 R$2.86

39.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 MKD 34.15

$1.27 R$6.47

-48.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MKD 28.97

$1.42 R$7.22

-61.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 MKD 154

$2.64 R$13.47

10.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.62 MKD 244

$9.54 R$48.65

-51.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 MKD 50.4

$1.38 R$7.03

-30.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 MKD 78.4

$4.95 R$25.24

-69.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MKD 40.11

$0.91 R$4.62

-16.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.30 MKD 1,334

$34.15 R$174

-25.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 MKD 40.89

$1.15 R$5.84

-32.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 MKD 17.96

$1.15 R$5.86

-70.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.04 MKD 424

$8.37 R$42.68

-3.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MKD 81.7

$1.24 R$6.31

25.00%

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

$33.8K MKD 1.8M

$23.0K R$117.5K

46.49%

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

$28.0K MKD 1.5M

$30.7K R$156.7K

-8.75%

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

$131 MKD 6,920

$95.5 R$487

37.40%

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

$11.45 MKD 604

$11.18 R$57.0

2.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.56 MKD 1,031

$30.00 R$153

-34.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.43 MKD 1,499

$21.31 R$109

33.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.65 MKD 1,089

$38.83 R$198

-46.82%

Cinema Ticket

$7.26 MKD 383

$7.86 R$40.07

-7.63%

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

$377 MKD 19.9K

$107 R$547

250.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,491 MKD 289.5K

$3,321 R$16.9K

65.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.80 MKD 1,993

$31.77 R$162

18.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.20 MKD 1,962

$43.20 R$220

-13.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 MKD 5,770

$80.4 R$410

36.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 MKD 6,175

$65.0 R$332

80.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 MKD 14.9K

$511 R$2,604

-44.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$201 MKD 10.6K

$272 R$1,387

-26.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$462 MKD 24.3K

$843 R$4,301

-45.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 MKD 16.1K

$507 R$2,586

-39.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,572 MKD 82.9K

$1,941 R$9,900

-19.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 MKD 63.9K

$1,394 R$7,107

-13.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$903 MKD 47.6K

$407 R$2,074

122.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

11.48

-62.98%

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

Last update for Gostivar: August 31, 2026

Last update for Belem: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $282 in Gostivar and $511 in Belem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gostivar pays 122% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $29.00 in Gostivar vs $19.00 in Belem. Groceries flip the comparison at $191 vs $217, with Gostivar 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

Gostivar vs Belem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gostivar is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 122% 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: $282 in Gostivar versus $511 in Belem. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Gostivar runs roughly 35% less than in Belem. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $377 in Gostivar versus $107 in Belem. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $863 in Gostivar versus $910 in Belem, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Gostivar but tight or insufficient in Belem. The gap between the two cities makes Gostivar 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.

Expats usually find Gostivar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Belem. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.