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: $796 in Gostivar versus $772 in Belem.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,194 in Gostivar versus $1,253 in Belem.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,593 in Gostivar versus $1,734 in Belem.

Living in Gostivar is roughly 3% more expensive than Belem, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Gostivar 41% lower, Belem 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.14 MKD 271

$4.43 R$22.14

16.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.16 MKD 1,221

$28.57 R$143

-18.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.15 MKD 271

$6.16 R$30.81

-16.40%

Cappuccino

$1.38 MKD 72.9

$1.59 R$7.98

-13.21%

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

$1.15 MKD 60.4

$0.93 R$4.66

23.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 MKD 57.8

$0.44 R$2.18

150.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.39 MKD 73.5

$1.60 R$8.03

-13.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 MKD 101

$3.70 R$18.53

-48.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 MKD 71.2

$1.16 R$5.80

16.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 MKD 35.23

$2.10 R$10.51

-68.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MKD 78.3

$1.23 R$6.17

21.14%

Eggs

$2.03 MKD 107

$2.02 R$10.10

0.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.60 MKD 348

$10.65 R$53.3

-38.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.58 MKD 294

$3.88 R$19.40

43.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.60 MKD 717

$6.50 R$32.52

109.23%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 MKD 54.4

$1.69 R$8.46

-39.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MKD 73.5

$1.66 R$8.31

-16.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 MKD 66.4

$1.23 R$6.18

2.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 MKD 83.8

$1.45 R$7.27

9.66%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 MKD 48.82

$0.92 R$4.61

1.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 MKD 40.88

$0.56 R$2.81

39.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 MKD 28.96

$1.03 R$5.16

-46.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MKD 28.45

$1.34 R$6.70

-59.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 MKD 148

$2.38 R$11.91

18.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.81 MKD 254

$9.65 R$48.30

-50.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 MKD 51.8

$1.36 R$6.81

-27.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 MKD 78.3

$4.43 R$22.18

-66.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MKD 36.36

$0.69 R$3.44

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.48 MKD 1,079

$21.60 R$108

-5.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 MKD 47.92

$1.05 R$5.24

-13.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 MKD 17.26

$0.72 R$3.58

-54.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.51 MKD 343

$9.12 R$45.63

-28.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 MKD 79.1

$1.08 R$5.40

38.89%

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

$31.5K MKD 1.7M

$16.2K R$80.8K

95.07%

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

$46.3K MKD 2.4M

$28.9K R$144.7K

60.25%

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

$133 MKD 6,998

$110 R$551

20.55%

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

$11.41 MKD 601

$14.40 R$72.0

-20.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.53 MKD 819

$21.23 R$106

-26.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.77 MKD 1,411

$20.77 R$104

28.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.71 R$109

Cinema Ticket

$4.78 MKD 252

$6.32 R$31.64

-24.37%

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

$216 MKD 11.4K

$97.4 R$487

122.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,182 MKD 62.3K

$3,133 R$15.7K

-62.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.45 MKD 1,974

$32.96 R$165

13.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.17 MKD 2,012

$28.72 R$144

32.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.8 MKD 3,997

$75.0 R$375

1.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 MKD 5,838

$41.69 R$209

165.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$283 MKD 14.9K

$442 R$2,213

-36.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$192 MKD 10.1K

$185 R$928

3.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$553 MKD 29.1K

$815 R$4,078

-32.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 MKD 16.3K

$457 R$2,288

-32.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,657 MKD 87.3K

$1,996 R$9,988

-16.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,289 MKD 67.9K

$1,420 R$7,107

-9.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$888 MKD 46.8K

$392 R$1,961

126.60%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Belem: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $283 in Gostivar and $442 in Belem. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gostivar pays 127% 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: $23.00 in Gostivar vs $29.00 in Belem for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $206 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 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Gostivar pays 127% 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: $283 in Gostivar versus $442 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 5% less than in Gostivar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $216 in Gostivar versus $97.4 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 3% less than in Gostivar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.