Cost of Living Comparison Between Gostivar and Bitola Cost of Living Comparison Between Gostivar and Bitola

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $798 in Gostivar versus $883 in Bitola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,195 in Gostivar versus $1,337 in Bitola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,592 in Gostivar versus $1,790 in Bitola.

Living in Gostivar costs roughly 10% less than in Bitola, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Gostivar 41% lower, Bitola 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.13 MKD 272

$5.51 MKD 292

-6.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.07 MKD 1,224

$27.91 MKD 1,481

-17.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 MKD 264

$5.11 MKD 271

-2.54%

Cappuccino

$1.39 MKD 73.5

$1.96 MKD 104

-29.08%

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

$1.16 MKD 61.7

$1.72 MKD 91.2

-32.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MKD 61.0

$1.29 MKD 68.2

-10.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.39 MKD 73.7

$2.20 MKD 117

-36.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 MKD 101

$2.77 MKD 147

-31.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 MKD 71.1

$1.40 MKD 74.3

-4.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 MKD 37.73

$0.68 MKD 35.86

4.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 MKD 81.7

$1.71 MKD 90.6

-9.94%

Eggs

$2.12 MKD 113

$2.04 MKD 108

3.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.39 MKD 339

$10.25 MKD 544

-37.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.52 MKD 293

$7.28 MKD 386

-24.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.64 MKD 724

$13.75 MKD 730

-0.80%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 MKD 56.4

$1.03 MKD 54.7

2.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MKD 76.6

$1.43 MKD 75.8

0.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 MKD 69.9

$1.30 MKD 69.1

1.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 MKD 83.8

$1.63 MKD 86.7

-3.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 MKD 49.73

$0.91 MKD 48.37

3.30%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 MKD 38.34

$1.34 MKD 71.3

-46.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 MKD 28.92

$0.58 MKD 30.88

-6.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MKD 29.78

$0.52 MKD 27.85

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.80 MKD 148

$3.00 MKD 159

-6.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.60 MKD 244

$5.94 MKD 315

-22.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 MKD 51.0

$0.94 MKD 49.99

2.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 MKD 81.1

$1.88 MKD 99.7

-18.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MKD 36.30

$0.54 MKD 28.91

25.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.86 MKD 1,054

$16.73 MKD 888

18.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 MKD 51.7

$1.12 MKD 59.3

-13.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 MKD 18.94

$0.50 MKD 26.48

-28.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.47 MKD 343

$6.74 MKD 357

-4.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 MKD 78.2

$1.43 MKD 75.8

2.80%

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

$31.5K MKD 1.7M

$32.0K MKD 1.7M

-1.49%

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

$46.2K MKD 2.5M

$34.0K MKD 1.8M

36.00%

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

$131 MKD 6,939

$145 MKD 7,695

-9.83%

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

$11.32 MKD 601

$17.86 MKD 948

-36.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.23 MKD 808

$15.58 MKD 826

-2.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.46 MKD 1,404

$24.59 MKD 1,305

7.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.49 MKD 344

Cinema Ticket

$4.79 MKD 254

$4.84 MKD 257

-1.03%

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

$219 MKD 11.6K

-0.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,209 MKD 64.2K

$1,214 MKD 64.4K

-0.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.49 MKD 1,989

$76.2 MKD 4,042

-50.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.20 MKD 2,027

$48.94 MKD 2,597

-21.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.7 MKD 3,908

$75.6 MKD 4,013

-2.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MKD 5,985

$113 MKD 6,013

-0.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$283 MKD 15.0K

$285 MKD 15.1K

-0.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$193 MKD 10.2K

$198 MKD 10.5K

-2.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$555 MKD 29.5K

$591 MKD 31.4K

-6.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 MKD 16.2K

$316 MKD 16.7K

-3.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,656 MKD 87.9K

$1,726 MKD 91.6K

-4.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,252 MKD 66.4K

$1,188 MKD 63.0K

5.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$885 MKD 47.0K

$785 MKD 41.6K

12.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

7.1

-8.45%

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

Last update for Gostivar: June 6, 2026

Last update for Bitola: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $283 in Gostivar and $285 in Bitola. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gostivar pays 13% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $23.00 in Gostivar vs $28.00 in Bitola 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 Bitola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gostivar and Bitola differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($798 vs $883 including rent). Gostivar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Gostivar pays 13% 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 $285 in Bitola. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Bitola. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Gostivar – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $28.00 in Bitola. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Gostivar 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, Gostivar 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 Gostivar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Bitola. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.