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: $813 in Gostivar versus $880 in Bitola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,191 in Gostivar versus $1,333 in Bitola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,570 in Gostivar versus $1,787 in Bitola.

Living in Gostivar costs roughly 8% less than in Bitola, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Gostivar 39% lower, Bitola 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.19 MKD 277

$5.56 MKD 297

-6.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.38 MKD 1,250

$28.29 MKD 1,512

-17.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.03 MKD 269

$5.14 MKD 275

-2.14%

Cappuccino

$1.44 MKD 76.7

$1.91 MKD 102

-24.61%

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

$1.15 MKD 61.5

$1.76 MKD 94.0

-34.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MKD 61.7

$1.26 MKD 67.5

-7.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 MKD 72.1

$2.23 MKD 119

-39.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 MKD 98.4

$2.74 MKD 146

-32.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 MKD 75.2

$1.35 MKD 72.0

4.44%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 MKD 35.64

$0.68 MKD 36.18

-1.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 MKD 82.3

$1.76 MKD 94.1

-12.50%

Eggs

$2.09 MKD 112

$2.01 MKD 108

3.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.66 MKD 356

$10.03 MKD 536

-33.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 MKD 310

$7.39 MKD 395

-21.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 MKD 720

$13.74 MKD 734

-1.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.08 MKD 57.6

$1.07 MKD 57.0

0.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 MKD 76.1

$1.39 MKD 74.2

2.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 MKD 67.2

$1.26 MKD 67.4

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 MKD 87.3

$1.62 MKD 86.7

0.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 MKD 52.4

$0.94 MKD 50.2

4.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 MKD 41.92

$1.35 MKD 72.0

-42.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 MKD 28.80

$0.58 MKD 31.07

-6.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MKD 29.94

$0.56 MKD 29.99

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.78 MKD 148

$2.94 MKD 157

-5.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.71 MKD 252

$6.16 MKD 329

-23.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 MKD 48.36

$1.00 MKD 53.4

-10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 MKD 82.2

$1.89 MKD 101

-18.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 MKD 33.61

$0.57 MKD 30.48

10.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.00 MKD 1,069

$16.81 MKD 899

18.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 MKD 49.59

$1.16 MKD 62.0

-19.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 MKD 18.79

$0.49 MKD 26.21

-28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.60 MKD 353

$6.52 MKD 348

1.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MKD 77.2

$1.48 MKD 79.0

-2.70%

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

$31.9K MKD 1.7M

$32.1K MKD 1.7M

-0.56%

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

$46.2K MKD 2.5M

$33.5K MKD 1.8M

37.69%

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

$132 MKD 7,079

$143 MKD 7,654

-7.52%

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

$11.05 MKD 590

$17.64 MKD 943

-37.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.45 MKD 826

$15.37 MKD 822

0.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.09 MKD 1,394

$24.06 MKD 1,286

8.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.73 MKD 360

Cinema Ticket

$4.67 MKD 250

$4.77 MKD 255

-2.10%

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

$218 MKD 11.7K

$221 MKD 11.8K

-1.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,197 MKD 64.0K

$1,221 MKD 65.2K

-1.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.51 MKD 2,004

$77.2 MKD 4,124

-51.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.26 MKD 2,045

$47.66 MKD 2,547

-19.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 MKD 3,964

$75.5 MKD 4,033

-1.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 MKD 6,093

$114 MKD 6,103

-0.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$280 MKD 15.0K

$282 MKD 15.1K

-0.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$193 MKD 10.3K

$194 MKD 10.4K

-0.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 MKD 30.4K

$597 MKD 31.9K

-4.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 MKD 16.8K

0.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,584 MKD 84.6K

$1,698 MKD 90.7K

-6.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,238 MKD 66.1K

$1,179 MKD 63.0K

4.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$887 MKD 47.4K

$762 MKD 40.7K

16.42%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bitola: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $280 in Gostivar and $282 in Bitola. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gostivar pays 16% 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 $182 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 8% in total monthly costs ($813 vs $880 including rent). Gostivar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 16% 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: $280 in Gostivar versus $282 in Bitola. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% 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 8% less than in Bitola. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.