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: $868 in Gostivar versus $882 in Bitola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,295 in Gostivar versus $1,326 in Bitola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,721 in Gostivar versus $1,771 in Bitola.

Living in Gostivar costs roughly 2% less than in Bitola, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Gostivar 37% lower, Bitola 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.51 MKD 346

$5.57 MKD 296

16.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.17 MKD 1,498

$27.82 MKD 1,479

1.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.07 MKD 323

$5.38 MKD 286

12.83%

Cappuccino

$1.39 MKD 74.0

$2.01 MKD 107

-30.85%

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

$1.38 MKD 73.2

$1.77 MKD 94.1

-22.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 MKD 58.6

$1.48 MKD 78.5

-25.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.33 MKD 70.7

$2.19 MKD 116

-39.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 MKD 103

$2.61 MKD 139

-26.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 MKD 70.7

$1.36 MKD 72.3

-2.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 MKD 39.04

$0.70 MKD 37.23

4.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 MKD 78.4

$1.75 MKD 93.3

-16.00%

Eggs

$2.46 MKD 131

$2.00 MKD 106

23.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.50 MKD 345

$10.37 MKD 552

-37.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.72 MKD 304

$7.31 MKD 389

-21.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.27 MKD 812

$13.45 MKD 715

13.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.46 MKD 77.9

$1.03 MKD 54.8

41.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MKD 76.6

$1.38 MKD 73.5

4.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 MKD 71.7

$1.30 MKD 69.0

3.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 MKD 98.8

$1.54 MKD 82.1

20.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 MKD 47.32

$0.91 MKD 48.14

-2.20%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 MKD 38.29

$1.37 MKD 72.9

-47.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 MKD 32.02

$0.57 MKD 30.35

5.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MKD 31.20

$0.50 MKD 26.83

18.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 MKD 154

$3.35 MKD 178

-13.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.60 MKD 245

$5.91 MKD 314

-22.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 MKD 51.4

$0.99 MKD 52.5

-2.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 MKD 77.7

$1.85 MKD 98.6

-21.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MKD 36.33

$0.54 MKD 28.48

25.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.14 MKD 1,337

$16.70 MKD 888

50.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 MKD 41.81

$1.15 MKD 61.2

-31.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 MKD 18.24

$0.63 MKD 33.60

-46.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 MKD 417

$6.44 MKD 343

21.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MKD 81.8

$1.46 MKD 77.9

5.48%

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

$33.5K MKD 1.8M

$32.4K MKD 1.7M

3.18%

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

$28.6K MKD 1.5M

$34.5K MKD 1.8M

-16.92%

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

$131 MKD 6,951

$152 MKD 8,088

-14.05%

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

$11.29 MKD 600

$14.81 MKD 787

-23.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.88 MKD 1,004

$13.25 MKD 705

42.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.62 MKD 1,362

$21.99 MKD 1,169

16.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 MKD 1,018

$6.53 MKD 347

193.11%

Cinema Ticket

$7.63 MKD 406

$4.65 MKD 247

64.09%

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

$366 MKD 19.5K

$218 MKD 11.6K

68.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,823 MKD 309.6K

$1,181 MKD 62.8K

393.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.84 MKD 2,012

$76.9 MKD 4,090

-50.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.88 MKD 1,961

$47.90 MKD 2,548

-23.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 MKD 5,636

$76.3 MKD 4,060

38.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 MKD 6,137

$112 MKD 5,958

3.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$271 MKD 14.4K

$266 MKD 14.1K

1.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$195 MKD 10.4K

$195 MKD 10.3K

0.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 MKD 25.1K

$415 MKD 22.1K

13.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$304 MKD 16.1K

$301 MKD 16.0K

0.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,532 MKD 81.5K

$1,774 MKD 94.3K

-13.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,155 MKD 61.4K

$1,204 MKD 64.0K

-4.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$882 MKD 46.9K

$780 MKD 41.5K

13.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.23

6.45

-34.42%

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

Last update for Gostivar: September 12, 2026

Last update for Bitola: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $271 in Gostivar and $266 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: $28.00 in Gostivar vs $28.00 in Bitola for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $191 vs $204 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 2% in total monthly costs ($868 vs $882 including rent). Gostivar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 13% 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: $271 in Gostivar versus $266 in Bitola. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% 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 $28.00 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 2% less than in Bitola. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.