Cost of Living Comparison Between Gostivar and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Gostivar and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $877 in Gostivar versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,294 in Gostivar versus $2,078 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,712 in Gostivar versus $2,896 in Phuket.

Living in Gostivar costs roughly 30% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Gostivar 36% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.40 MKD 336

$4.43 ฿145

44.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.89 MKD 1,462

$35.07 ฿1,151

-20.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.01 MKD 315

$8.96 ฿294

-32.92%

Cappuccino

$1.44 MKD 75.7

$3.00 ฿98.4

-52.00%

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

$1.39 MKD 73.0

$0.77 ฿25.33

80.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 MKD 57.5

$0.47 ฿15.44

134.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 MKD 71.3

$2.40 ฿78.6

-43.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 MKD 97.6

$3.75 ฿123

-50.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 MKD 69.8

$1.82 ฿59.8

-26.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 MKD 38.03

$1.42 ฿46.65

-48.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 MKD 77.1

$1.55 ฿50.8

-5.16%

Eggs

$2.51 MKD 131

$2.13 ฿69.9

17.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.48 MKD 340

$19.76 ฿648

-67.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.54 MKD 291

$3.48 ฿114

59.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.23 MKD 746

$11.09 ฿364

28.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.47 MKD 76.9

$2.91 ฿95.5

-49.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 MKD 77.1

$1.66 ฿54.6

-11.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 MKD 71.7

$2.27 ฿74.5

-39.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 MKD 101

$2.10 ฿68.8

-8.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 MKD 45.12

$1.47 ฿48.24

-41.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 MKD 37.91

$1.41 ฿46.29

-48.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 MKD 31.46

$1.09 ฿35.78

-44.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MKD 30.25

$0.54 ฿17.58

7.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.88 MKD 151

$4.48 ฿147

-35.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.70 MKD 246

$18.72 ฿614

-74.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 MKD 48.16

$1.84 ฿60.4

-50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 MKD 77.5

$2.95 ฿96.7

-49.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MKD 39.67

$2.26 ฿74.1

-66.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MKD 1,132

$23.07 ฿757

-6.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 MKD 40.30

$3.04 ฿99.9

-74.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 MKD 17.95

$1.09 ฿35.82

-68.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.60 MKD 398

$3.82 ฿125

98.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 MKD 78.7

$1.49 ฿48.79

0.67%

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

$33.6K MKD 1.8M

$27.4K ฿900.3K

22.42%

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

$28.2K MKD 1.5M

$27.5K ฿902.7K

2.36%

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

$134 MKD 7,028

$102 ฿3,340

31.67%

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

$11.27 MKD 591

$11.28 ฿370

-0.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.53 MKD 1,024

$17.75 ฿582

10.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.73 MKD 1,454

$54.2 ฿1,777

-48.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.90 MKD 886

$10.96 ฿360

54.20%

Cinema Ticket

$6.93 MKD 363

$7.85 ฿258

-11.72%

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

$383 MKD 20.1K

$577 ฿18.9K

-33.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,550 MKD 291.0K

$11.6K ฿381.6K

-52.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.29 MKD 1,955

$65.4 ฿2,144

-42.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.33 MKD 2,010

$28.89 ฿948

32.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 MKD 5,639

$99.1 ฿3,250

8.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 MKD 6,133

$90.3 ฿2,961

29.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 MKD 15.0K

$756 ฿24.8K

-62.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$206 MKD 10.8K

$487 ฿16.0K

-57.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$451 MKD 23.6K

$2,085 ฿68.4K

-78.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 MKD 16.0K

$1,207 ฿39.6K

-74.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,651 MKD 86.6K

$3,591 ฿117.8K

-54.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,286 MKD 67.4K

$2,610 ฿85.6K

-50.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$889 MKD 46.6K

$502 ฿16.5K

76.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

5.57

-23.70%

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

Last update for Gostivar: August 16, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $285 in Gostivar and $756 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gostivar pays 77% 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 $35.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $272 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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gostivar wins on cost – living expenses run 44% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Gostivar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 77% 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: $285 in Gostivar versus $756 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $877 per month in Gostivar versus $1,261 in Phuket – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Gostivar runs roughly 7% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $877 in Gostivar versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Gostivar but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Gostivar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Gostivar delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $877 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Gostivar hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Gostivar and Phuket 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 44% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.