Cost of Living Comparison Between Gostivar and Skopje Cost of Living Comparison Between Gostivar and Skopje

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $822 in Gostivar versus $1,083 in Skopje.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,201 in Gostivar versus $1,616 in Skopje.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,580 in Gostivar versus $2,149 in Skopje.

Living in Gostivar costs roughly 24% less than in Skopje, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Gostivar 39% lower, Skopje 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.31 MKD 279

$7.47 MKD 392

-28.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.13 MKD 1,215

$34.48 MKD 1,811

-32.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.13 MKD 270

$6.60 MKD 347

-22.27%

Cappuccino

$1.44 MKD 75.6

$2.29 MKD 120

-37.12%

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

$1.12 MKD 58.7

$1.96 MKD 103

-42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MKD 60.8

$1.29 MKD 67.7

-10.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.39 MKD 72.9

$2.57 MKD 135

-45.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 MKD 98.0

$3.30 MKD 173

-43.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 MKD 70.1

$1.34 MKD 70.2

-0.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 MKD 36.11

$0.77 MKD 40.27

-10.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 MKD 77.3

$1.69 MKD 88.7

-13.02%

Eggs

$2.03 MKD 106

$2.25 MKD 118

-9.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.76 MKD 355

$8.97 MKD 471

-24.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.73 MKD 301

$8.11 MKD 426

-29.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.63 MKD 716

$13.90 MKD 730

-1.94%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 MKD 54.6

$1.02 MKD 53.8

1.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MKD 72.9

$1.36 MKD 71.6

2.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.24 MKD 65.2

$1.36 MKD 71.6

-8.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 MKD 83.5

$2.16 MKD 113

-26.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 MKD 49.16

$0.84 MKD 43.97

11.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 MKD 38.45

$0.98 MKD 51.6

-25.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 MKD 28.03

$0.71 MKD 37.33

-25.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MKD 29.72

$0.55 MKD 29.07

3.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 MKD 149

$3.20 MKD 168

-11.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.81 MKD 253

$7.53 MKD 395

-36.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 MKD 50.8

$1.05 MKD 55.4

-7.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 MKD 80.3

$1.58 MKD 82.7

-3.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MKD 35.76

$0.78 MKD 40.77

-12.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.01 MKD 1,051

$28.32 MKD 1,487

-29.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 MKD 49.93

$0.92 MKD 48.09

3.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 MKD 17.23

$0.50 MKD 26.15

-34.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.61 MKD 347

$7.32 MKD 384

-9.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 MKD 78.7

$1.54 MKD 80.7

-2.60%

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

$31.9K MKD 1.7M

$34.4K MKD 1.8M

-7.22%

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

$47.5K MKD 2.5M

$30.0K MKD 1.6M

58.62%

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

$134 MKD 7,013

$160 MKD 8,423

-16.75%

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

$11.12 MKD 584

$18.02 MKD 947

-38.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.29 MKD 803

$19.00 MKD 998

-19.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.10 MKD 1,371

$39.49 MKD 2,074

-33.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.78 MKD 934

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MKD 253

$6.38 MKD 335

-24.61%

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

$222 MKD 11.6K

$322 MKD 16.9K

-31.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,184 MKD 62.2K

$4,517 MKD 237.2K

-73.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.77 MKD 1,984

$78.5 MKD 4,120

-51.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.22 MKD 1,955

$39.91 MKD 2,096

-6.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.2 MKD 4,004

$101 MKD 5,306

-24.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MKD 5,925

$110 MKD 5,790

2.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$283 MKD 14.9K

$423 MKD 22.2K

-33.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$197 MKD 10.4K

$311 MKD 16.3K

-36.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 MKD 29.9K

$626 MKD 32.9K

-9.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$312 MKD 16.4K

$465 MKD 24.4K

-33.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,627 MKD 85.5K

$2,841 MKD 149.2K

-42.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,207 MKD 63.4K

$1,883 MKD 98.9K

-35.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$903 MKD 47.4K

$888 MKD 46.6K

1.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

4.54

43.17%

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

Last update for Gostivar: April 26, 2026

Last update for Skopje: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $283 in Gostivar and $423 in Skopje. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gostivar pays 2% 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 $34.00 in Skopje for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $181 vs $213 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 Skopje: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gostivar wins on cost – living expenses run 32% lower than in Skopje. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Gostivar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Gostivar pays 2% 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 $423 in Skopje. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $822 per month in Gostivar versus $1,083 in Skopje – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Gostivar runs roughly 42% less than in Skopje. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $822 in Gostivar versus $1,083 in Skopje, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Gostivar but tight or insufficient in Skopje. 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 $822 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Gostivar hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Gostivar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Skopje. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.