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: $868 in Gostivar versus $1,143 in Skopje.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,295 in Gostivar versus $1,720 in Skopje.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,721 in Gostivar versus $2,296 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 37% lower, Skopje 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.51 MKD 346

$9.35 MKD 497

-30.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.17 MKD 1,498

$35.06 MKD 1,864

-19.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.07 MKD 323

$6.78 MKD 360

-10.47%

Cappuccino

$1.39 MKD 74.0

$2.18 MKD 116

-36.24%

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

$1.38 MKD 73.2

$1.90 MKD 101

-27.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 MKD 58.6

$1.36 MKD 72.5

-19.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.33 MKD 70.7

$2.76 MKD 147

-51.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 MKD 103

$3.35 MKD 178

-42.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 MKD 70.7

$1.26 MKD 67.2

5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 MKD 39.04

$0.81 MKD 43.24

-9.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 MKD 78.4

$1.89 MKD 101

-22.22%

Eggs

$2.46 MKD 131

$2.52 MKD 134

-2.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.50 MKD 345

$8.49 MKD 452

-23.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.72 MKD 304

$7.38 MKD 393

-22.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.27 MKD 812

$15.17 MKD 807

0.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.46 MKD 77.9

$1.47 MKD 78.1

-0.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MKD 76.6

$1.42 MKD 75.3

1.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 MKD 71.7

$1.35 MKD 71.6

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 MKD 98.8

$2.10 MKD 112

-11.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 MKD 47.32

$0.85 MKD 45.28

4.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 MKD 38.29

$0.81 MKD 43.02

-11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 MKD 32.02

$0.64 MKD 33.94

-6.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MKD 31.20

$0.61 MKD 32.55

-3.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 MKD 154

$3.47 MKD 184

-16.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.60 MKD 245

$7.33 MKD 390

-37.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 MKD 51.4

$1.06 MKD 56.2

-8.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 MKD 77.7

$1.52 MKD 81.0

-3.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MKD 36.33

$0.77 MKD 40.88

-11.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.14 MKD 1,337

$28.58 MKD 1,520

-12.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 MKD 41.81

$1.15 MKD 61.0

-31.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 MKD 18.24

$0.62 MKD 33.22

-45.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 MKD 417

$7.97 MKD 424

-1.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MKD 81.8

$1.59 MKD 84.3

-3.14%

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

$33.5K MKD 1.8M

$36.7K MKD 1.9M

-8.73%

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

$28.6K MKD 1.5M

$28.4K MKD 1.5M

0.67%

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

$131 MKD 6,951

$160 MKD 8,502

-18.24%

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

$11.29 MKD 600

$18.86 MKD 1,003

-40.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.88 MKD 1,004

$19.61 MKD 1,043

-3.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.62 MKD 1,362

$36.62 MKD 1,947

-30.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 MKD 1,018

$17.67 MKD 940

8.32%

Cinema Ticket

$7.63 MKD 406

$7.73 MKD 411

-1.29%

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

$366 MKD 19.5K

$364 MKD 19.4K

0.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,823 MKD 309.6K

$5,701 MKD 303.2K

2.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.84 MKD 2,012

$88.4 MKD 4,702

-57.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.88 MKD 1,961

$38.29 MKD 2,036

-3.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 MKD 5,636

$107 MKD 5,690

-0.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 MKD 6,137

$119 MKD 6,307

-2.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$271 MKD 14.4K

$439 MKD 23.3K

-38.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$195 MKD 10.4K

$332 MKD 17.7K

-41.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 MKD 25.1K

$763 MKD 40.6K

-38.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$304 MKD 16.1K

$522 MKD 27.8K

-41.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,532 MKD 81.5K

$2,748 MKD 146.1K

-44.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,155 MKD 61.4K

$1,838 MKD 97.7K

-37.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$882 MKD 46.9K

$920 MKD 48.9K

-4.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.23

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

Last update for Gostivar: September 12, 2026

Last update for Skopje: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $271 in Gostivar and $439 in Skopje. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Skopje pays 4% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $28.00 in Gostivar vs $35.00 in Skopje for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $191 vs $215 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.

On paper, salaries run 4% lower in Skopje. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $271 in Gostivar versus $439 in Skopje. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $868 per month in Gostivar versus $1,143 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 14% less than in Skopje. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $868 in Gostivar versus $1,143 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 $868 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.