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: $798 in Gostivar versus $1,105 in Skopje.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,195 in Gostivar versus $1,631 in Skopje.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,592 in Gostivar versus $2,156 in Skopje.

Living in Gostivar costs roughly 28% less than in Skopje, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Gostivar 41% lower, Skopje 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.13 MKD 272

$7.49 MKD 397

-31.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.07 MKD 1,224

$34.48 MKD 1,830

-33.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 MKD 264

$6.75 MKD 358

-26.22%

Cappuccino

$1.39 MKD 73.5

$2.30 MKD 122

-39.57%

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

$1.16 MKD 61.7

$2.01 MKD 106

-42.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MKD 61.0

$1.29 MKD 68.3

-10.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.39 MKD 73.7

$2.60 MKD 138

-46.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 MKD 101

$3.30 MKD 175

-42.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 MKD 71.1

$1.34 MKD 71.0

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 MKD 37.73

$0.77 MKD 41.09

-7.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 MKD 81.7

$1.68 MKD 89.2

-8.33%

Eggs

$2.12 MKD 113

$2.19 MKD 116

-3.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.39 MKD 339

$9.35 MKD 496

-31.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.52 MKD 293

$7.76 MKD 412

-28.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.64 MKD 724

$13.48 MKD 715

1.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 MKD 56.4

$1.07 MKD 56.7

-0.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MKD 76.6

$1.42 MKD 75.3

1.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 MKD 69.9

$1.38 MKD 73.2

-4.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 MKD 83.8

$2.08 MKD 110

-24.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 MKD 49.73

$0.88 MKD 46.94

6.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 MKD 38.34

$0.93 MKD 49.41

-22.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 MKD 28.92

$0.69 MKD 36.58

-21.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MKD 29.78

$0.56 MKD 29.71

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.80 MKD 148

$3.10 MKD 164

-9.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.60 MKD 244

$7.29 MKD 387

-36.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 MKD 51.0

$1.11 MKD 59.0

-13.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 MKD 81.1

$1.52 MKD 80.6

0.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MKD 36.30

$0.78 MKD 41.46

-12.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.86 MKD 1,054

$28.09 MKD 1,491

-29.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 MKD 51.7

$0.96 MKD 51.1

1.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 MKD 18.94

$0.50 MKD 26.27

-28.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.47 MKD 343

$7.68 MKD 407

-15.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 MKD 78.2

$1.49 MKD 78.8

-1.34%

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

$31.5K MKD 1.7M

$33.4K MKD 1.8M

-5.61%

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

$46.2K MKD 2.5M

$29.1K MKD 1.5M

58.76%

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

$131 MKD 6,939

$159 MKD 8,449

-17.87%

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

$11.32 MKD 601

$18.34 MKD 973

-38.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.23 MKD 808

$19.12 MKD 1,015

-20.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.46 MKD 1,404

$39.05 MKD 2,072

-32.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.56 MKD 932

Cinema Ticket

$4.79 MKD 254

$6.47 MKD 343

-25.97%

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

$219 MKD 11.6K

$321 MKD 17.0K

-31.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,209 MKD 64.2K

$4,590 MKD 243.5K

-73.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.49 MKD 1,989

$78.4 MKD 4,161

-52.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.20 MKD 2,027

$39.02 MKD 2,070

-2.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.7 MKD 3,908

$100 MKD 5,328

-26.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MKD 5,985

$113 MKD 5,970

0.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$283 MKD 15.0K

$429 MKD 22.7K

-34.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$193 MKD 10.2K

$313 MKD 16.6K

-38.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$555 MKD 29.5K

$645 MKD 34.2K

-13.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 MKD 16.2K

$455 MKD 24.1K

-33.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,656 MKD 87.9K

$2,768 MKD 146.9K

-40.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,252 MKD 66.4K

$1,796 MKD 95.3K

-30.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$885 MKD 47.0K

$880 MKD 46.7K

0.53%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Skopje: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $283 in Gostivar and $429 in Skopje. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gostivar pays 1% 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 $180 vs $211 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 38% 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 1% 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 $429 in Skopje. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $798 per month in Gostivar versus $1,105 in Skopje – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Gostivar runs roughly 41% less than in Skopje. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $798 in Gostivar versus $1,105 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 $798 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 38% less than in Skopje. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.