Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gostivar and Sofia

For one person, living is cheaper in Gostivar: $835 a month against $1,594 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $9,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

41

Cost of Living Index in Gostivar
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Gostivar Living Index
78

Cost of Living Index in Sofia
Learn more

Sofia Living Index

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Gostivar

🇲🇰 North Macedonia

$835

/mo nomad

Sofia

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,594

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Gostivar and in Sofia

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Gostivar and in Sofia actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $835 in Gostivar versus $1,594 in Sofia.

Gostivar $835
Sofia $1,594

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,262 in Gostivar versus $2,478 in Sofia.

Gostivar $1,262
Sofia $2,478

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,689 in Gostivar versus $3,361 in Sofia.

Gostivar $1,689
Sofia $3,361

Living in Gostivar costs roughly 48% less than in Sofia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Gostivar is 38% below, Sofia is 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.25 MKD 341

$16.87 BGN 29.35

-62.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.92 MKD 1,468

$65.8 BGN 115

-59.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.81 MKD 317

$11.32 BGN 19.69

-48.67%

Cappuccino

$1.39 MKD 75.9

$3.43 BGN 5.98

-59.48%

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

$1.32 MKD 72.2

$2.41 BGN 4.19

-45.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 MKD 58.1

$1.85 BGN 3.22

-42.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.31 MKD 71.5

$3.70 BGN 6.44

-64.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 MKD 96.3

$4.58 BGN 7.97

-61.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MKD 70.2

$2.02 BGN 3.51

-36.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 MKD 40.84

$1.56 BGN 2.72

-51.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 MKD 77.3

$2.33 BGN 4.05

-39.06%

Eggs

$2.46 MKD 134

$4.36 BGN 7.59

-43.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.49 MKD 354

$11.76 BGN 20.47

-44.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.59 MKD 305

$8.83 BGN 15.37

-36.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.35 MKD 783

$17.46 BGN 30.38

-17.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.43 MKD 78.1

$2.15 BGN 3.74

-33.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MKD 75.8

$1.98 BGN 3.44

-29.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 MKD 73.8

$1.93 BGN 3.37

-30.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.78 MKD 97.1

$4.24 BGN 7.37

-58.02%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 MKD 45.18

$1.04 BGN 1.80

-20.19%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 MKD 38.06

$0.85 BGN 1.48

-17.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 MKD 34.74

$1.15 BGN 2.00

-44.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MKD 30.92

$0.89 BGN 1.56

-35.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.76 MKD 150

$4.21 BGN 7.33

-34.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.63 MKD 253

$7.46 BGN 12.98

-37.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 MKD 47.86

$1.15 BGN 2.01

-23.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 MKD 77.1

$1.85 BGN 3.23

-23.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MKD 40.29

$0.87 BGN 1.51

-14.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.14 MKD 1,153

$28.53 BGN 49.65

-25.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 MKD 40.97

$1.68 BGN 2.93

-55.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 MKD 18.33

$0.94 BGN 1.63

-63.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 MKD 423

$15.35 BGN 26.70

-49.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MKD 78.4

$1.69 BGN 2.94

-14.79%

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

$31.9K MKD 1.7M

$29.8K BGN 51.9K

6.90%

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

$27.1K MKD 1.5M

$26.1K BGN 45.5K

3.66%

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

$129 MKD 7,046

$156 BGN 272

-17.25%

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

$10.75 MKD 586

$21.56 BGN 37.52

-50.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 MKD 1,029

$15.24 BGN 26.51

23.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.76 MKD 1,187

$46.08 BGN 80.2

-52.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 MKD 1,022

$27.92 BGN 48.58

-32.92%

Cinema Ticket

$7.10 MKD 387

$10.18 BGN 17.72

-30.26%

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

$362 MKD 19.7K

$774 BGN 1,347

-53.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,736 MKD 312.9K

$12.8K BGN 22.3K

-55.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.91 MKD 2,014

$89.9 BGN 157

-58.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.52 MKD 1,992

$41.29 BGN 71.8

-11.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MKD 5,589

$105 BGN 183

-2.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 MKD 6,252

$107 BGN 186

7.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$275 MKD 15.0K

$783 BGN 1,362

-64.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 MKD 10.6K

$597 BGN 1,038

-67.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$504 MKD 27.5K

$1,516 BGN 2,638

-66.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 MKD 16.3K

$1,030 BGN 1,792

-71.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,525 MKD 83.2K

$4,350 BGN 7,568

-64.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,133 MKD 61.8K

$3,177 BGN 5,528

-64.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$863 MKD 47.1K

$1,735 BGN 3,019

-50.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.23

2.89

46.37%

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

Last update for Gostivar: October 11, 2026

Last update for Sofia: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Gostivar

$194 23.2%

Sofia

$597 37.4% 208% $403

Groceries & Markets

Gostivar

$186 22.3%

Sofia

$290 18.2% 56.3% $105

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Gostivar

$159 19%

Sofia

$193 12.1% 21.5% $34

Clothing & Footwear

Gostivar

$131 15.7%

Sofia

$154 9.7% 18.1% $24

Eating Out

Gostivar

$104 12.4%

Sofia

$255 16% 146% $151

Sport & Entertainment

Gostivar

$36 4.3%

Sofia

$66 4.2% 84.8% $31

Getting Around

Gostivar

$27 3.2%

Sofia

$38 2.4% 44.7% $12

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $275 in Gostivar and $783 in Sofia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sofia pays 101% 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: $27.00 in Gostivar vs $66.0 in Sofia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $186 vs $290 per month, with Gostivar cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇰 Gostivar

🇧🇬 Sofia

🕒 Local time

05:19 5:19 AM

06:19 6:19 AM

1 h ahead of Gostivar

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

36,000

1,286,383 Capital

💱 Currency

North Macedonian Denar MKD ден

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

100 MKD = 1.83 USD

100 MKD = 1.63 EUR

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to MKD – North Macedonian Denar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇰 North Macedonian Denar (ден)

North Macedonian Denar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 54.55 MKD (100 MKD = 1.83 USD). 1 EUR = 61.33 MKD (100 MKD = 1.63 EUR).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

USD to MKD in detail →

On the map

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Gostivar Sofia 220 km

From you

Gostivar
Sofia

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Sofia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gostivar wins on cost – living expenses run 91% lower than in Sofia. 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 101% lower in Sofia. 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: $275 in Gostivar versus $783 in Sofia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $835 per month in Gostivar versus $1,594 in Sofia – a 91% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Gostivar runs roughly 35% less than in Sofia. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $835 in Gostivar versus $1,594 in Sofia, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Gostivar but tight or insufficient in Sofia. 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 $835 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Gostivar hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Gostivar and Sofia 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 91% less than in Sofia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.