Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gostivar and Zhongshan

For one person, living is cheaper in Zhongshan: $695 a month against $830 in Gostivar, rent and utilities included – about $1,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Gostivar outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

40

Cost of Living Index in Gostivar
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Gostivar Living Index
34

Cost of Living Index in Zhongshan
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Zhongshan Living Index

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Gostivar

🇲🇰 North Macedonia

$830

/mo nomad

Zhongshan

🇨🇳 China

$695

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Gostivar and in Zhongshan

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 Zhongshan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $830 in Gostivar versus $695 in Zhongshan.

Gostivar $830
Zhongshan $695

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,259 in Gostivar versus $1,110 in Zhongshan.

Gostivar $1,259
Zhongshan $1,110

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,687 in Gostivar versus $1,525 in Zhongshan.

Gostivar $1,687
Zhongshan $1,525

Living in Gostivar is roughly 19% more expensive than in Zhongshan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities sit below the global median: Gostivar 39% lower, Zhongshan 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.22 MKD 339

$3.01 ¥20.14

106.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.95 MKD 1,470

$24.23 ¥162

11.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.86 MKD 320

$4.45 ¥29.76

31.69%

Cappuccino

$1.34 MKD 73.3

$2.83 ¥18.91

-52.65%

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

$1.34 MKD 73.3

$0.47 ¥3.11

185.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MKD 60.7

$0.29 ¥1.91

282.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.31 MKD 71.4

$0.77 ¥5.13

70.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 MKD 96.3

$1.80 ¥12.05

-2.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 MKD 66.8

$1.53 ¥10.26

-20.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 MKD 41.14

$1.64 ¥10.99

-54.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MKD 81.0

$0.68 ¥4.56

119.12%

Eggs

$2.41 MKD 132

$1.24 ¥8.29

94.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.41 MKD 350

$20.87 ¥140

-69.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.36 MKD 292

$2.80 ¥18.72

91.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.79 MKD 807

$13.54 ¥90.5

9.23%

Apples (1kg)

$1.46 MKD 79.9

$2.14 ¥14.34

-31.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MKD 78.4

$1.08 ¥7.20

33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 MKD 75.0

$0.68 ¥4.56

102.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 MKD 101

$1.46 ¥9.76

26.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 MKD 45.88

$0.58 ¥3.89

44.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 MKD 38.18

$0.72 ¥4.84

-2.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 MKD 33.90

$0.43 ¥2.86

44.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MKD 30.14

$0.53 ¥3.56

3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.74 MKD 150

$2.93 ¥19.58

-6.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.66 MKD 254

$11.80 ¥78.9

-60.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 MKD 51.4

$0.69 ¥4.62

36.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 MKD 81.4

$1.81 ¥12.12

-17.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 MKD 40.97

$0.29 ¥1.91

158.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.65 MKD 1,290

$15.11 ¥101

56.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.80 MKD 43.38

$1.45 ¥9.68

-44.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 MKD 16.84

$0.41 ¥2.75

-24.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.38 MKD 403

$7.01 ¥46.88

5.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 MKD 81.8

$1.30 ¥8.70

15.38%

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

$31.6K MKD 1.7M

$19.6K ¥131.2K

61.02%

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

$27.2K MKD 1.5M

$18.2K ¥121.6K

49.26%

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

$125 MKD 6,812

$40.99 ¥274

204.64%

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

$11.02 MKD 601

$10.15 ¥67.9

8.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.95 MKD 1,033

$12.59 ¥84.2

50.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.49 MKD 1,172

$67.0 ¥448

-67.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.38 MKD 948

$7.62 ¥50.9

128.08%

Cinema Ticket

$7.21 MKD 393

$5.81 ¥38.88

24.10%

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

$361 MKD 19.7K

$317 ¥2,117

14.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,623 MKD 306.7K

$13.4K ¥89.4K

-57.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MKD 2,014

$48.42 ¥324

-23.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.48 MKD 1,990

$39.64 ¥265

-7.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 MKD 5,456

$59.9 ¥401

66.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 MKD 6,017

$75.5 ¥505

46.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$269 MKD 14.7K

$210 ¥1,407

28.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$193 MKD 10.5K

$125 ¥834

54.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$494 MKD 26.9K

$376 ¥2,517

31.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$304 MKD 16.6K

$217 ¥1,453

39.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,512 MKD 82.5K

$2,531 ¥16.9K

-40.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,167 MKD 63.7K

$1,509 ¥10.1K

-22.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$852 MKD 46.5K

$956 ¥6,391

-10.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.23

3.35

26.27%

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

Last update for Gostivar: October 19, 2026

Last update for Zhongshan: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Gostivar

$193 23.3%

Zhongshan

$125 17.9% 35.4% $68

Groceries & Markets

Gostivar

$186 22.5%

Zhongshan

$226 32.5% 21.1% $39

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Gostivar

$155 18.7%

Zhongshan

$64 9.2% 58.8% $91

Clothing & Footwear

Gostivar

$128 15.4%

Zhongshan

$101 14.5% 21.2% $27

Eating Out

Gostivar

$103 12.5%

Zhongshan

$82 11.8% 20.8% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Gostivar

$36 4.3%

Zhongshan

$79 11.3% 119% $43

Getting Around

Gostivar

$29 3.5%

Zhongshan

$20 2.8% 31.8% $9.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $269 in Gostivar and $210 in Zhongshan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zhongshan pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $27.00 in Gostivar vs $24.00 in Zhongshan. Groceries flip the comparison at $186 vs $226, with Gostivar cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇲🇰 Gostivar

🇨🇳 Zhongshan

🕒 Local time

17:02 5:02 PM

23:02 11:02 PM

6 h ahead of Gostivar

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

36,000

3,209,600

💱 Currency

North Macedonian Denar MKD ден

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

100 MKD = 1.83 USD

100 MKD = 1.63 EUR

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇰 North Macedonian Denar (ден)

North Macedonian Denar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 54.55 MKD (100 MKD = 1.83 USD). 1 EUR = 61.33 MKD (100 MKD = 1.63 EUR).

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.52 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

USD to MKD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Gostivar Zhongshan 8,560 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Gostivar
Zhongshan

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 Zhongshan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zhongshan wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Gostivar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Zhongshan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 12% lower in Zhongshan. 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: $269 in Gostivar versus $210 in Zhongshan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $830 per month in Gostivar versus $695 in Zhongshan – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Zhongshan runs roughly 57% less than in Gostivar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Zhongshan gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Zhongshan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Gostivar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.