Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Gostivar Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Gostivar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $798 in Gostivar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,195 in Gostivar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,592 in Gostivar.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 81% more expensive than Gostivar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Gostivar is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$5.13 MKD 272

153.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$23.07 MKD 1,224

128.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$4.98 MKD 264

89.36%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$1.39 MKD 73.5

156.83%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$1.16 MKD 61.7

38.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$1.15 MKD 61.0

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.39 MKD 73.7

126.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$1.91 MKD 101

154.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.34 MKD 71.1

26.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$0.71 MKD 37.73

271.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.54 MKD 81.7

23.38%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$2.12 MKD 113

19.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$6.39 MKD 339

57.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$5.52 MKD 293

50.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$13.64 MKD 724

-15.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$1.06 MKD 56.4

185.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.44 MKD 76.6

18.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.32 MKD 69.9

55.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.58 MKD 83.8

30.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$0.94 MKD 49.73

119.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$0.72 MKD 38.34

201.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.54 MKD 28.92

159.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.56 MKD 29.78

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$2.80 MKD 148

53.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$4.60 MKD 244

235.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$0.96 MKD 51.0

73.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$1.53 MKD 81.1

141.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.68 MKD 36.30

-44.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$19.86 MKD 1,054

-4.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.97 MKD 51.7

42.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.36 MKD 18.94

-22.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$6.47 MKD 343

-16.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.47 MKD 78.2

-12.93%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$31.5K MKD 1.7M

-39.79%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$46.2K MKD 2.5M

-49.27%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$131 MKD 6,939

-68.63%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$11.32 MKD 601

137.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$15.23 MKD 808

94.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$26.46 MKD 1,404

97.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$4.79 MKD 254

29.02%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$219 MKD 11.6K

95.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$1,209 MKD 64.2K

784.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$37.49 MKD 1,989

51.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$38.20 MKD 2,027

17.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$73.7 MKD 3,908

41.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$113 MKD 5,985

-6.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$283 MKD 15.0K

251.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$193 MKD 10.2K

222.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$555 MKD 29.5K

283.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$305 MKD 16.2K

311.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$1,656 MKD 87.9K

135.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$1,252 MKD 66.4K

67.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$885 MKD 47.0K

25.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.5

74.46%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Gostivar: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $283 in Gostivar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 25% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $23.00 in Gostivar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $180 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

Mexico City vs Gostivar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gostivar wins on cost – living expenses run 81% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Gostivar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Mexico City pays 25% 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $283 in Gostivar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,447 per month in Mexico City versus $798 in Gostivar – a 81% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Gostivar runs roughly 4% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $798 in Gostivar versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Gostivar but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. 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 81% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.