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: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $868 in Gostivar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,295 in Gostivar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,721 in Gostivar.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 91% more expensive than in Gostivar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Gostivar is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$6.51 MKD 346

83.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$28.17 MKD 1,498

83.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$6.07 MKD 323

87.97%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$1.39 MKD 74.0

187.05%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$1.38 MKD 73.2

20.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$1.10 MKD 58.6

20.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$1.33 MKD 70.7

160.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$1.93 MKD 103

205.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.33 MKD 70.7

41.35%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$0.73 MKD 39.04

345.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$1.47 MKD 78.4

46.94%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$2.46 MKD 131

17.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$6.50 MKD 345

97.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$5.72 MKD 304

75.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$15.27 MKD 812

3.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$1.46 MKD 77.9

125.34%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.44 MKD 76.6

39.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$1.35 MKD 71.7

62.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$1.86 MKD 98.8

26.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$0.89 MKD 47.32

130.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$0.72 MKD 38.29

163.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.60 MKD 32.02

168.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.59 MKD 31.20

137.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$2.89 MKD 154

88.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$4.60 MKD 245

283.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$0.97 MKD 51.4

112.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$1.46 MKD 77.7

220.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.68 MKD 36.33

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$25.14 MKD 1,337

-17.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$0.79 MKD 41.81

165.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$0.34 MKD 18.24

64.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$7.84 MKD 417

-25.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.54 MKD 81.8

4.55%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$33.5K MKD 1.8M

-31.73%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$28.6K MKD 1.5M

-6.54%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$131 MKD 6,951

-50.13%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$11.29 MKD 600

166.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$18.88 MKD 1,004

96.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$25.62 MKD 1,362

133.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$19.14 MKD 1,018

38.71%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$7.63 MKD 406

-7.73%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$366 MKD 19.5K

26.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$5,823 MKD 309.6K

127.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$37.84 MKD 2,012

100.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$36.88 MKD 1,961

51.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$106 MKD 5,636

5.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$115 MKD 6,137

4.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$271 MKD 14.4K

306.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$195 MKD 10.4K

270.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$471 MKD 25.1K

436.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$304 MKD 16.1K

325.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$1,532 MKD 81.5K

160.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$1,155 MKD 61.4K

80.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$882 MKD 46.9K

17.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

4.23

167.14%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Gostivar: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $271 in Gostivar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 18% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $28.00 in Gostivar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $191 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 91% 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.

Average pay runs 18% higher in Mexico City, 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $271 in Gostivar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,660 per month in Mexico City versus $868 in Gostivar – 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 21% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $868 in Gostivar versus $1,660 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 $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 91% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.