Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bitola Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bitola

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $883 in Bitola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,337 in Bitola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,790 in Bitola.

Living in Phuket is roughly 43% more expensive than Bitola, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Bitola 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$5.51 MKD 292

-17.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$27.91 MKD 1,481

67.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$5.11 MKD 271

65.75%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$1.96 MKD 104

54.59%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$1.72 MKD 91.2

-59.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$1.29 MKD 68.2

-71.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$2.20 MKD 117

13.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.77 MKD 147

32.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.40 MKD 74.3

55.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.68 MKD 35.86

179.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.71 MKD 90.6

28.65%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.04 MKD 108

8.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$10.25 MKD 544

95.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$7.28 MKD 386

-49.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$13.75 MKD 730

-3.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.03 MKD 54.7

213.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.43 MKD 75.8

18.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.30 MKD 69.1

83.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.63 MKD 86.7

27.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.91 MKD 48.37

74.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.34 MKD 71.3

10.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.58 MKD 30.88

77.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.52 MKD 27.85

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$3.00 MKD 159

41.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$5.94 MKD 315

216.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$0.94 MKD 49.99

87.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$1.88 MKD 99.7

46.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.54 MKD 28.91

151.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$16.73 MKD 888

-32.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$1.12 MKD 59.3

180.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.50 MKD 26.48

108.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$6.74 MKD 357

104.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.43 MKD 75.8

-6.29%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$32.0K MKD 1.7M

-13.51%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$34.0K MKD 1.8M

-0.42%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$145 MKD 7,695

-14.78%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$17.86 MKD 948

-24.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$15.58 MKD 826

19.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$24.59 MKD 1,305

151.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$6.49 MKD 344

165.79%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$4.84 MKD 257

88.84%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$219 MKD 11.6K

220.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$1,214 MKD 64.4K

1207.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$76.2 MKD 4,042

-21.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$48.94 MKD 2,597

-28.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$75.6 MKD 4,013

52.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$113 MKD 6,013

-25.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$285 MKD 15.1K

117.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$198 MKD 10.5K

118.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$591 MKD 31.4K

248.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$316 MKD 16.7K

378.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$1,726 MKD 91.6K

111.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$1,188 MKD 63.0K

121.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$785 MKD 41.6K

-35.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

7.1

-24.93%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Bitola: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $285 in Bitola. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bitola pays 55% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $28.00 in Bitola for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $206 per month, with Bitola 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

Phuket vs Bitola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Bitola differ by about 43% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $883 including rent). Bitola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bitola earns 55% less. 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: $619 in Phuket versus $285 in Bitola. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 42% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Bitola – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $883 in Bitola versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bitola but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Bitola the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Bitola 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 Bitola gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.