Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Gostivar Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Gostivar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $877 in Gostivar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,078 in Phuket versus $1,294 in Gostivar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,896 in Phuket versus $1,712 in Gostivar.

Living in Phuket is roughly 44% more expensive than in Gostivar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Gostivar 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 ฿145

$6.40 MKD 336

-30.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.07 ฿1,151

$27.89 MKD 1,462

25.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 ฿294

$6.01 MKD 315

49.08%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.4

$1.44 MKD 75.7

108.33%

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

$0.77 ฿25.33

$1.39 MKD 73.0

-44.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.44

$1.10 MKD 57.5

-57.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 ฿78.6

$1.36 MKD 71.3

76.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿123

$1.86 MKD 97.6

101.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$1.33 MKD 69.8

36.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ฿46.65

$0.73 MKD 38.03

94.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.8

$1.47 MKD 77.1

5.44%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$2.51 MKD 131

-15.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.76 ฿648

$6.48 MKD 340

204.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿114

$5.54 MKD 291

-37.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.09 ฿364

$14.23 MKD 746

-22.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 ฿95.5

$1.47 MKD 76.9

97.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ฿54.6

$1.47 MKD 77.1

12.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿74.5

$1.37 MKD 71.7

65.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ฿68.8

$1.93 MKD 101

8.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.24

$0.86 MKD 45.12

70.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 ฿46.29

$0.72 MKD 37.91

95.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ฿35.78

$0.60 MKD 31.46

81.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ฿17.58

$0.58 MKD 30.25

-6.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 ฿147

$2.88 MKD 151

55.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 ฿614

$4.70 MKD 246

298.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.4

$0.92 MKD 48.16

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ฿96.7

$1.48 MKD 77.5

99.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿74.1

$0.76 MKD 39.67

197.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.07 ฿757

$21.58 MKD 1,132

6.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿99.9

$0.77 MKD 40.30

294.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 ฿35.82

$0.34 MKD 17.95

220.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 ฿125

$7.60 MKD 398

-49.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿48.79

$1.50 MKD 78.7

-0.67%

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

$27.4K ฿900.3K

$33.6K MKD 1.8M

-18.31%

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

$27.5K ฿902.7K

$28.2K MKD 1.5M

-2.30%

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

$102 ฿3,340

$134 MKD 7,028

-24.05%

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

$11.28 ฿370

$11.27 MKD 591

0.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.75 ฿582

$19.53 MKD 1,024

-9.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 ฿1,777

$27.73 MKD 1,454

95.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.96 ฿360

$16.90 MKD 886

-35.15%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 ฿258

$6.93 MKD 363

13.28%

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

$577 ฿18.9K

$383 MKD 20.1K

50.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿381.6K

$5,550 MKD 291.0K

109.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 ฿2,144

$37.29 MKD 1,955

75.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.89 ฿948

$38.33 MKD 2,010

-24.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 ฿3,250

$108 MKD 5,639

-7.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,961

$117 MKD 6,133

-22.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 ฿24.8K

$285 MKD 15.0K

164.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 ฿16.0K

$206 MKD 10.8K

136.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿68.4K

$451 MKD 23.6K

362.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ฿39.6K

$305 MKD 16.0K

296.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 ฿117.8K

$1,651 MKD 86.6K

117.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,610 ฿85.6K

$1,286 MKD 67.4K

102.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.5K

$889 MKD 46.6K

-43.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.25

31.06%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 18, 2026

Last update for Gostivar: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Phuket and $285 in Gostivar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gostivar pays 77% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Phuket vs $28.00 in Gostivar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $188 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

Phuket vs Gostivar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gostivar wins on cost – living expenses run 44% lower than in Phuket. 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 77% lower in Gostivar. 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: $756 in Phuket versus $285 in Gostivar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $877 in Gostivar – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Gostivar runs roughly 7% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $877 in Gostivar versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Gostivar but tight or insufficient in Phuket. 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 $877 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Gostivar hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Gostivar 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 44% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.