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: $1,223 in Phuket versus $814 in Gostivar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $1,194 in Gostivar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $1,574 in Gostivar.

Living in Phuket is roughly 50% more expensive than Gostivar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Gostivar 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$5.31 MKD 281

-15.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$23.67 MKD 1,253

96.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$5.05 MKD 267

68.12%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$1.44 MKD 76.0

113.89%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$1.15 MKD 60.7

-40.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$1.11 MKD 59.0

-67.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$1.34 MKD 70.9

81.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$1.92 MKD 102

89.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$1.34 MKD 71.0

63.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$0.72 MKD 38.10

151.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$1.48 MKD 78.4

50.68%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$2.10 MKD 111

6.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$6.66 MKD 353

194.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$5.67 MKD 300

-34.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$13.67 MKD 724

-1.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

$1.07 MKD 56.7

214.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$1.45 MKD 76.8

11.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$1.31 MKD 69.2

83.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$1.62 MKD 85.6

22.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

$1.00 MKD 52.7

53.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$0.77 MKD 40.63

88.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$0.54 MKD 28.71

87.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$0.56 MKD 29.72

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$2.84 MKD 150

50.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$4.79 MKD 254

299.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$0.90 MKD 47.59

104.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$1.46 MKD 77.2

87.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$0.64 MKD 33.76

121.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

$20.45 MKD 1,083

-42.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$0.97 MKD 51.4

209.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$0.35 MKD 18.77

200.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$6.40 MKD 339

117.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$1.47 MKD 78.0

-12.24%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$32.5K MKD 1.7M

-13.78%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$47.8K MKD 2.5M

-29.98%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$134 MKD 7,086

-8.83%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$11.16 MKD 591

24.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$15.21 MKD 806

24.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

$25.88 MKD 1,371

136.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$4.76 MKD 252

86.76%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

$221 MKD 11.7K

212.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$1,219 MKD 64.6K

1225.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$37.45 MKD 1,983

54.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$37.58 MKD 1,990

-5.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$74.1 MKD 3,927

52.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$112 MKD 5,951

-26.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$280 MKD 14.8K

116.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$197 MKD 10.4K

127.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$558 MKD 29.5K

263.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$315 MKD 16.7K

374.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

$1,658 MKD 87.8K

116.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

$1,281 MKD 67.8K

101.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

$880 MKD 46.6K

-42.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.5

-18.00%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Gostivar: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $280 in Gostivar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gostivar pays 74% 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 $24.00 in Gostivar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $182 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 50% 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, Gostivar earns 74% 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: $607 in Phuket versus $280 in Gostivar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,223 per month in Phuket versus $814 in Gostivar – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Gostivar runs roughly 74% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $814 in Gostivar versus $1,223 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 $814 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 50% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.