Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Luis and Gostivar Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Luis and Gostivar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $764 in Sao Luis versus $802 in Gostivar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,164 in Sao Luis versus $1,198 in Gostivar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,564 in Sao Luis versus $1,594 in Gostivar.

Living in Sao Luis costs roughly 5% less than in Gostivar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sao Luis 43% lower, Gostivar 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.92 R$25.16

$5.08 MKD 272

-3.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.38 R$155

$23.50 MKD 1,261

29.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.40 R$37.83

$4.97 MKD 266

48.89%

Cappuccino

$2.06 R$10.52

$1.43 MKD 76.7

44.06%

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

$0.96 R$4.89

$1.16 MKD 62.2

-17.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 R$3.05

$1.16 MKD 62.0

-48.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 R$9.52

$1.40 MKD 75.3

32.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 R$16.33

$1.93 MKD 104

65.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 R$5.00

$1.33 MKD 71.6

-26.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 R$9.62

$0.71 MKD 38.31

164.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 R$5.05

$1.47 MKD 78.9

-32.65%

Eggs

$1.87 R$9.53

$2.12 MKD 114

-11.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.40 R$48.04

$6.63 MKD 356

41.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.78 R$19.32

$5.79 MKD 311

-34.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.37 R$37.67

$13.84 MKD 742

-46.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.94 R$9.92

$1.06 MKD 57.0

83.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 R$6.49

$1.38 MKD 74.1

-7.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 R$5.07

$1.26 MKD 67.6

-21.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 R$6.92

$1.63 MKD 87.3

-17.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.92

$0.92 MKD 49.38

26.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.37

$0.73 MKD 38.98

71.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 R$3.95

$0.54 MKD 28.80

42.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.15

$0.53 MKD 28.59

16.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.05 R$10.48

$2.90 MKD 156

-29.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.96 R$40.70

$4.60 MKD 247

73.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 R$5.89

$0.95 MKD 51.2

21.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 R$9.80

$1.52 MKD 81.5

26.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 R$3.95

$0.69 MKD 36.77

11.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.77 R$178

$20.28 MKD 1,088

71.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 R$4.73

$0.90 MKD 48.05

3.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 R$2.50

$0.35 MKD 18.84

40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.29 R$32.17

$6.49 MKD 348

-3.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 R$4.99

$1.42 MKD 76.1

-30.99%

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

$17.0K R$87.1K

$31.4K MKD 1.7M

-45.65%

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

$25.2K R$128.7K

$46.8K MKD 2.5M

-46.21%

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

$82.4 R$421

$133 MKD 7,143

-38.09%

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

$17.31 R$88.5

$11.11 MKD 596

55.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.28 R$83.2

$15.48 MKD 831

5.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.44 R$94.2

$26.78 MKD 1,437

-31.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.44 R$78.9

Cinema Ticket

$6.24 R$31.91

$4.74 MKD 254

31.65%

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

$205 R$1,046

$222 MKD 11.9K

-8.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,348 R$22.2K

$1,225 MKD 65.7K

254.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.44 R$227

$38.14 MKD 2,046

16.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.93 R$240

$37.21 MKD 1,996

26.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$53.7 R$274

$75.0 MKD 4,024

-28.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.7 R$275

$112 MKD 5,983

-51.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 R$1,982

$286 MKD 15.3K

35.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$208 R$1,061

$194 MKD 10.4K

6.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$519 R$2,652

$573 MKD 30.7K

-9.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 R$1,531

$312 MKD 16.7K

-4.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,470 R$7,514

$1,575 MKD 84.5K

-6.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$715 R$3,655

$1,282 MKD 68.8K

-44.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$375 R$1,916

$877 MKD 47.0K

-57.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.92

6.5

68.00%

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

Last update for Sao Luis: July 14, 2026

Last update for Gostivar: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $388 in Sao Luis and $286 in Gostivar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gostivar pays 134% 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: $30.00 in Sao Luis vs $24.00 in Gostivar. Groceries flip the comparison at $179 vs $182, with Sao Luis cheaper for home cooking.

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

Sao Luis vs Gostivar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sao Luis wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Gostivar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sao Luis the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 134% 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: $388 in Sao Luis versus $286 in Gostivar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $764 per month in Sao Luis versus $802 in Gostivar – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sao Luis runs roughly 71% less than in Gostivar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Sao Luis gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.

Expats usually find Sao Luis gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Gostivar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.