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: $774 in Sao Luis versus $796 in Gostivar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,169 in Sao Luis versus $1,194 in Gostivar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,564 in Sao Luis versus $1,593 in Gostivar.

Living in Sao Luis costs roughly 3% less than in Gostivar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sao Luis 42% lower, Gostivar 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.01 R$25.36

$5.14 MKD 271

-2.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.50 R$154

$23.16 MKD 1,224

31.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.33 R$37.09

$5.15 MKD 272

42.33%

Cappuccino

$2.05 R$10.38

$1.38 MKD 73.1

48.55%

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

$0.95 R$4.80

$1.15 MKD 60.6

-17.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 R$2.80

$1.10 MKD 58.0

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 R$9.29

$1.39 MKD 73.6

32.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 R$16.16

$1.92 MKD 102

66.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 R$4.86

$1.35 MKD 71.3

-28.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.92 R$9.73

$0.67 MKD 35.32

186.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 R$5.13

$1.49 MKD 78.5

-32.21%

Eggs

$1.93 R$9.77

$2.03 MKD 107

-4.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.39 R$47.49

$6.60 MKD 349

42.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.70 R$18.71

$5.58 MKD 295

-33.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.21 R$36.49

$13.60 MKD 719

-46.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 R$9.43

$1.03 MKD 54.5

80.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.10

$1.39 MKD 73.7

-12.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.96 R$4.85

$1.26 MKD 66.6

-23.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 R$6.91

$1.59 MKD 84.0

-13.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 R$5.61

$0.93 MKD 48.95

19.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.28

$0.78 MKD 40.99

58.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 R$4.02

$0.55 MKD 29.04

43.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 R$2.86

$0.54 MKD 28.53

5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.03 R$10.25

$2.81 MKD 148

-27.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.03 R$40.62

$4.81 MKD 254

66.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R$5.56

$0.98 MKD 52.0

12.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 R$9.82

$1.49 MKD 78.5

30.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 R$4.02

$0.69 MKD 36.46

14.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.80 R$181

$20.48 MKD 1,082

74.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 R$4.74

$0.91 MKD 48.05

3.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 R$2.51

$0.33 MKD 17.30

51.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.49 R$32.84

$6.51 MKD 344

-0.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 R$4.79

$1.50 MKD 79.3

-36.67%

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

$17.2K R$86.9K

$31.5K MKD 1.7M

-45.51%

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

$25.8K R$130.4K

$46.3K MKD 2.4M

-44.35%

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

$84.0 R$425

$133 MKD 7,017

-36.74%

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

$17.24 R$87.2

$11.41 MKD 603

51.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.25 R$82.2

$15.53 MKD 821

4.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.13 R$91.7

$26.77 MKD 1,415

-32.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.52 R$78.5

Cinema Ticket

$5.99 R$30.32

$4.78 MKD 252

25.31%

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

$204 R$1,030

$216 MKD 11.4K

-5.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,284 R$21.7K

$1,182 MKD 62.5K

262.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.54 R$225

$37.45 MKD 1,979

18.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.88 R$242

$38.17 MKD 2,017

25.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.3 R$275

$75.8 MKD 4,007

-28.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.0 R$278

$111 MKD 5,854

-50.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 R$1,970

$283 MKD 14.9K

37.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$208 R$1,053

$192 MKD 10.2K

8.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$516 R$2,609

$553 MKD 29.2K

-6.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 R$1,495

$309 MKD 16.3K

-4.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,505 R$7,614

$1,657 MKD 87.6K

-9.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$723 R$3,660

$1,289 MKD 68.1K

-43.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$381 R$1,927

$888 MKD 46.9K

-57.11%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Gostivar: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $389 in Sao Luis and $283 in Gostivar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gostivar pays 133% 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: $31.00 in Sao Luis vs $23.00 in Gostivar. Groceries flip the comparison at $177 vs $180, 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 3% 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, Gostivar earns 133% 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: $389 in Sao Luis versus $283 in Gostivar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $774 per month in Sao Luis versus $796 in Gostivar – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sao Luis runs roughly 75% 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 3% less than in Gostivar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.