Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Gostivar Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Gostivar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,083 in Skopje versus $822 in Gostivar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,616 in Skopje versus $1,201 in Gostivar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,149 in Skopje versus $1,580 in Gostivar.

Living in Skopje is roughly 32% more expensive than Gostivar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Skopje 19% lower, Gostivar 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.47 MKD 394

$5.31 MKD 280

40.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.48 MKD 1,818

$23.13 MKD 1,219

49.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.60 MKD 348

$5.13 MKD 271

28.65%

Cappuccino

$2.29 MKD 121

$1.44 MKD 75.9

59.03%

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

$1.96 MKD 103

$1.12 MKD 58.9

75.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 MKD 68.0

$1.16 MKD 61.1

11.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 MKD 135

$1.39 MKD 73.2

84.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 MKD 174

$1.87 MKD 98.4

76.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 MKD 70.5

$1.33 MKD 70.4

0.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 MKD 40.43

$0.69 MKD 36.25

11.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MKD 89.1

$1.47 MKD 77.6

14.97%

Eggs

$2.25 MKD 118

$2.03 MKD 107

10.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.97 MKD 473

$6.76 MKD 356

32.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.11 MKD 428

$5.73 MKD 302

41.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.90 MKD 733

$13.63 MKD 718

1.98%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 MKD 54.0

$1.04 MKD 54.8

-1.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 MKD 71.9

$1.39 MKD 73.2

-2.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 MKD 71.9

$1.24 MKD 65.5

9.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 MKD 114

$1.59 MKD 83.8

35.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 MKD 44.15

$0.94 MKD 49.36

-10.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 MKD 51.8

$0.73 MKD 38.60

34.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 MKD 37.48

$0.53 MKD 28.15

33.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MKD 29.19

$0.57 MKD 29.84

-3.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.20 MKD 169

$2.84 MKD 150

12.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.53 MKD 397

$4.81 MKD 254

56.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MKD 55.6

$0.97 MKD 51.0

8.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 MKD 83.1

$1.53 MKD 80.6

3.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 MKD 40.93

$0.68 MKD 35.90

14.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.32 MKD 1,493

$20.01 MKD 1,055

41.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 MKD 48.28

$0.95 MKD 50.1

-3.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MKD 26.25

$0.33 MKD 17.30

51.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.32 MKD 386

$6.61 MKD 349

10.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MKD 81.0

$1.50 MKD 79.0

2.67%

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

$34.4K MKD 1.8M

$31.9K MKD 1.7M

7.78%

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

$30.0K MKD 1.6M

$47.5K MKD 2.5M

-36.95%

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

$160 MKD 8,457

$134 MKD 7,041

20.12%

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

$18.02 MKD 950

$11.12 MKD 586

62.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.00 MKD 1,002

$15.29 MKD 806

24.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.49 MKD 2,082

$26.10 MKD 1,376

51.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.78 MKD 938

Cinema Ticket

$6.38 MKD 336

$4.81 MKD 254

32.64%

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

$322 MKD 17.0K

$222 MKD 11.7K

45.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,517 MKD 238.2K

$1,184 MKD 62.4K

281.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.5 MKD 4,137

$37.77 MKD 1,992

107.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.91 MKD 2,105

$37.22 MKD 1,963

7.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MKD 5,327

$76.2 MKD 4,020

32.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 MKD 5,813

$113 MKD 5,948

-2.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 MKD 22.3K

$283 MKD 14.9K

49.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$311 MKD 16.4K

$197 MKD 10.4K

57.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 MKD 33.0K

$569 MKD 30.0K

9.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MKD 24.5K

$312 MKD 16.4K

49.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 MKD 149.8K

$1,627 MKD 85.8K

74.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,883 MKD 99.3K

$1,207 MKD 63.6K

56.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$888 MKD 46.8K

$903 MKD 47.6K

-1.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.54

6.5

-30.15%

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

Last update for Skopje: April 28, 2026

Last update for Gostivar: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $423 in Skopje and $283 in Gostivar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gostivar pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $34.00 in Skopje vs $23.00 in Gostivar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $213 vs $181 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

Skopje vs Gostivar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gostivar wins on cost – living expenses run 32% lower than in Skopje. 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 2% 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: $423 in Skopje versus $283 in Gostivar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,083 per month in Skopje versus $822 in Gostivar – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Gostivar runs roughly 42% less than in Skopje. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $822 in Gostivar versus $1,083 in Skopje, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Gostivar but tight or insufficient in Skopje. 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 $822 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Gostivar hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Gostivar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Skopje. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.