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: $1,094 in Skopje versus $813 in Gostivar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,636 in Skopje versus $1,191 in Gostivar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,178 in Skopje versus $1,570 in Gostivar.

Living in Skopje is roughly 35% more expensive than in Gostivar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Skopje 18% lower, Gostivar 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.42 MKD 397

$5.19 MKD 277

42.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.79 MKD 1,806

$23.38 MKD 1,250

44.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.65 MKD 355

$5.03 MKD 269

32.21%

Cappuccino

$2.24 MKD 119

$1.44 MKD 76.7

55.56%

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

$2.04 MKD 109

$1.15 MKD 61.5

77.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 MKD 69.1

$1.16 MKD 61.7

11.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.60 MKD 139

$1.35 MKD 72.1

92.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 MKD 183

$1.84 MKD 98.4

86.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 MKD 68.1

$1.41 MKD 75.2

-9.93%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 MKD 44.80

$0.67 MKD 35.64

25.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MKD 90.5

$1.54 MKD 82.3

9.74%

Eggs

$2.17 MKD 116

$2.09 MKD 112

3.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 MKD 495

$6.66 MKD 356

39.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.00 MKD 428

$5.79 MKD 310

38.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.41 MKD 717

$13.47 MKD 720

-0.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 MKD 54.6

$1.08 MKD 57.6

-5.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MKD 73.0

$1.42 MKD 76.1

-3.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 MKD 73.0

$1.26 MKD 67.2

8.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MKD 111

$1.63 MKD 87.3

27.61%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 MKD 46.92

$0.98 MKD 52.4

-10.20%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 MKD 51.6

$0.78 MKD 41.92

24.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 MKD 39.00

$0.54 MKD 28.80

35.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MKD 31.42

$0.56 MKD 29.94

5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.26 MKD 174

$2.78 MKD 148

17.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.56 MKD 404

$4.71 MKD 252

60.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MKD 56.3

$0.90 MKD 48.36

16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 MKD 82.9

$1.54 MKD 82.2

0.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MKD 41.13

$0.63 MKD 33.61

22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.16 MKD 1,505

$20.00 MKD 1,069

40.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MKD 52.3

$0.93 MKD 49.59

5.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MKD 28.28

$0.35 MKD 18.79

51.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.71 MKD 412

$6.60 MKD 353

16.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 MKD 78.6

$1.44 MKD 77.2

2.08%

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

$34.2K MKD 1.8M

$31.9K MKD 1.7M

7.31%

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

$29.4K MKD 1.6M

$46.2K MKD 2.5M

-36.19%

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

$160 MKD 8,529

$132 MKD 7,079

20.49%

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

$17.94 MKD 959

$11.05 MKD 590

62.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.42 MKD 1,038

$15.45 MKD 826

25.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.64 MKD 2,065

$26.09 MKD 1,394

48.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.95 MKD 959

Cinema Ticket

$6.44 MKD 344

$4.67 MKD 250

37.90%

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

$312 MKD 16.7K

$218 MKD 11.7K

43.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,479 MKD 239.3K

$1,197 MKD 64.0K

274.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.2 MKD 4,071

$37.51 MKD 2,004

103.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.60 MKD 2,116

$38.26 MKD 2,045

3.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 MKD 5,358

$74.2 MKD 3,964

35.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 MKD 5,948

$114 MKD 6,093

-2.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$422 MKD 22.5K

$280 MKD 15.0K

50.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 MKD 16.5K

$193 MKD 10.3K

59.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 MKD 34.3K

$569 MKD 30.4K

12.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 MKD 25.0K

$315 MKD 16.8K

48.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,687 MKD 143.6K

$1,584 MKD 84.6K

69.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,745 MKD 93.3K

$1,238 MKD 66.1K

40.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$882 MKD 47.1K

$887 MKD 47.4K

-0.58%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Gostivar: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $422 in Skopje and $280 in Gostivar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gostivar pays 1% 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 $212 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

Skopje vs Gostivar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gostivar wins on cost – living expenses run 35% 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, salaries run 1% 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: $422 in Skopje versus $280 in Gostivar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,094 per month in Skopje versus $813 in Gostivar – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Gostivar runs roughly 41% less than in Skopje. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $813 in Gostivar versus $1,094 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 $813 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 35% less than in Skopje. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.