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: $1,143 in Skopje versus $868 in Gostivar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,720 in Skopje versus $1,295 in Gostivar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,296 in Skopje versus $1,721 in Gostivar.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Skopje 16% lower, Gostivar 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.35 MKD 497

$6.51 MKD 346

43.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.06 MKD 1,864

$28.17 MKD 1,498

24.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.78 MKD 360

$6.07 MKD 323

11.70%

Cappuccino

$2.18 MKD 116

$1.39 MKD 74.0

56.83%

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

$1.90 MKD 101

$1.38 MKD 73.2

37.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 MKD 72.5

$1.10 MKD 58.6

23.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 MKD 147

$1.33 MKD 70.7

107.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 MKD 178

$1.93 MKD 103

73.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 MKD 67.2

$1.33 MKD 70.7

-5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 MKD 43.24

$0.73 MKD 39.04

10.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MKD 101

$1.47 MKD 78.4

28.57%

Eggs

$2.52 MKD 134

$2.46 MKD 131

2.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MKD 452

$6.50 MKD 345

30.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.38 MKD 393

$5.72 MKD 304

29.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.17 MKD 807

$15.27 MKD 812

-0.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.47 MKD 78.1

$1.46 MKD 77.9

0.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 MKD 75.3

$1.44 MKD 76.6

-1.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 MKD 71.6

$1.35 MKD 71.7

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 MKD 112

$1.86 MKD 98.8

12.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 MKD 45.28

$0.89 MKD 47.32

-4.49%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 MKD 43.02

$0.72 MKD 38.29

12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 MKD 33.94

$0.60 MKD 32.02

6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 MKD 32.55

$0.59 MKD 31.20

3.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.47 MKD 184

$2.89 MKD 154

20.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 MKD 390

$4.60 MKD 245

59.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 MKD 56.2

$0.97 MKD 51.4

9.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MKD 81.0

$1.46 MKD 77.7

4.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MKD 40.88

$0.68 MKD 36.33

13.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.58 MKD 1,520

$25.14 MKD 1,337

13.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MKD 61.0

$0.79 MKD 41.81

45.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 MKD 33.22

$0.34 MKD 18.24

82.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.97 MKD 424

$7.84 MKD 417

1.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MKD 84.3

$1.54 MKD 81.8

3.25%

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

$36.7K MKD 1.9M

$33.5K MKD 1.8M

9.56%

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

$28.4K MKD 1.5M

$28.6K MKD 1.5M

-0.67%

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

$160 MKD 8,502

$131 MKD 6,951

22.31%

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

$18.86 MKD 1,003

$11.29 MKD 600

67.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.61 MKD 1,043

$18.88 MKD 1,004

3.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.62 MKD 1,947

$25.62 MKD 1,362

42.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.67 MKD 940

$19.14 MKD 1,018

-7.68%

Cinema Ticket

$7.73 MKD 411

$7.63 MKD 406

1.31%

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

$364 MKD 19.4K

$366 MKD 19.5K

-0.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,701 MKD 303.2K

$5,823 MKD 309.6K

-2.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.4 MKD 4,702

$37.84 MKD 2,012

133.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.29 MKD 2,036

$36.88 MKD 1,961

3.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MKD 5,690

$106 MKD 5,636

0.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 MKD 6,307

$115 MKD 6,137

2.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 MKD 23.3K

$271 MKD 14.4K

61.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 MKD 17.7K

$195 MKD 10.4K

70.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$763 MKD 40.6K

$471 MKD 25.1K

61.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$522 MKD 27.8K

$304 MKD 16.1K

71.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,748 MKD 146.1K

$1,532 MKD 81.5K

79.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,838 MKD 97.7K

$1,155 MKD 61.4K

59.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$920 MKD 48.9K

$882 MKD 46.9K

4.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.23

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

Last update for Skopje: September 14, 2026

Last update for Gostivar: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $439 in Skopje and $271 in Gostivar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Skopje pays 4% 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: $35.00 in Skopje vs $28.00 in Gostivar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $215 vs $191 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.

Average pay runs 4% higher in Skopje, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $439 in Skopje versus $271 in Gostivar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,143 per month in Skopje versus $868 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 14% less than in Skopje. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $868 in Gostivar versus $1,143 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 $868 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.