Cost of Living Comparison Between Stip and Bitola Cost of Living Comparison Between Stip and Bitola

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $774 in Stip versus $897 in Bitola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,153 in Stip versus $1,351 in Bitola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,532 in Stip versus $1,805 in Bitola.

Living in Stip costs roughly 14% less than in Bitola, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Stip 42% lower, Bitola 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.80 MKD 311

$5.54 MKD 297

4.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.99 MKD 858

$27.95 MKD 1,499

-42.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 MKD 265

$5.17 MKD 277

-4.26%

Cappuccino

$1.98 MKD 106

$1.97 MKD 105

0.51%

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

$1.76 MKD 94.4

$1.80 MKD 96.4

-2.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 MKD 66.0

$1.22 MKD 65.3

0.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 MKD 123

$2.21 MKD 118

3.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 MKD 142

$2.74 MKD 147

-3.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 MKD 71.1

$1.40 MKD 75.1

-5.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 MKD 36.06

$0.72 MKD 38.52

-6.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 MKD 59.9

$1.77 MKD 95.1

-36.72%

Eggs

$2.03 MKD 109

$2.01 MKD 108

1.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.33 MKD 554

$10.35 MKD 555

-0.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.34 MKD 394

$7.12 MKD 382

3.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 MKD 402

$13.66 MKD 733

-45.10%

Apples (1kg)

$0.90 MKD 48.50

$1.03 MKD 55.2

-12.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MKD 73.9

$1.44 MKD 77.1

-4.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 MKD 70.2

$1.25 MKD 67.0

4.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 MKD 87.4

$1.61 MKD 86.5

1.24%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 MKD 52.9

$0.91 MKD 48.71

8.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 MKD 73.7

$1.34 MKD 71.7

2.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 MKD 31.00

$0.54 MKD 29.22

7.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 MKD 21.99

$0.56 MKD 30.30

-26.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 MKD 158

$3.05 MKD 164

-3.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.60 MKD 408

$5.95 MKD 319

27.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 MKD 53.1

$0.96 MKD 51.4

3.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 MKD 95.9

$1.82 MKD 97.7

-1.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 MKD 34.33

$0.55 MKD 29.27

16.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.79 MKD 1,062

$16.81 MKD 902

17.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MKD 62.1

$1.11 MKD 59.8

4.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MKD 28.36

$0.49 MKD 26.15

8.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.61 MKD 301

$6.49 MKD 348

-13.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 MKD 79.9

$1.43 MKD 76.5

4.20%

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

$31.7K MKD 1.7M

$31.9K MKD 1.7M

-0.44%

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

$34.4K MKD 1.8M

$33.3K MKD 1.8M

3.34%

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

$147 MKD 7,908

$145 MKD 7,769

1.79%

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

$9.36 MKD 502

$17.32 MKD 929

-45.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.45 MKD 829

$15.69 MKD 842

-1.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.94 MKD 1,499

$24.19 MKD 1,298

15.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.47 MKD 347

Cinema Ticket

$4.75 MKD 255

$4.77 MKD 256

-0.42%

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

$219 MKD 11.7K

0.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,186 MKD 63.6K

$1,211 MKD 65.0K

-2.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.87 MKD 1,978

$78.3 MKD 4,200

-52.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.76 MKD 1,704

$47.21 MKD 2,532

-32.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.4 MKD 4,046

$74.1 MKD 3,975

1.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 MKD 6,101

$111 MKD 5,975

2.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$209 MKD 11.2K

$285 MKD 15.3K

-26.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$133 MKD 7,145

$196 MKD 10.5K

-32.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$338 MKD 18.1K

$606 MKD 32.5K

-44.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$203 MKD 10.9K

$312 MKD 16.7K

-35.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,228 MKD 65.9K

$1,727 MKD 92.6K

-28.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$988 MKD 53.0K

$1,181 MKD 63.3K

-16.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$463 MKD 24.8K

$776 MKD 41.7K

-40.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

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

Last update for Stip: July 13, 2026

Last update for Bitola: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $209 in Stip and $285 in Bitola. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bitola pays 68% 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: $16.00 in Stip vs $28.00 in Bitola for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $186 vs $205 per month, with Stip 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

Stip vs Bitola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Stip and Bitola differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($774 vs $897 including rent). Stip is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 68% lower in Bitola. 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: $209 in Stip versus $285 in Bitola. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Bitola. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Stip – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $28.00 in Bitola. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Stip 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.

Safety-wise, Stip and Bitola are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Stip gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Bitola. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.