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: $853 in Stip versus $875 in Bitola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,260 in Stip versus $1,310 in Bitola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,667 in Stip versus $1,746 in Bitola.

Living in Stip costs roughly 3% less than in Bitola, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Stip 38% lower, Bitola 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.53 MKD 398

$5.34 MKD 282

41.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.64 MKD 1,249

$28.66 MKD 1,514

-17.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.78 MKD 358

$5.37 MKD 284

26.26%

Cappuccino

$1.86 MKD 98.2

$2.01 MKD 106

-7.46%

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

$1.55 MKD 82.0

$1.81 MKD 95.7

-14.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MKD 61.4

$1.50 MKD 79.3

-22.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 MKD 97.4

$2.22 MKD 117

-17.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MKD 154

$2.70 MKD 143

8.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 MKD 67.2

$1.41 MKD 74.7

-9.93%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 MKD 43.07

$0.72 MKD 37.92

13.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 MKD 61.5

$1.71 MKD 90.3

-32.16%

Eggs

$2.59 MKD 137

$2.05 MKD 108

26.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.69 MKD 459

$10.26 MKD 542

-15.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.52 MKD 397

$7.38 MKD 390

1.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.69 MKD 406

$13.43 MKD 710

-42.74%

Apples (1kg)

$0.93 MKD 49.25

$1.07 MKD 56.7

-13.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MKD 75.3

$1.46 MKD 77.1

-2.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 MKD 73.5

$1.24 MKD 65.7

12.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 MKD 90.8

$1.61 MKD 85.3

6.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 MKD 48.93

$0.98 MKD 51.7

-5.10%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 MKD 46.77

$1.34 MKD 70.9

-33.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 MKD 31.21

$0.55 MKD 29.08

7.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 MKD 22.08

$0.55 MKD 28.93

-23.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.26 MKD 172

$3.08 MKD 163

5.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 MKD 402

$5.98 MKD 316

27.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MKD 57.4

$1.03 MKD 54.3

5.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 MKD 81.0

$1.90 MKD 100

-19.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 MKD 34.21

$0.54 MKD 28.72

20.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.86 MKD 1,208

$16.81 MKD 888

35.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 MKD 60.3

$1.11 MKD 58.6

2.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 MKD 35.94

$0.64 MKD 33.79

6.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.79 MKD 306

$6.75 MKD 356

-14.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MKD 80.5

$1.49 MKD 78.6

2.01%

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

$36.7K MKD 1.9M

$31.9K MKD 1.7M

14.94%

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

$28.1K MKD 1.5M

$34.6K MKD 1.8M

-18.80%

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

$165 MKD 8,691

$152 MKD 8,007

8.55%

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

$9.36 MKD 495

$14.63 MKD 773

-36.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.13 MKD 905

$13.36 MKD 706

28.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.13 MKD 1,486

$22.77 MKD 1,203

23.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.72 MKD 355

Cinema Ticket

$6.64 MKD 351

$4.66 MKD 246

42.49%

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

$381 MKD 20.1K

$218 MKD 11.5K

75.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,594 MKD 295.6K

$1,220 MKD 64.5K

358.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.16 MKD 2,016

$75.9 MKD 4,009

-49.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.71 MKD 1,675

$47.87 MKD 2,529

-33.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 MKD 5,689

$74.0 MKD 3,912

45.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 MKD 6,022

$113 MKD 5,944

1.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$209 MKD 11.0K

$270 MKD 14.3K

-22.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$131 MKD 6,901

$198 MKD 10.4K

-33.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$341 MKD 18.0K

$406 MKD 21.5K

-16.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$204 MKD 10.8K

$304 MKD 16.0K

-32.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,246 MKD 65.9K

$1,728 MKD 91.3K

-27.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,000 MKD 52.8K

$1,200 MKD 63.4K

-16.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$472 MKD 24.9K

$792 MKD 41.8K

-40.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

6.45

-34.11%

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

Last update for Stip: September 5, 2026

Last update for Bitola: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $209 in Stip and $270 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: $24.00 in Stip vs $29.00 in Bitola for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $186 vs $207 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 3% in total monthly costs ($853 vs $875 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 $270 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 $24.00 versus $29.00 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 3% less than in Bitola. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.