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: $778 in Stip versus $892 in Bitola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,138 in Stip versus $1,322 in Bitola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,497 in Stip versus $1,751 in Bitola.

Living in Stip costs roughly 13% 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

$5.74 MKD 302

$5.80 MKD 306

-1.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.11 MKD 849

$27.96 MKD 1,473

-42.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.92 MKD 259

$5.21 MKD 275

-5.57%

Cappuccino

$1.89 MKD 99.4

$1.96 MKD 103

-3.57%

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

$1.74 MKD 92.0

$1.81 MKD 95.3

-3.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 MKD 64.0

$1.24 MKD 65.2

-2.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 MKD 117

$2.30 MKD 121

-3.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 MKD 147

$2.70 MKD 142

3.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MKD 67.9

$1.41 MKD 74.3

-8.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 MKD 35.66

$0.67 MKD 35.07

1.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 MKD 58.2

$1.73 MKD 91.0

-36.42%

Eggs

$2.10 MKD 111

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.32 MKD 544

$10.25 MKD 540

0.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.23 MKD 381

$7.26 MKD 383

-0.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.43 MKD 392

$13.55 MKD 714

-45.17%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 MKD 51.2

$1.02 MKD 53.8

-4.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MKD 75.6

$1.40 MKD 73.6

2.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 MKD 69.0

$1.27 MKD 66.7

3.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 MKD 83.1

$1.64 MKD 86.6

-3.66%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 MKD 48.85

$0.98 MKD 51.8

-5.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 MKD 73.1

$1.34 MKD 70.4

3.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 MKD 28.17

$0.53 MKD 28.07

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 MKD 21.30

$0.52 MKD 27.61

-23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.05 MKD 161

$2.97 MKD 157

2.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.49 MKD 395

$6.08 MKD 321

23.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 MKD 53.4

$0.95 MKD 49.84

6.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 MKD 95.3

$1.88 MKD 98.9

-3.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 MKD 33.06

$0.59 MKD 30.97

6.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.52 MKD 1,082

$16.92 MKD 892

21.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 MKD 58.1

$1.11 MKD 58.3

-0.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 25.84

$0.52 MKD 27.44

-5.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.61 MKD 296

$6.75 MKD 356

-16.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 MKD 76.2

$1.47 MKD 77.6

-1.36%

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

$31.4K MKD 1.7M

$31.9K MKD 1.7M

-1.52%

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

$34.4K MKD 1.8M

$33.8K MKD 1.8M

1.71%

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

$144 MKD 7,568

$144 MKD 7,588

-0.26%

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

$9.23 MKD 486

$17.79 MKD 938

-48.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.31 MKD 807

$15.47 MKD 815

-1.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.83 MKD 1,467

$24.09 MKD 1,269

15.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.47 MKD 341

Cinema Ticket

$4.74 MKD 250

$4.63 MKD 244

2.38%

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

$216 MKD 11.4K

$217 MKD 11.4K

-0.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,182 MKD 62.3K

$1,193 MKD 62.9K

-0.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.03 MKD 2,004

$75.8 MKD 3,995

-49.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.80 MKD 1,676

$47.75 MKD 2,516

-33.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.6 MKD 3,933

$74.7 MKD 3,939

-0.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 MKD 6,013

$111 MKD 5,828

3.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$207 MKD 10.9K

$288 MKD 15.2K

-28.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$133 MKD 7,008

$194 MKD 10.2K

-31.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$344 MKD 18.1K

$584 MKD 30.8K

-41.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$204 MKD 10.8K

$305 MKD 16.1K

-32.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,257 MKD 66.3K

$1,732 MKD 91.3K

-27.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,026 MKD 54.1K

$1,183 MKD 62.3K

-13.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$467 MKD 24.6K

$799 MKD 42.1K

-41.59%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Bitola: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $207 in Stip and $288 in Bitola. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bitola pays 71% 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 $185 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 15% in total monthly costs ($778 vs $892 including rent). Stip is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bitola earns 71% 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: $207 in Stip versus $288 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 15% less than in Bitola. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.