Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Bitola Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Bitola

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,247 in Tbilisi versus $882 in Bitola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,025 in Tbilisi versus $1,326 in Bitola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,803 in Tbilisi versus $1,771 in Bitola.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 41% more expensive than in Bitola, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 9% lower, Bitola 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.33 ₾29.45

$5.57 MKD 296

103.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.71 ₾101

$27.82 MKD 1,479

39.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 ₾24.73

$5.38 MKD 286

76.95%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ₾8.85

$2.01 MKD 107

69.65%

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

$1.04 ₾2.71

$1.77 MKD 94.1

-41.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₾1.66

$1.48 MKD 78.5

-56.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 ₾6.79

$2.19 MKD 116

19.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ₾8.43

$2.61 MKD 139

24.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₾5.65

$1.36 MKD 72.3

59.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ₾1.92

$0.70 MKD 37.23

5.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 ₾4.45

$1.75 MKD 93.3

-2.29%

Eggs

$2.83 ₾7.36

$2.00 MKD 106

41.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 ₾23.95

$10.37 MKD 552

-11.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 ₾17.55

$7.31 MKD 389

-7.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.77 ₾33.17

$13.45 MKD 715

-5.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.26

$1.03 MKD 54.8

59.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ₾4.60

$1.38 MKD 73.5

28.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾4.85

$1.30 MKD 69.0

43.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 ₾6.34

$1.54 MKD 82.1

58.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.25

$0.91 MKD 48.14

-4.40%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$1.37 MKD 72.9

-52.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 ₾3.64

$0.57 MKD 30.35

145.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$0.50 MKD 26.83

48.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 ₾8.86

$3.35 MKD 178

1.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.60 ₾19.75

$5.91 MKD 314

28.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₾4.41

$0.99 MKD 52.5

71.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.20

$1.85 MKD 98.6

28.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.94

$0.54 MKD 28.48

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.24 ₾39.60

$16.70 MKD 888

-8.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₾3.07

$1.15 MKD 61.2

2.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ₾1.97

$0.63 MKD 33.60

20.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.34 ₾29.47

$6.44 MKD 343

76.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₾3.46

$1.46 MKD 77.9

-8.90%

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

$24.7K ₾64.2K

$32.4K MKD 1.7M

-23.74%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$34.5K MKD 1.8M

-36.07%

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

$88.9 ₾231

$152 MKD 8,088

-41.57%

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

$13.33 ₾34.63

$14.81 MKD 787

-9.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ₾52.3

$13.25 MKD 705

51.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.7 ₾178

$21.99 MKD 1,169

212.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.09 ₾47.01

$6.53 MKD 347

177.03%

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 ₾17.46

$4.65 MKD 247

44.52%

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

$374 ₾971

$218 MKD 11.6K

71.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.8K

$1,181 MKD 62.8K

806.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₾263

$76.9 MKD 4,090

31.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.33 ₾102

$47.90 MKD 2,548

-17.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾305

$76.3 MKD 4,060

53.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$112 MKD 5,958

9.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 ₾1,773

$266 MKD 14.1K

156.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,186

$195 MKD 10.3K

134.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 ₾3,385

$415 MKD 22.1K

213.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 ₾2,337

$301 MKD 16.0K

198.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,449 ₾6,365

$1,774 MKD 94.3K

38.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,452 ₾3,774

$1,204 MKD 64.0K

20.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 ₾1,695

$780 MKD 41.5K

-16.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

6.45

95.66%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: September 13, 2026

Last update for Bitola: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $682 in Tbilisi and $266 in Bitola. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bitola pays 20% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $39.00 in Tbilisi vs $28.00 in Bitola for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $204 per month, with Bitola 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

Tbilisi vs Bitola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi and Bitola differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($1,247 vs $882 including rent). Bitola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 20% 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: $682 in Tbilisi versus $266 in Bitola. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Tbilisi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Bitola – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $39.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $882 in Bitola versus $1,247 in Tbilisi, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bitola but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Bitola the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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, Tbilisi 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 Bitola gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.