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: $1,191 in Tbilisi versus $880 in Bitola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,856 in Tbilisi versus $1,333 in Bitola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,522 in Tbilisi versus $1,787 in Bitola.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 35% more expensive than in Bitola, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 11% lower, Bitola 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.91 ₾28.56

$5.56 MKD 297

96.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.19 ₾113

$28.29 MKD 1,512

52.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 ₾22.31

$5.14 MKD 275

65.95%

Cappuccino

$2.99 ₾7.81

$1.91 MKD 102

56.54%

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

$0.81 ₾2.12

$1.76 MKD 94.0

-53.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₾1.09

$1.26 MKD 67.5

-66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 ₾5.65

$2.23 MKD 119

-3.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₾7.52

$2.74 MKD 146

5.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ₾5.08

$1.35 MKD 72.0

43.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$0.68 MKD 36.18

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.83

$1.76 MKD 94.1

5.11%

Eggs

$2.53 ₾6.62

$2.01 MKD 108

25.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.53 ₾19.69

$10.03 MKD 536

-24.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 ₾16.39

$7.39 MKD 395

-15.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.59 ₾25.09

$13.74 MKD 734

-30.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 ₾3.04

$1.07 MKD 57.0

8.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.29

$1.39 MKD 74.2

17.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.93

$1.26 MKD 67.4

49.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.84

$1.62 MKD 86.7

37.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$0.94 MKD 50.2

-25.53%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₾1.68

$1.35 MKD 72.0

-52.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.09

$0.58 MKD 31.07

103.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$0.56 MKD 29.99

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 ₾7.78

$2.94 MKD 157

1.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.43 ₾19.45

$6.16 MKD 329

20.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.03

$1.00 MKD 53.4

54.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₾5.98

$1.89 MKD 101

20.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.93

$0.57 MKD 30.48

-36.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.73 ₾38.54

$16.81 MKD 899

-12.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ₾3.71

$1.16 MKD 62.0

22.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.81

$0.49 MKD 26.21

40.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.27 ₾19.02

$6.52 MKD 348

11.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.86

$1.48 MKD 79.0

-26.35%

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

$18.3K ₾47.9K

$32.1K MKD 1.7M

-42.89%

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

$20.5K ₾53.6K

$33.5K MKD 1.8M

-38.89%

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

$74.4 ₾195

$143 MKD 7,654

-48.09%

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

$11.71 ₾30.63

$17.64 MKD 943

-33.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ₾46.06

$15.37 MKD 822

14.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.3 ₾158

$24.06 MKD 1,286

150.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.29 ₾42.63

$6.73 MKD 360

142.05%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.03

$4.77 MKD 255

36.48%

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

$269 ₾704

$221 MKD 11.8K

21.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,154 ₾13.5K

$1,221 MKD 65.2K

322.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.1 ₾202

$77.2 MKD 4,124

-0.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.48 ₾114

$47.66 MKD 2,547

-8.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾310

$75.5 MKD 4,033

56.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾295

$114 MKD 6,103

-1.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 ₾1,856

$282 MKD 15.1K

151.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 ₾1,215

$194 MKD 10.4K

139.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 ₾3,442

$597 MKD 31.9K

120.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$767 ₾2,007

$315 MKD 16.8K

143.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,492 ₾6,522

$1,698 MKD 90.7K

46.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,442 ₾3,773

$1,179 MKD 63.0K

22.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$663 ₾1,735

$762 MKD 40.7K

-13.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

7.1

67.46%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: July 25, 2026

Last update for Bitola: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $709 in Tbilisi and $282 in Bitola. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bitola pays 15% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $43.00 in Tbilisi vs $28.00 in Bitola. Groceries flip the comparison at $204 vs $206, with Tbilisi cheaper for home cooking.

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 35% in total monthly costs ($1,191 vs $880 including rent). Bitola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 15% 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: $709 in Tbilisi versus $282 in Bitola. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Tbilisi pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Bitola – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $43.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $880 in Bitola versus $1,191 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 35% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.