Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Gostivar Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Gostivar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,218 in Tbilisi versus $798 in Gostivar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,853 in Tbilisi versus $1,195 in Gostivar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,489 in Tbilisi versus $1,592 in Gostivar.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 53% more expensive than Gostivar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 9% lower, Gostivar 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.85 ₾28.75

$5.13 MKD 272

111.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.17 ₾117

$23.07 MKD 1,224

91.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 ₾21.94

$4.98 MKD 264

66.27%

Cappuccino

$3.02 ₾8.00

$1.39 MKD 73.5

117.27%

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

$0.76 ₾2.02

$1.16 MKD 61.7

-34.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.22

$1.15 MKD 61.0

-60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ₾5.93

$1.39 MKD 73.7

61.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.95

$1.91 MKD 101

57.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.11

$1.34 MKD 71.1

44.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 ₾1.91

$0.71 MKD 37.73

1.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 ₾4.87

$1.54 MKD 81.7

19.48%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.48

$2.12 MKD 113

15.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₾19.67

$6.39 MKD 339

16.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 ₾17.16

$5.52 MKD 293

17.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 ₾25.70

$13.64 MKD 724

-28.89%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 ₾3.18

$1.06 MKD 56.4

13.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₾4.14

$1.44 MKD 76.6

8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.75

$1.32 MKD 69.9

35.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.90

$1.58 MKD 83.8

41.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.73

$0.94 MKD 49.73

-30.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 ₾1.79

$0.72 MKD 38.34

-5.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.16

$0.54 MKD 28.92

120.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.86

$0.56 MKD 29.78

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₾7.82

$2.80 MKD 148

5.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 ₾19.41

$4.60 MKD 244

59.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₾4.02

$0.96 MKD 51.0

58.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.95

$1.53 MKD 81.1

47.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$0.68 MKD 36.30

-47.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.60 ₾38.68

$19.86 MKD 1,054

-26.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.97

$0.97 MKD 51.7

54.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 ₾1.92

$0.36 MKD 18.94

102.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾19.74

$6.47 MKD 343

15.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.01

$1.47 MKD 78.2

-22.45%

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

$18.5K ₾49.0K

$31.5K MKD 1.7M

-41.28%

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

$20.3K ₾53.6K

$46.2K MKD 2.5M

-56.20%

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

$73.9 ₾196

$131 MKD 6,939

-43.51%

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

$11.71 ₾31.01

$11.32 MKD 601

3.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.16 ₾48.09

$15.23 MKD 808

19.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 ₾163

$26.46 MKD 1,404

133.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.66 ₾44.12

Cinema Ticket

$6.61 ₾17.50

$4.79 MKD 254

38.00%

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

$264 ₾700

$219 MKD 11.6K

20.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,145 ₾13.6K

$1,209 MKD 64.2K

325.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 ₾198

$37.49 MKD 1,989

99.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.98 ₾117

$38.20 MKD 2,027

15.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾312

$73.7 MKD 3,908

59.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾301

$113 MKD 5,985

0.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 ₾1,833

$283 MKD 15.0K

144.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₾1,203

$193 MKD 10.2K

135.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 ₾3,504

$555 MKD 29.5K

138.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,089

$305 MKD 16.2K

158.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,431 ₾6,440

$1,656 MKD 87.9K

46.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 ₾3,818

$1,252 MKD 66.4K

15.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$645 ₾1,709

$885 MKD 47.0K

-27.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

6.5

82.92%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: June 9, 2026

Last update for Gostivar: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $692 in Tbilisi and $283 in Gostivar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gostivar pays 37% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $44.00 in Tbilisi vs $23.00 in Gostivar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 vs $180 per month, with Gostivar 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 Gostivar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gostivar wins on cost – living expenses run 53% lower than in Tbilisi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Gostivar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Gostivar earns 37% 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: $692 in Tbilisi versus $283 in Gostivar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,218 per month in Tbilisi versus $798 in Gostivar – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Gostivar runs roughly 36% less than in Tbilisi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $798 in Gostivar versus $1,218 in Tbilisi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Gostivar but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Gostivar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Gostivar delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $798 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Gostivar hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Gostivar 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 Gostivar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.