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: $1,191 in Tbilisi versus $813 in Gostivar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,856 in Tbilisi versus $1,191 in Gostivar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,522 in Tbilisi versus $1,570 in Gostivar.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 47% more expensive than in Gostivar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 11% lower, Gostivar 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.91 ₾28.56

$5.19 MKD 277

110.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.19 ₾113

$23.38 MKD 1,250

84.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 ₾22.31

$5.03 MKD 269

69.58%

Cappuccino

$2.99 ₾7.81

$1.44 MKD 76.7

107.64%

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

$0.81 ₾2.12

$1.15 MKD 61.5

-29.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₾1.09

$1.16 MKD 61.7

-63.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 ₾5.65

$1.35 MKD 72.1

60.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₾7.52

$1.84 MKD 98.4

56.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ₾5.08

$1.41 MKD 75.2

37.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$0.67 MKD 35.64

1.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.83

$1.54 MKD 82.3

20.13%

Eggs

$2.53 ₾6.62

$2.09 MKD 112

21.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.53 ₾19.69

$6.66 MKD 356

13.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 ₾16.39

$5.79 MKD 310

8.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.59 ₾25.09

$13.47 MKD 720

-28.80%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 ₾3.04

$1.08 MKD 57.6

7.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.29

$1.42 MKD 76.1

15.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.93

$1.26 MKD 67.2

49.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.84

$1.63 MKD 87.3

36.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$0.98 MKD 52.4

-28.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₾1.68

$0.78 MKD 41.92

-17.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.09

$0.54 MKD 28.80

118.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$0.56 MKD 29.94

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 ₾7.78

$2.78 MKD 148

6.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.43 ₾19.45

$4.71 MKD 252

57.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.03

$0.90 MKD 48.36

71.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₾5.98

$1.54 MKD 82.2

48.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.93

$0.63 MKD 33.61

-42.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.73 ₾38.54

$20.00 MKD 1,069

-26.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ₾3.71

$0.93 MKD 49.59

52.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.81

$0.35 MKD 18.79

97.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.27 ₾19.02

$6.60 MKD 353

10.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.86

$1.44 MKD 77.2

-24.31%

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

$18.3K ₾47.9K

$31.9K MKD 1.7M

-42.57%

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

$20.5K ₾53.6K

$46.2K MKD 2.5M

-55.62%

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

$74.4 ₾195

$132 MKD 7,079

-43.87%

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

$11.71 ₾30.63

$11.05 MKD 590

5.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ₾46.06

$15.45 MKD 826

13.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.3 ₾158

$26.09 MKD 1,394

131.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.29 ₾42.63

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.03

$4.67 MKD 250

39.40%

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

$269 ₾704

$218 MKD 11.7K

23.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,154 ₾13.5K

$1,197 MKD 64.0K

330.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.1 ₾202

$37.51 MKD 2,004

105.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.48 ₾114

$38.26 MKD 2,045

13.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾310

$74.2 MKD 3,964

59.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾295

$114 MKD 6,093

-1.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 ₾1,856

$280 MKD 15.0K

152.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 ₾1,215

$193 MKD 10.3K

140.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 ₾3,442

$569 MKD 30.4K

131.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$767 ₾2,007

$315 MKD 16.8K

143.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,492 ₾6,522

$1,584 MKD 84.6K

57.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,442 ₾3,773

$1,238 MKD 66.1K

16.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$663 ₾1,735

$887 MKD 47.4K

-25.28%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Gostivar: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $709 in Tbilisi and $280 in Gostivar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gostivar pays 34% 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 $23.00 in Gostivar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 vs $182 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 47% 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, salaries run 34% lower in Gostivar. 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 $280 in Gostivar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,191 per month in Tbilisi versus $813 in Gostivar – a 47% 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 $813 in Gostivar versus $1,191 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 $813 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 47% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.