Cost of Living Comparison Between Tetovo and Bitola Cost of Living Comparison Between Tetovo and Bitola

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,026 in Tetovo versus $882 in Bitola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,549 in Tetovo versus $1,326 in Bitola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,072 in Tetovo versus $1,771 in Bitola.

Living in Tetovo is roughly 16% more expensive than in Bitola, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tetovo 25% lower, Bitola 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.68 MKD 409

$5.57 MKD 296

37.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.72 MKD 1,474

$27.82 MKD 1,479

-0.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.01 MKD 320

$5.38 MKD 286

11.71%

Cappuccino

$1.55 MKD 82.5

$2.01 MKD 107

-22.89%

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

$1.55 MKD 82.7

$1.77 MKD 94.1

-12.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 MKD 53.2

$1.48 MKD 78.5

-32.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 MKD 117

$2.19 MKD 116

0.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 MKD 123

$2.61 MKD 139

-11.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 MKD 67.2

$1.36 MKD 72.3

-7.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 MKD 34.56

$0.70 MKD 37.23

-7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 MKD 72.8

$1.75 MKD 93.3

-21.71%

Eggs

$2.18 MKD 116

$2.00 MKD 106

9.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 MKD 394

$10.37 MKD 552

-28.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.32 MKD 283

$7.31 MKD 389

-27.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.40 MKD 553

$13.45 MKD 715

-22.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.41 MKD 75.1

$1.03 MKD 54.8

36.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 MKD 74.2

$1.38 MKD 73.5

1.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 MKD 52.0

$1.30 MKD 69.0

-24.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 MKD 107

$1.54 MKD 82.1

31.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 MKD 48.45

$0.91 MKD 48.14

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 MKD 40.74

$1.37 MKD 72.9

-43.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 MKD 33.55

$0.57 MKD 30.35

10.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MKD 27.66

$0.50 MKD 26.83

4.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.17 MKD 168

$3.35 MKD 178

-5.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.83 MKD 257

$5.91 MKD 314

-18.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MKD 57.6

$0.99 MKD 52.5

9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 MKD 77.7

$1.85 MKD 98.6

-21.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MKD 20.88

$0.54 MKD 28.48

-27.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 MKD 602

$16.70 MKD 888

-32.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 MKD 58.5

$1.15 MKD 61.2

-4.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MKD 28.94

$0.63 MKD 33.60

-14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.62 MKD 405

$6.44 MKD 343

18.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 MKD 80.2

$1.46 MKD 77.9

3.42%

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

$36.8K MKD 2.0M

$32.4K MKD 1.7M

13.42%

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

$28.1K MKD 1.5M

$34.5K MKD 1.8M

-18.40%

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

$163 MKD 8,689

$152 MKD 8,088

7.43%

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

$18.45 MKD 981

$14.81 MKD 787

24.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.98 MKD 1,009

$13.25 MKD 705

43.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.3 MKD 3,794

$21.99 MKD 1,169

224.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.40 MKD 979

$6.53 MKD 347

181.78%

Cinema Ticket

$5.56 MKD 296

$4.65 MKD 247

19.57%

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

$222 MKD 11.8K

$218 MKD 11.6K

2.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,292 MKD 121.9K

$1,181 MKD 62.8K

94.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.2 MKD 3,466

$76.9 MKD 4,090

-15.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.23 MKD 2,033

$47.90 MKD 2,548

-20.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MKD 5,581

$76.3 MKD 4,060

37.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 MKD 6,113

$112 MKD 5,958

2.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$366 MKD 19.5K

$266 MKD 14.1K

37.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 MKD 15.2K

$195 MKD 10.3K

46.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 MKD 32.3K

$415 MKD 22.1K

46.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$504 MKD 26.8K

$301 MKD 16.0K

67.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,251 MKD 66.5K

$1,774 MKD 94.3K

-29.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,122 MKD 59.7K

$1,204 MKD 64.0K

-6.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$898 MKD 47.8K

$780 MKD 41.5K

15.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.75

6.45

-41.86%

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

Last update for Tetovo: September 14, 2026

Last update for Bitola: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $366 in Tetovo and $266 in Bitola. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tetovo pays 15% 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: $28.00 in Tetovo vs $28.00 in Bitola for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $174 vs $204 per month, with Tetovo 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

Tetovo vs Bitola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tetovo and Bitola differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($1,026 vs $882 including rent). Bitola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 15% higher in Tetovo, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $366 in Tetovo versus $266 in Bitola. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Tetovo pay roughly 17% 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 $28.00 in Tetovo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Bitola 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, Tetovo 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 16% less than in Tetovo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.