Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Gostivar Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Gostivar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $798 in Gostivar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,195 in Gostivar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,592 in Gostivar.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 76% more expensive than Gostivar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 4% above, Gostivar is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$5.13 MKD 272

-30.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$23.07 MKD 1,224

40.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$4.98 MKD 264

-2.41%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$1.39 MKD 73.5

97.84%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$1.16 MKD 61.7

13.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$1.15 MKD 61.0

-39.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$1.39 MKD 73.7

109.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$1.91 MKD 101

98.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.34 MKD 71.1

27.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$0.71 MKD 37.73

247.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$1.54 MKD 81.7

-22.08%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$2.12 MKD 113

15.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$6.39 MKD 339

125.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$5.52 MKD 293

-21.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$13.64 MKD 724

-10.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$1.06 MKD 56.4

247.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.44 MKD 76.6

7.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$1.32 MKD 69.9

111.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$1.58 MKD 83.8

47.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$0.94 MKD 49.73

109.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$0.72 MKD 38.34

220.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.54 MKD 28.92

96.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.56 MKD 29.78

30.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$2.80 MKD 148

17.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$4.60 MKD 244

395.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$0.96 MKD 51.0

192.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$1.53 MKD 81.1

81.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$0.68 MKD 36.30

-57.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

$19.86 MKD 1,054

-59.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$0.97 MKD 51.7

-53.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$0.36 MKD 18.94

25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$6.47 MKD 343

-3.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.47 MKD 78.2

-42.18%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$31.5K MKD 1.7M

-17.59%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$46.2K MKD 2.5M

-31.55%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$131 MKD 6,939

-38.26%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$11.32 MKD 601

-64.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$15.23 MKD 808

60.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$26.46 MKD 1,404

269.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$4.79 MKD 254

-15.66%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$219 MKD 11.6K

39.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$1,209 MKD 64.2K

447.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$37.49 MKD 1,989

44.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$38.20 MKD 2,027

1.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$73.7 MKD 3,908

16.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$113 MKD 5,985

-32.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$283 MKD 15.0K

248.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$193 MKD 10.2K

241.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$555 MKD 29.5K

507.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$305 MKD 16.2K

577.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

$1,656 MKD 87.9K

65.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

$1,252 MKD 66.4K

77.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$885 MKD 47.0K

-81.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

6.5

104.31%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Last update for Gostivar: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Ubud, Bali and $283 in Gostivar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gostivar pays 442% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $23.00 in Gostivar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 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

Ubud, Bali vs Gostivar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gostivar wins on cost – living expenses run 76% lower than in Ubud, Bali. 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 442% 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: $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $283 in Gostivar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $798 in Gostivar – a 76% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Gostivar runs roughly 146% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $798 in Gostivar versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Gostivar but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. 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, Ubud, Bali 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 76% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.