Cost of Living Comparison Between Bitola and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Bitola and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $899 in Bitola versus $2,316 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,347 in Bitola versus $3,361 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,794 in Bitola versus $4,405 in Lisbon.

Living in Bitola costs roughly 61% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bitola is 35% below, Lisbon is 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.58 MKD 294

$17.30 €14.87

-67.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.09 MKD 1,481

$63.3 €54.4

-55.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.32 MKD 281

$11.39 €9.79

-53.29%

Cappuccino

$1.92 MKD 101

$3.19 €2.74

-39.81%

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

$1.80 MKD 94.9

$2.45 €2.10

-26.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 MKD 76.5

$1.76 €1.52

-17.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 MKD 122

$3.59 €3.09

-35.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 MKD 138

$3.39 €2.92

-22.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MKD 73.6

$1.24 €1.06

12.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 MKD 35.69

$1.98 €1.71

-65.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MKD 90.7

$1.52 €1.31

13.16%

Eggs

$1.99 MKD 105

$4.04 €3.47

-50.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.25 MKD 540

$13.54 €11.64

-24.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.25 MKD 382

$8.39 €7.21

-13.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.88 MKD 732

$18.25 €15.69

-23.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.05 MKD 55.1

$2.29 €1.97

-54.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 MKD 74.1

$1.74 €1.50

-19.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 MKD 65.9

$1.86 €1.60

-32.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 MKD 86.4

$2.63 €2.26

-37.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 MKD 51.7

$1.92 €1.65

-48.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 MKD 71.5

$2.09 €1.80

-34.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 MKD 31.04

$1.44 €1.24

-59.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MKD 28.89

$0.84 €0.72

-34.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 MKD 163

$6.78 €5.83

-54.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.97 MKD 315

$5.71 €4.91

4.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 MKD 50.6

$1.38 €1.18

-30.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 MKD 96.5

$2.22 €1.91

-17.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 MKD 30.60

$2.40 €2.06

-75.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.87 MKD 889

$46.78 €40.22

-63.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MKD 60.7

$4.17 €3.59

-72.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 MKD 33.07

$1.14 €0.98

-44.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.54 MKD 345

$17.68 €15.20

-63.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 MKD 78.5

$2.32 €2.00

-35.78%

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

$32.4K MKD 1.7M

$35.3K €30.4K

-8.18%

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

$33.5K MKD 1.8M

$41.4K €35.6K

-19.29%

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

$152 MKD 8,018

$170 €146

-10.72%

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

$14.72 MKD 776

$19.34 €16.62

-23.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.25 MKD 699

$33.64 €28.92

-60.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.63 MKD 1,193

$48.10 €41.35

-52.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.77 MKD 357

$19.90 €17.11

-65.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.84 MKD 255

$9.92 €8.53

-51.21%

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

$218 MKD 11.5K

$717 €617

-69.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,220 MKD 64.3K

$17.5K €15.0K

-93.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.2 MKD 4,125

$105 €90.1

-25.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.84 MKD 2,575

$46.95 €40.36

4.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 MKD 4,031

$103 €88.9

-26.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 MKD 6,074

$124 €107

-7.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$271 MKD 14.3K

$1,677 €1,441

-83.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$196 MKD 10.3K

$1,271 €1,093

-84.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$417 MKD 22.0K

$2,985 €2,566

-86.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$302 MKD 15.9K

$1,992 €1,713

-84.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,784 MKD 94.1K

$7,826 €6,728

-77.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,181 MKD 62.3K

$4,658 €4,004

-74.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$801 MKD 42.2K

$1,583 €1,361

-49.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

3.79

70.18%

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

Last update for Bitola: August 30, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $271 in Bitola and $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 98% 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 Bitola vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $283 per month, with Bitola 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

Bitola vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bitola and Lisbon differ by about 158% in total monthly costs ($899 vs $2,316 including rent). Bitola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 98% lower in Lisbon. 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: $271 in Bitola versus $1,677 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Bitola – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $63.0 in Lisbon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $899 in Bitola versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bitola but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. 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, Bitola and Lisbon 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 158% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.