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: $897 in Bitola versus $2,291 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Bitola versus $3,322 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,805 in Bitola versus $4,354 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 33% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.54 MKD 297

$16.19 €14.17

-65.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.95 MKD 1,499

$63.3 €55.4

-55.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.17 MKD 277

$10.32 €9.03

-49.90%

Cappuccino

$1.97 MKD 105

$2.83 €2.48

-30.39%

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

$1.80 MKD 96.4

$2.29 €2.00

-21.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 MKD 65.3

$1.58 €1.38

-22.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 MKD 118

$3.40 €2.98

-35.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 MKD 147

$4.03 €3.52

-32.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MKD 75.1

$1.09 €0.95

28.44%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 MKD 38.52

$1.75 €1.53

-58.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MKD 95.1

$1.76 €1.54

0.57%

Eggs

$2.01 MKD 108

$3.17 €2.77

-36.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.35 MKD 555

$13.19 €11.54

-21.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.12 MKD 382

$7.97 €6.97

-10.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 MKD 733

$15.53 €13.59

-12.04%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 MKD 55.2

$2.37 €2.07

-56.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MKD 77.1

$1.71 €1.49

-15.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 MKD 67.0

$2.01 €1.76

-37.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 MKD 86.5

$2.43 €2.13

-33.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 MKD 48.71

$1.76 €1.54

-48.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MKD 71.7

$2.03 €1.78

-33.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 MKD 29.22

$1.92 €1.68

-71.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MKD 30.30

$0.85 €0.74

-34.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.05 MKD 164

$6.58 €5.76

-53.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.95 MKD 319

$5.58 €4.88

6.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 MKD 51.4

$1.33 €1.17

-27.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 MKD 97.7

$2.97 €2.60

-38.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MKD 29.27

$2.28 €1.99

-75.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.81 MKD 902

$45.79 €40.06

-63.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 MKD 59.8

$4.23 €3.70

-73.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 26.15

$0.81 €0.71

-39.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.49 MKD 348

$18.44 €16.13

-64.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 MKD 76.5

$2.08 €1.82

-31.25%

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

$31.9K MKD 1.7M

$34.7K €30.3K

-8.05%

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

$33.3K MKD 1.8M

$39.2K €34.3K

-15.05%

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

$145 MKD 7,769

$148 €130

-2.17%

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

$17.32 MKD 929

$20.46 €17.90

-15.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.69 MKD 842

$39.56 €34.61

-60.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.19 MKD 1,298

$47.99 €41.99

-49.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.47 MKD 347

$18.60 €16.27

-65.22%

Cinema Ticket

$4.77 MKD 256

$9.22 €8.07

-48.26%

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

$219 MKD 11.7K

$616 €539

-64.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,211 MKD 65.0K

$16.4K €14.4K

-92.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.3 MKD 4,200

$103 €89.9

-23.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.21 MKD 2,532

$41.74 €36.52

13.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.1 MKD 3,975

$94.8 €82.9

-21.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 MKD 5,975

$122 €107

-8.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 MKD 15.3K

$1,633 €1,428

-82.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$196 MKD 10.5K

$1,232 €1,078

-84.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$606 MKD 32.5K

$3,098 €2,711

-80.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$312 MKD 16.7K

$2,031 €1,777

-84.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,727 MKD 92.6K

$7,831 €6,851

-77.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,181 MKD 63.3K

$4,389 €3,840

-73.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$776 MKD 41.7K

$1,607 €1,406

-51.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

3.81

86.35%

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

Last update for Bitola: July 11, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $285 in Bitola and $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 107% 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 $205 vs $267 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 155% in total monthly costs ($897 vs $2,291 including rent). Bitola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 107% 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: $285 in Bitola versus $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 30% 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 $897 in Bitola versus $2,291 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 155% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.