Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubai and Radovis

For one person, living is cheaper in Radovis: $875 a month against $2,896 in Dubai, rent and utilities included – about $24,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Dubai
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates
$2,896
/mo nomad
Radovis
🇲🇰 North Macedonia
$875
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dubai and in Radovis

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Dubai and in Radovis actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,896 in Dubai versus $875 in Radovis.

  • Dubai $2,896
  • Radovis $875

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,384 in Dubai versus $1,293 in Radovis.

  • Dubai $4,384
  • Radovis $1,293

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,872 in Dubai versus $1,711 in Radovis.

  • Dubai $5,872
  • Radovis $1,711

Living in Dubai is roughly 231% more expensive than in Radovis, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dubai is 115% above, Radovis is 35% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Dubai
Radovis
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.67 AED 46.55
$4.56 MKD 249
177.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$81.7 AED 300
$18.01 MKD 983
353.75%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.34 AED 34.30
$6.39 MKD 349
46.17%
Cappuccino
$5.89 AED 21.62
$1.23 MKD 67.4
378.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.69 AED 6.20
$1.29 MKD 70.1
31.01%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 AED 2.86
$1.07 MKD 58.2
-27.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$13.66 AED 50.2
$1.62 MKD 88.3
743.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$13.49 AED 49.54
$2.41 MKD 132
459.75%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dubai
Radovis
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.84 AED 6.78
$1.23 MKD 67.1
49.59%
White Bread (500g)
$1.50 AED 5.50
$0.75 MKD 41.12
100.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.57 AED 9.45
$1.74 MKD 94.8
47.70%
Eggs
$3.32 AED 12.18
$2.21 MKD 120
50.23%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.60 AED 46.28
$7.72 MKD 421
63.21%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.66 AED 35.46
$7.47 MKD 407
29.32%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.78 AED 46.93
$14.61 MKD 797
-12.53%
Apples (1kg)
$2.60 AED 9.54
$1.44 MKD 78.5
80.56%
Banana (1kg)
$1.90 AED 6.99
$1.42 MKD 77.7
33.80%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.91 AED 7.02
$1.38 MKD 75.2
38.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.37 AED 5.02
$1.95 MKD 106
-29.74%
Potato (1kg)
$1.13 AED 4.14
$0.83 MKD 45.32
36.14%
Onion (1kg)
$1.01 AED 3.71
$0.84 MKD 45.91
20.24%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 AED 5.30
$0.62 MKD 34.05
132.26%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67 AED 2.48
$0.43 MKD 23.68
55.81%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.88 AED 21.59
$3.38 MKD 184
73.96%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.15 AED 59.3
$7.42 MKD 405
117.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.72 AED 10.00
$1.01 MKD 55.2
169.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.08 AED 11.32
$1.12 MKD 61.2
175.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Dubai
Radovis
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.60 AED 5.87
$0.76 MKD 41.37
110.53%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.0 AED 279
$22.84 MKD 1,246
232.53%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.24 AED 11.91
$1.08 MKD 58.8
200.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.71 AED 2.61
$0.56 MKD 30.78
26.79%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.96 AED 29.22
$7.74 MKD 422
2.84%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.98 AED 3.62
$1.28 MKD 69.9
-23.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.4K AED 100.6K
$34.9K MKD 1.9M
-21.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.0K AED 80.9K
$23.7K MKD 1.3M
-7.08%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dubai
Radovis
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$249 AED 913
$153 MKD 8,347
62.40%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$54.4 AED 200
$16.62 MKD 906
227.50%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$91.5 AED 336
$18.89 MKD 1,030
384.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dubai
Radovis
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$103 AED 380
$19.58 MKD 1,068
428.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$42.32 AED 155
$19.73 MKD 1,076
114.50%
Cinema Ticket
$16.29 AED 59.8
$7.44 MKD 406
118.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dubai
Radovis
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$844 AED 3,098
$351 MKD 19.2K
140.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.3K AED 67.1K
$5,631 MKD 307.2K
224.32%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dubai
Radovis
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$67.0 AED 246
$84.6 MKD 4,613
-20.78%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.9 AED 213
$36.71 MKD 2,003
57.83%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 AED 375
$99.8 MKD 5,444
2.29%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.7 AED 363
$113 MKD 6,175
-12.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dubai
Radovis
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,393 AED 8,788
$252 MKD 13.8K
848.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,533 AED 5,630
$174 MKD 9,516
778.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,594 AED 16.9K
$427 MKD 23.3K
976.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,939 AED 10.8K
$268 MKD 14.6K
997.77%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,046 AED 25.9K
$1,438 MKD 78.4K
390.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,222 AED 15.5K
$1,056 MKD 57.6K
299.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dubai
Radovis
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,461 AED 12.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.54
4.23
7.33%

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

Last update for Dubai: October 10, 2026

Last update for Radovis: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Dubai
$1.5K
Radovis
$174 88.6% $1.4K
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dubai
$394
Radovis
$189 52.2% $206
Eating Out
Dubai
$305
Radovis
$93 69.6% $212
Groceries & Markets
Dubai
$292
Radovis
$205 29.7% $87
Clothing & Footwear
Dubai
$147
Radovis
$150 2.6% $3.8
Sport & Entertainment
Dubai
$136
Radovis
$34 74.7% $102
Getting Around
Dubai
$89
Radovis
$30 66.6% $59

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,393 in Dubai and $252 in Radovis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $82.0 in Dubai vs $18.00 in Radovis for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $205 per month, with Radovis cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇦🇪 Dubai
🇲🇰 Radovis
🕒 Local time
09:58 9:58 AM
07:58 7:58 AM
2 h behind Dubai
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,790,000
16,690
💱 Currency
UAE Dirham AED د.إ
Exchange rates and currency converter

MKD, USD, EUR to AED – UAE Dirham Converter

UAE Dirham exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 3.67 AED (1 AED = 0.272 USD). 1 EUR = 4.13 AED (1 AED = 0.242 EUR).

North Macedonian Denar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 54.55 MKD (100 MKD = 1.83 USD). 1 EUR = 61.33 MKD (100 MKD = 1.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Dubai Radovis 3,520 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Dubai
  • Radovis

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Dubai vs Radovis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Radovis cheaper than Dubai?
Radovis is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and utilities. The 231% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $4,344 in Dubai and $1,313 in Radovis to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Dubai and Radovis?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,393 in Dubai versus $252 in Radovis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Radovis runs roughly 233% less than in Dubai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $844 in Dubai versus $351 in Radovis. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Dubai or in Radovis?
At $875 in Radovis versus $2,896 in Dubai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Radovis but tight or insufficient in Dubai. The gap between the two cities makes Radovis the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Dubai or Radovis more family-friendly?
For families, Radovis is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Dubai, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Dubai or Radovis?
Safety-wise, Dubai and Radovis are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Radovis gentler on the wallet – expenses run 231% less than in Dubai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Dubai vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?