Cost of Living Comparison Between Gjilan and Lipljan Cost of Living Comparison Between Gjilan and Lipljan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $660 in Gjilan versus $726 in Lipljan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,014 in Gjilan versus $1,084 in Lipljan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,368 in Gjilan versus $1,443 in Lipljan.

Living in Gjilan costs roughly 9% less than in Lipljan, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Gjilan 51% lower, Lipljan 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.32 €3.72

$3.43 €2.95

25.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.90 €17.11

$13.91 €11.96

43.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.53 €4.76

$3.49 €3.00

58.45%

Cappuccino

$1.41 €1.21

$1.14 €0.98

23.68%

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

$1.17 €1.01

$1.15 €0.99

1.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.79

$1.03 €0.89

-11.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 €1.26

$2.25 €1.94

-35.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.17

$2.64 €2.27

-48.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.10

$1.34 €1.15

-4.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.45 €0.39

$0.63 €0.54

-28.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 €1.21

$1.36 €1.17

3.68%

Eggs

$1.54 €1.33

$1.35 €1.17

14.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.17 €5.31

$5.95 €5.12

3.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.88 €4.20

$5.10 €4.39

-4.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.54 €9.07

$6.29 €5.41

67.57%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 €1.09

$1.20 €1.03

5.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 €1.41

$1.41 €1.22

15.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 €1.20

$1.47 €1.27

-4.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 €1.05

$1.19 €1.02

2.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 €0.67

$0.85 €0.73

-8.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 €0.70

$0.77 €0.66

5.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 €0.58

$0.72 €0.62

-6.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 €0.48

$0.51 €0.44

9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 €3.06

$3.54 €3.05

0.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$5.79 €4.98

-1.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.82

$0.89 €0.76

6.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 €1.23

$1.42 €1.22

0.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 €0.48

$1.17 €1.01

-52.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 €2.00

$2.26 €1.95

2.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 €0.46

$0.55 €0.47

-3.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.87 €5.05

$5.92 €5.09

-0.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 €1.30

$1.53 €1.31

-0.65%

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

$23.4K €20.1K

$23.0K €19.8K

1.76%

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

$25.0K €21.5K

$24.7K €21.3K

0.93%

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

$68.3 €58.7

$85.9 €73.9

-20.53%

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

$10.53 €9.06

$4.76 €4.10

121.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.16 €16.48

$19.59 €16.86

-2.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.45 €15.01

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 €3.90

$4.62 €3.97

-1.73%

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

$170 €146

$171 €147

-0.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,932 €2,522

$2,896 €2,491

1.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.27 €33.78

$39.11 €33.64

0.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.91 €26.59

$31.94 €27.47

-3.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.3 €47.55

$56.4 €48.51

-1.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.9 €73.0

$84.2 €72.4

0.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$232 €199

$408 €351

-43.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 €152

$275 €237

-35.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 €392

$762 €656

-40.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$342 €294

$506 €435

-32.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$944 €812

$1,512 €1,300

-37.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$726 €625

$1,114 €958

-34.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$471 €405

$467 €402

0.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.85

40.35%

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

Last update for Gjilan: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lipljan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $232 in Gjilan and $408 in Lipljan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gjilan pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Gjilan vs $14.00 in Lipljan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $164 vs $151 per month, with Lipljan 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

Gjilan vs Lipljan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gjilan and Lipljan differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($660 vs $726 including rent). Gjilan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Gjilan pays 1% more on average, 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: $232 in Gjilan versus $408 in Lipljan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Lipljan pay roughly 9% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $660 per month in Gjilan versus $726 in Lipljan – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Gjilan 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, Gjilan and Lipljan 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 Gjilan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Lipljan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.