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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $800 in Lipljan versus $797 in Gjilan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,167 in Lipljan versus $1,192 in Gjilan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,534 in Lipljan versus $1,588 in Gjilan.

Monthly costs are close between Lipljan and Gjilan; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lipljan 42% lower, Gjilan 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.42 €2.95

$4.34 €3.73

-21.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.92 €11.99

$23.65 €20.36

-41.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.41 €2.93

$5.93 €5.11

-42.50%

Cappuccino

$1.19 €1.02

$1.43 €1.23

-16.78%

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

$1.13 €0.97

$1.11 €0.96

1.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.97

$0.93 €0.80

21.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 €1.98

$1.71 €1.47

34.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 €2.45

$1.40 €1.21

102.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 €1.13

$1.30 €1.12

0.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 €0.57

$0.44 €0.38

52.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 €1.19

Eggs

$1.36 €1.17

$1.84 €1.58

-26.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.95 €6.84

$8.27 €7.12

-3.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 €5.62

$6.59 €5.67

-0.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.36 €5.48

$13.23 €11.39

-51.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.62 €1.40

$1.70 €1.46

-4.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 €1.18

$1.65 €1.42

-16.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 €1.37

$1.77 €1.52

-10.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 €1.55

$1.77 €1.53

1.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 €0.85

$1.00 €0.86

-1.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 €0.76

$0.85 €0.73

3.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 €0.70

$0.87 €0.75

-6.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 €0.42

$0.52 €0.45

-5.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.61 €3.11

$3.62 €3.11

-0.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.98 €5.15

$5.96 €5.13

0.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.82

$0.97 €0.83

-2.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 €1.13

$1.30 €1.12

1.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.56 €0.48

103.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.30 €1.98

$2.34 €2.01

-1.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 €0.52

$0.55 €0.48

10.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 €2.96

$3.41 €2.94

0.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 €1.25

$1.48 €1.27

-1.35%

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

$23.1K €19.9K

$23.5K €20.3K

-1.96%

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

$27.1K €23.3K

$26.6K €22.9K

1.73%

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

$111 €95.5

$108 €92.6

3.08%

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

$4.57 €3.94

$11.72 €10.09

-61.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.95 €20.62

$24.22 €20.85

-1.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.19 €17.39

Cinema Ticket

$4.66 €4.02

$4.66 €4.01

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

$209 €180

$174 €150

20.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,964 €2,552

$1,534 €1,321

93.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.30 €38.14

$43.30 €37.28

2.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.26 €27.77

$32.70 €28.15

-1.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.6 €55.6

$66.3 €57.1

-2.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.4 €71.0

$82.9 €71.4

-0.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$404 €348

$286 €246

41.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 €235

$235 €203

16.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$765 €659

$488 €420

56.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$492 €424

$379 €326

29.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,526 €1,314

$947 €816

61.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,104 €950

$725 €625

52.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$468 €403

$463 €399

1.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.85

4.44

-35.81%

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

Last update for Lipljan: September 6, 2026

Last update for Gjilan: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $404 in Lipljan and $286 in Gjilan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lipljan pays 1% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $14.00 in Lipljan vs $24.00 in Gjilan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $171 vs $196 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

Lipljan vs Gjilan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Average pay runs 1% higher in Lipljan, 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: $404 in Lipljan versus $286 in Gjilan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $209 in Lipljan versus $174 in Gjilan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Lipljan pay roughly 14% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

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, Lipljan and Gjilan are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Gjilan wins on affordability, Lipljan on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.