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: $726 in Lipljan versus $660 in Gjilan.

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

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

Living in Lipljan is roughly 10% more expensive than Gjilan, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.43 €2.95

$4.32 €3.72

-20.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.91 €11.96

$19.90 €17.11

-30.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.49 €3.00

$5.53 €4.76

-36.89%

Cappuccino

$1.14 €0.98

$1.41 €1.21

-19.15%

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

$1.15 €0.99

$1.17 €1.01

-1.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 €0.89

$0.91 €0.79

13.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 €1.94

$1.46 €1.26

54.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 €2.27

$1.36 €1.17

94.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 €1.15

$1.28 €1.10

4.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 €0.54

$0.45 €0.39

40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 €1.17

$1.41 €1.21

-3.55%

Eggs

$1.35 €1.17

$1.54 €1.33

-12.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.95 €5.12

$6.17 €5.31

-3.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.10 €4.39

$4.88 €4.20

4.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.29 €5.41

$10.54 €9.07

-40.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 €1.03

$1.26 €1.09

-4.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 €1.22

$1.63 €1.41

-13.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 €1.27

$1.40 €1.20

5.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 €1.02

$1.22 €1.05

-2.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.78 €0.67

8.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 €0.66

$0.81 €0.70

-4.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 €0.62

$0.67 €0.58

7.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 €0.44

$0.56 €0.48

-8.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.54 €3.05

$3.56 €3.06

-0.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.79 €4.98

$5.71 €4.91

1.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.76

$0.95 €0.82

-6.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 €1.22

$1.43 €1.23

-0.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 €1.01

$0.55 €0.48

112.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 €1.95

$2.32 €2.00

-2.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 €0.47

$0.53 €0.46

3.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.92 €5.09

$5.87 €5.05

0.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 €1.31

$1.52 €1.30

0.66%

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

$23.0K €19.8K

$23.4K €20.1K

-1.73%

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

$24.7K €21.3K

$25.0K €21.5K

-0.92%

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

$85.9 €73.9

$68.3 €58.7

25.83%

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

$4.76 €4.10

$10.53 €9.06

-54.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.59 €16.86

$19.16 €16.48

2.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.45 €15.01

Cinema Ticket

$4.62 €3.97

$4.54 €3.90

1.76%

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

$171 €147

$170 €146

0.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,896 €2,491

$2,932 €2,522

-1.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.11 €33.64

$39.27 €33.78

-0.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.94 €27.47

$30.91 €26.59

3.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.4 €48.51

$55.3 €47.55

2.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.2 €72.4

$84.9 €73.0

-0.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$408 €351

$232 €199

76.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 €237

$177 €152

55.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$762 €656

$455 €392

67.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$506 €435

$342 €294

47.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,512 €1,300

$944 €812

60.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,114 €958

$726 €625

53.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$467 €402

$471 €405

-0.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.85

-28.75%

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

Last update for Lipljan: May 31, 2026

Last update for Gjilan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $408 in Lipljan and $232 in Gjilan. 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: $14.00 in Lipljan vs $20.00 in Gjilan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $151 vs $164 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

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

On paper, Gjilan earns 1% less. 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: $408 in Lipljan versus $232 in Gjilan. 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 $726 per month in Lipljan versus $660 in Gjilan – 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, 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.

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.