Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Gjilan Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Gjilan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,291 in Lisbon versus $647 in Gjilan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Lisbon versus $1,007 in Gjilan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,354 in Lisbon versus $1,368 in Gjilan.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 254% more expensive than in Gjilan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 71% above, Gjilan is 52% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 €14.17

$4.40 €3.85

267.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €55.4

$20.06 €17.55

215.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 €9.03

$5.46 €4.78

89.01%

Cappuccino

$2.83 €2.48

$1.43 €1.25

97.90%

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

$2.29 €2.00

$1.11 €0.97

106.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.38

$0.93 €0.81

69.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 €2.98

$1.42 €1.24

139.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 €3.52

$1.42 €1.24

183.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.95

$1.31 €1.15

-16.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 €1.53

$0.47 €0.41

272.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$1.36 €1.19

29.41%

Eggs

$3.17 €2.77

$1.51 €1.32

109.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 €11.54

$6.03 €5.27

118.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 €6.97

$4.94 €4.32

61.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.53 €13.59

$10.36 €9.07

49.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 €2.07

$1.20 €1.05

97.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 €1.49

$1.59 €1.39

7.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 €1.76

$1.45 €1.27

38.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.43 €2.13

$1.20 €1.05

102.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 €1.54

$0.85 €0.74

107.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 €1.78

$0.83 €0.72

144.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 €1.68

$0.73 €0.64

163.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 €0.74

$0.53 €0.46

60.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.58 €5.76

$3.38 €2.95

94.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.58 €4.88

$5.56 €4.87

0.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 €1.17

$0.89 €0.78

49.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 €2.60

$1.43 €1.25

107.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.28 €1.99

$0.60 €0.52

280.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 €40.06

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 €3.70

$2.28 €1.99

85.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 €0.71

$0.50 €0.44

62.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.44 €16.13

$5.83 €5.10

216.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.54 €1.35

35.06%

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

$34.7K €30.3K

$22.8K €20.0K

51.97%

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

$39.2K €34.3K

$24.6K €21.5K

59.30%

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

$148 €130

$70.3 €61.5

110.72%

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

$20.46 €17.90

$10.66 €9.32

91.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.56 €34.61

$19.50 €17.06

102.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.99 €41.99

$17.41 €15.23

175.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.60 €16.27

Cinema Ticket

$9.22 €8.07

$4.69 €4.10

96.59%

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

$616 €539

$168 €147

265.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.4K

$2,874 €2,514

472.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 €89.9

$38.98 €34.11

163.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 €36.52

$31.52 €27.58

32.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 €82.9

$56.6 €49.49

67.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 €107

$83.7 €73.3

45.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 €1,428

$230 €201

610.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 €1,078

$173 €151

613.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 €2,711

$468 €410

561.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,031 €1,777

$343 €300

492.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,831 €6,851

$954 €834

721.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,389 €3,840

$715 €626

513.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,607 €1,406

$461 €404

248.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

-4.75%

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

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Last update for Gjilan: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Lisbon and $230 in Gjilan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 248% 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: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $20.00 in Gjilan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $162 per month, with Gjilan 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

Lisbon vs Gjilan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Gjilan differ by about 254% in total monthly costs ($2,291 vs $647 including rent). Gjilan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 248% higher in Lisbon, 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: $1,633 in Lisbon versus $230 in Gjilan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 65% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,291 per month in Lisbon versus $647 in Gjilan – a 254% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $647 in Gjilan versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Gjilan but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Gjilan 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, Lisbon 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 254% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.