Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Gostivar Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Gostivar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,263 in Lisbon versus $798 in Gostivar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,315 in Lisbon versus $1,195 in Gostivar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,368 in Lisbon versus $1,592 in Gostivar.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 183% more expensive than Gostivar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 68% above, Gostivar is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.94 €13.73

$5.13 MKD 272

210.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.4 €54.6

$23.07 MKD 1,224

174.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.38 €8.95

$4.98 MKD 264

108.43%

Cappuccino

$2.79 €2.40

$1.39 MKD 73.5

100.72%

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

$2.34 €2.01

$1.16 MKD 61.7

101.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.35

$1.15 MKD 61.0

36.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 €2.95

$1.39 MKD 73.7

146.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 €3.37

$1.91 MKD 101

104.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 €0.93

$1.34 MKD 71.1

-19.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 €1.52

$0.71 MKD 37.73

149.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.54 MKD 81.7

11.04%

Eggs

$3.15 €2.71

$2.12 MKD 113

48.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 €11.79

$6.39 MKD 339

114.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.01 €6.90

$5.52 MKD 293

45.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 €13.37

$13.64 MKD 724

13.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.98

$1.06 MKD 56.4

116.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.44 MKD 76.6

13.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 €1.67

$1.32 MKD 69.9

46.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.17

$1.58 MKD 83.8

58.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 €1.54

$0.94 MKD 49.73

90.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 €1.73

$0.72 MKD 38.34

179.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 €1.69

$0.54 MKD 28.92

264.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.73

$0.56 MKD 29.78

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 €5.85

$2.80 MKD 148

142.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.89

$4.60 MKD 244

23.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 €1.20

$0.96 MKD 51.0

44.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 €2.60

$1.53 MKD 81.1

97.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 €1.95

$0.68 MKD 36.30

233.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.44 €39.15

$19.86 MKD 1,054

128.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 €3.70

$0.97 MKD 51.7

342.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.36 MKD 18.94

136.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.28 €15.75

$6.47 MKD 343

182.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.47 MKD 78.2

35.37%

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

$35.0K €30.2K

$31.5K MKD 1.7M

11.14%

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

$39.5K €34.1K

$46.2K MKD 2.5M

-14.49%

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

$146 €126

$131 MKD 6,939

11.78%

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

$20.45 €17.62

$11.32 MKD 601

80.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.98 €33.58

$15.23 MKD 808

155.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.98 €42.21

$26.46 MKD 1,404

85.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.83 €16.22

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 €8.21

$4.79 MKD 254

98.75%

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

$608 €524

$219 MKD 11.6K

178.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K €14.2K

$1,209 MKD 64.2K

1265.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 €89.5

$37.49 MKD 1,989

177.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.12 €36.29

$38.20 MKD 2,027

10.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 €79.5

$73.7 MKD 3,908

25.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 €103

$113 MKD 5,985

6.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 €1,397

$283 MKD 15.0K

473.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 €1,092

$193 MKD 10.2K

558.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,048 €2,626

$555 MKD 29.5K

449.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,009 €1,731

$305 MKD 16.2K

559.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,663 €6,602

$1,656 MKD 87.9K

362.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,329 €3,730

$1,252 MKD 66.4K

245.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,585 €1,366

$885 MKD 47.0K

79.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

6.5

-41.38%

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

Last update for Lisbon: June 8, 2026

Last update for Gostivar: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,621 in Lisbon and $283 in Gostivar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 79% 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 $23.00 in Gostivar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $180 per month, with Gostivar 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 Gostivar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gostivar wins on cost – living expenses run 183% lower than in Lisbon. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Gostivar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Lisbon pays 79% 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: $1,621 in Lisbon versus $283 in Gostivar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,263 per month in Lisbon versus $798 in Gostivar – a 183% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Gostivar runs roughly 129% less than in Lisbon. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $798 in Gostivar versus $2,263 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Gostivar but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Gostivar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Gostivar delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $798 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Gostivar hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Gostivar 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 Gostivar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 183% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.