Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Tetovo

For one person, living is cheaper in Tetovo: $997 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $14,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lisbon, Portugal
Tetovo, North Macedonia
Lisbon
🇵🇹 Portugal
$2,210
/mo nomad
Tetovo
🇲🇰 North Macedonia
$997
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lisbon and in Tetovo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lisbon and in Tetovo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Lisbon versus $997 in Tetovo.

  • Lisbon $2,210
  • Tetovo $997

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,275 in Lisbon versus $1,500 in Tetovo.

  • Lisbon $3,275
  • Tetovo $1,500

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,341 in Lisbon versus $2,004 in Tetovo.

  • Lisbon $4,341
  • Tetovo $2,004

Living in Lisbon is roughly 122% more expensive than in Tetovo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 62% above, Tetovo is 27% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lisbon
Tetovo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.95
$7.37 MKD 406
125.92%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.7 €55.5
$27.68 MKD 1,526
123.05%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.36 €10.20
$5.69 MKD 313
99.65%
Cappuccino
$2.97 €2.67
$1.56 MKD 86.0
90.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 €2.06
$1.51 MKD 83.1
51.66%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.56
$0.92 MKD 50.5
89.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.40 €3.06
$2.13 MKD 118
59.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31 €2.97
$2.14 MKD 118
54.67%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
Tetovo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 €1.04
$1.27 MKD 70.0
-8.66%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 €1.72
$0.62 MKD 34.30
208.06%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 €1.36
$1.31 MKD 72.2
15.27%
Eggs
$4.02 €3.61
$2.08 MKD 115
93.27%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.94 €11.62
$7.41 MKD 408
74.63%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 €6.98
$5.10 MKD 281
52.35%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.76 €15.95
$10.31 MKD 569
72.26%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 €2.07
$1.46 MKD 80.2
57.53%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 €1.56
$1.44 MKD 79.6
20.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 €1.67
$0.95 MKD 52.2
95.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.59 €2.33
$1.88 MKD 104
37.77%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 €1.64
$0.84 MKD 46.17
116.67%
Onion (1kg)
$1.97 €1.77
$0.69 MKD 38.31
185.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.32
$0.59 MKD 32.38
149.15%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 €0.65
$0.53 MKD 29.32
35.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.91
$3.01 MKD 166
118.60%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.61 €5.04
$4.49 MKD 248
24.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.36 €1.22
$1.05 MKD 58.1
29.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 €1.92
$1.45 MKD 79.7
47.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Lisbon
Tetovo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 €2.10
$0.35 MKD 19.10
565.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.68 €40.14
$10.88 MKD 600
310.66%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.85 €3.46
$1.10 MKD 60.7
250.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.07 €0.96
$0.53 MKD 29.04
101.89%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.46 €14.79
$7.37 MKD 406
123.34%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.20 €1.98
$1.49 MKD 82.0
47.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K €30.7K
$34.1K MKD 1.9M
0.12%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7K €34.8K
$26.9K MKD 1.5M
44.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
Tetovo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$161 €145
$159 MKD 8,739
1.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.41 €16.54
$17.95 MKD 989
2.56%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.74 €29.41
$19.25 MKD 1,061
70.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
Tetovo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.55 €40.02
$69.9 MKD 3,851
-36.24%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10 €17.16
$18.12 MKD 999
5.41%
Cinema Ticket
$9.60 €8.62
$5.41 MKD 298
77.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lisbon
Tetovo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$668 €600
$222 MKD 12.2K
201.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.6K €15.8K
$2,175 MKD 119.9K
709.85%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
Tetovo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 €91.6
$64.5 MKD 3,556
58.15%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.46 €39.94
$36.99 MKD 2,039
20.19%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.5 €88.5
$104 MKD 5,722
-5.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 €111
$111 MKD 6,108
11.61%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
Tetovo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,608 €1,445
$351 MKD 19.3K
358.53%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,190 €1,069
$273 MKD 15.1K
335.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,812 €2,526
$583 MKD 32.1K
382.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,013 €1,808
$483 MKD 26.6K
316.76%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,839 €7,042
$1,231 MKD 67.9K
536.74%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,576 €4,110
$1,104 MKD 60.9K
314.32%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lisbon
Tetovo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,575 €1,415
$861 MKD 47.4K
83.00%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.85
3.75
2.67%

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

Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026

Last update for Tetovo: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lisbon
$1.2K
Tetovo
$273 77% $917
Groceries & Markets
Lisbon
$272
Tetovo
$170 37.6% $102
Eating Out
Lisbon
$243
Tetovo
$119 50.8% $123
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lisbon
$212
Tetovo
$196 7.8% $17
Clothing & Footwear
Lisbon
$166
Tetovo
$142 14.2% $24
Sport & Entertainment
Lisbon
$64
Tetovo
$81 26.6% $17
Getting Around
Lisbon
$63
Tetovo
$16 74.7% $47

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Lisbon and $351 in Tetovo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 83% 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: $62 in Lisbon vs $28 in Tetovo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $170 per month, with Tetovo cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇵🇹 Lisbon
🇲🇰 Tetovo
🕒 Local time
21:50 9:50 PM
22:50 10:50 PM
1 h ahead of Lisbon
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
545,923 Capital
53,000
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

MKD, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

North Macedonian Denar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 55.12 MKD (100 MKD = 1.81 USD). 1 EUR = 61.36 MKD (100 MKD = 1.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lisbon Tetovo 2,560 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Lisbon
  • Tetovo

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Tetovo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lisbon and in Tetovo?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,210 in Lisbon and $997 in Tetovo, so Tetovo is about 55% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Lisbon or Tetovo?
Average pay runs 83% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Lisbon and in Tetovo?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,608 in Lisbon versus $351 in Tetovo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Lisbon and Tetovo?
Childcare runs $668 in Lisbon versus $222 in Tetovo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 60% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is feasible on a $800 budget?
Both cities are expensive relative to $800. Tetovo is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
How does quality of life compare between Lisbon and Tetovo?
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.
Where should expats move: Lisbon or Tetovo?
Expats usually find Tetovo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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