Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Radovis and Istanbul

For one person, living is cheaper in Radovis: $875 a month against $1,550 in Istanbul, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

44

Cost of Living Index in Radovis
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Radovis Living Index
75

Cost of Living Index in Istanbul
Learn more

Istanbul Living Index

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Radovis

🇲🇰 North Macedonia

$875

/mo nomad

Istanbul

🇹🇷 Turkey

$1,550

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Radovis and in Istanbul

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

A single person spends $875 per month in Radovis vs $1,550 in Istanbul, rent included.

Radovis $875
Istanbul $1,550

A couple spends around $1,293 per month in Radovis vs $2,415 in Istanbul, rent included.

Radovis $1,293
Istanbul $2,415

A family of three spends $1,711 per month in Radovis vs $3,281 in Istanbul, rent included.

Radovis $1,711
Istanbul $3,281

Radovis is about 44% cheaper than Istanbul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Radovis sits 35% below the global median, while Istanbul is 15% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 MKD 249

$12.30 ₺609

-62.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.01 MKD 983

$54.7 ₺2,708

-67.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.39 MKD 349

$9.22 ₺456

-30.69%

Cappuccino

$1.23 MKD 67.4

$4.40 ₺218

-72.05%

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

$1.29 MKD 70.1

$1.68 ₺83.1

-23.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 MKD 58.2

$0.59 ₺29.40

81.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 MKD 88.3

$4.70 ₺233

-65.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 MKD 132

$5.91 ₺292

-59.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 MKD 67.1

$1.21 ₺60.0

1.65%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 MKD 41.12

$0.89 ₺44.10

-15.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 MKD 94.8

$2.19 ₺108

-20.55%

Eggs

$2.21 MKD 120

$2.35 ₺116

-5.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.72 MKD 421

$10.42 ₺516

-25.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.47 MKD 407

$5.65 ₺280

32.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.61 MKD 797

$20.94 ₺1,037

-30.23%

Apples (1kg)

$1.44 MKD 78.5

$1.90 ₺94.1

-24.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 MKD 77.7

$2.31 ₺114

-38.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 MKD 75.2

$1.28 ₺63.1

7.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 MKD 106

$1.80 ₺89.0

8.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 MKD 45.32

$0.65 ₺32.16

27.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 MKD 45.91

$0.64 ₺31.91

31.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 MKD 34.05

$1.25 ₺62.1

-50.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 MKD 23.68

$0.56 ₺27.58

-23.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 MKD 184

$2.37 ₺118

42.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.42 MKD 405

$13.42 ₺664

-44.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 MKD 55.2

$2.40 ₺119

-57.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MKD 61.2

$3.48 ₺172

-67.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MKD 41.37

$0.89 ₺43.84

-14.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.84 MKD 1,246

$67.4 ₺3,338

-66.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.08 MKD 58.8

$1.29 ₺64.1

-16.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MKD 30.78

$0.92 ₺45.70

-39.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 MKD 422

$10.96 ₺542

-29.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MKD 69.9

$1.47 ₺72.9

-12.93%

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

$34.9K MKD 1.9M

$50.8K ₺2.5M

-31.24%

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

$23.7K MKD 1.3M

$44.5K ₺2.2M

-46.75%

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

$153 MKD 8,347

$88.6 ₺4,387

72.69%

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

$16.62 MKD 906

$11.59 ₺574

43.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.89 MKD 1,030

$15.81 ₺783

19.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.58 MKD 1,068

$77.2 ₺3,820

-74.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.73 MKD 1,076

$22.74 ₺1,126

-13.24%

Cinema Ticket

$7.44 MKD 406

$8.14 ₺403

-8.60%

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

$351 MKD 19.2K

$1,008 ₺49.9K

-65.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,631 MKD 307.2K

$25.6K ₺1.3M

-77.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.6 MKD 4,613

$54.0 ₺2,671

56.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.71 MKD 2,003

$40.83 ₺2,021

-10.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 MKD 5,444

$98.9 ₺4,895

0.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MKD 6,175

$96.6 ₺4,783

17.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$252 MKD 13.8K

$985 ₺48.7K

-74.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 MKD 9,516

$650 ₺32.2K

-73.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 MKD 23.3K

$1,983 ₺98.2K

-78.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 MKD 14.6K

$1,180 ₺58.4K

-77.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,438 MKD 78.4K

$3,138 ₺155.4K

-54.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,056 MKD 57.6K

$1,780 ₺88.1K

-40.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,205 ₺59.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.23

40.92

-89.66%

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

Last update for Radovis: October 11, 2026

Last update for Istanbul: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Radovis

$205 23.4%

Istanbul

$260 16.8% 26.7% $55

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Radovis

$189 21.5%

Istanbul

$116 7.5% 38.5% $73

Accommodation & Living

Radovis

$174 19.9%

Istanbul

$650 41.9% 273% $475

Clothing & Footwear

Radovis

$150 17.2%

Istanbul

$131 8.4% 13.2% $20

Eating Out

Radovis

$93 10.6%

Istanbul

$223 14.4% 141% $130

Sport & Entertainment

Radovis

$34 3.9%

Istanbul

$93 6% 171% $59

Getting Around

Radovis

$30 3.4%

Istanbul

$77 5% 158% $47

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $252 in Radovis versus $985 in Istanbul. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Radovis versus $55.0 in Istanbul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $205 vs $260 – making Radovis the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇰 Radovis

🇹🇷 Istanbul

🕒 Local time

05:27 5:27 AM

06:27 6:27 AM

1 h ahead of Radovis

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

16,690

15,701,602

💱 Currency

North Macedonian Denar MKD ден

Turkish Lira TRY ₺

📈 Exchange rate

100 MKD = 1.83 USD

100 MKD = 1.63 EUR

100 TRY = 2.02 USD

100 TRY = 1.8 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to MKD – North Macedonian Denar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇰 North Macedonian Denar (ден)

North Macedonian Denar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 54.55 MKD (100 MKD = 1.83 USD). 1 EUR = 61.33 MKD (100 MKD = 1.63 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 49.51 TRY (100 TRY = 2.02 USD). 1 EUR = 55.66 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

USD to MKD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Radovis Istanbul 550 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Radovis
Istanbul

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

Radovis vs Istanbul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Istanbul is pricier by about 77%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,313 per month in Radovis and $2,325 in Istanbul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Radovis, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $351 per month in Radovis and $1,008 in Istanbul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 27% more in Istanbul, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Radovis, where all-in costs run around $875, than in Istanbul at $1,550. In Radovis it covers expenses comfortably, while in Istanbul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Radovis – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Radovis. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Istanbul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.