Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,087 in Skopje versus $2,291 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,634 in Skopje versus $3,322 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,180 in Skopje versus $4,354 in Lisbon.

Living in Skopje costs roughly 53% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Skopje is 19% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.58 MKD 407

$16.19 €14.17

-53.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.45 MKD 1,794

$63.3 €55.4

-47.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.70 MKD 359

$10.32 €9.03

-35.08%

Cappuccino

$2.27 MKD 122

$2.83 €2.48

-19.79%

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

$2.03 MKD 109

$2.29 €2.00

-11.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 MKD 69.2

$1.58 €1.38

-18.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.66 MKD 143

$3.40 €2.98

-21.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 MKD 180

$4.03 €3.52

-16.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MKD 69.4

$1.09 €0.95

18.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 MKD 40.80

$1.75 €1.53

-56.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MKD 89.6

$1.76 €1.54

-5.11%

Eggs

$2.21 MKD 119

$3.17 €2.77

-30.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.13 MKD 490

$13.19 €11.54

-30.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.78 MKD 417

$7.97 €6.97

-2.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.71 MKD 735

$15.53 €13.59

-11.72%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 MKD 57.1

$2.37 €2.07

-55.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MKD 76.8

$1.71 €1.49

-16.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 MKD 72.5

$2.01 €1.76

-32.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MKD 116

$2.43 €2.13

-10.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 MKD 47.75

$1.76 €1.54

-49.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 MKD 48.45

$2.03 €1.78

-55.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 MKD 36.92

$1.92 €1.68

-64.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MKD 29.70

$0.85 €0.74

-35.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 MKD 170

$6.58 €5.76

-51.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.26 MKD 389

$5.58 €4.88

30.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MKD 57.2

$1.33 €1.17

-19.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MKD 81.5

$2.97 €2.60

-48.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MKD 40.94

$2.28 €1.99

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.58 MKD 1,533

$45.79 €40.06

-37.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MKD 51.6

$4.23 €3.70

-77.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MKD 26.01

$0.81 €0.71

-40.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.41 MKD 397

$18.44 €16.13

-59.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 MKD 79.7

$2.08 €1.82

-28.37%

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

$33.7K MKD 1.8M

$34.7K €30.3K

-2.92%

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

$29.3K MKD 1.6M

$39.2K €34.3K

-25.26%

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

$160 MKD 8,574

$148 €130

7.96%

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

$18.05 MKD 968

$20.46 €17.90

-11.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.13 MKD 1,026

$39.56 €34.61

-51.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.66 MKD 2,074

$47.99 €41.99

-19.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.36 MKD 931

$18.60 €16.27

-6.67%

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 MKD 355

$9.22 €8.07

-28.20%

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

$320 MKD 17.2K

$616 €539

-48.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,642 MKD 249.0K

$16.4K €14.4K

-71.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.5 MKD 4,157

$103 €89.9

-24.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.16 MKD 2,154

$41.74 €36.52

-3.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 MKD 5,364

$94.8 €82.9

5.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 MKD 5,913

$122 €107

-9.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 MKD 22.8K

$1,633 €1,428

-73.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 MKD 16.6K

$1,232 €1,078

-74.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 MKD 34.6K

$3,098 €2,711

-79.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$463 MKD 24.8K

$2,031 €1,777

-77.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,731 MKD 146.5K

$7,831 €6,851

-65.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,740 MKD 93.3K

$4,389 €3,840

-60.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$886 MKD 47.5K

$1,607 €1,406

-44.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.54

3.81

19.16%

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

Last update for Skopje: July 11, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $425 in Skopje and $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 81% 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: $33.00 in Skopje vs $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $267 per month, with Skopje 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

Skopje vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Skopje and Lisbon differ by about 111% in total monthly costs ($1,087 vs $2,291 including rent). Skopje is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 81% lower in Lisbon. 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: $425 in Skopje versus $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $320 in Skopje versus $616 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,087 in Skopje versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Skopje but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Skopje 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, Skopje and Lisbon 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 Skopje gentler on the wallet – expenses run 111% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.