For one person, living is cheaper in Stip: $809 a month against $2,210 in Lisbon, rent and utilities included – about $16,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Stip and in Lisbon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $809 in Stip versus $2,210 in Lisbon.
Stip $809
Lisbon $2,210
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,210 in Stip versus $3,275 in Lisbon.
Stip $1,210
Lisbon $3,275
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,611 in Stip versus $4,341 in Lisbon.
Stip $1,611
Lisbon $4,341
🌍
Living in Stip costs roughly 63% less than in Lisbon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
The two cities straddle the global median: Stip is 41% below, Lisbon is 62% above.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Stip
Lisbon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.45MKD 410
$16.65€14.92
-55.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.08MKD 1,270
$61.7€55.3
-62.62%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.30MKD 347
$11.36€10.18
-44.54%
Cappuccino
$1.81MKD 99.3
$2.97€2.66
-39.06%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43MKD 78.7
$2.29€2.05
-37.55%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.07MKD 58.8
$1.74€1.56
-38.51%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.84MKD 101
$3.40€3.05
-45.88%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75MKD 151
$3.31€2.97
-16.92%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Stip
Lisbon
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.27MKD 70.1
$1.16€1.04
9.48%
White Bread(500g)
$0.74MKD 40.87
$1.91€1.71
-61.26%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.11MKD 61.1
$1.51€1.36
-26.49%
Eggs
$2.52MKD 139
$4.02€3.60
-37.31%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.96MKD 438
$12.94€11.59
-38.49%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.26MKD 399
$7.77€6.97
-6.56%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.21MKD 397
$17.76€15.92
-59.40%
Apples(1kg)
$0.90MKD 49.31
$2.30€2.06
-60.87%
Banana(1kg)
$1.45MKD 79.6
$1.73€1.55
-16.18%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.32MKD 72.7
$1.86€1.66
-29.03%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.60MKD 87.8
$2.59€2.32
-38.22%
Potato(1kg)
$0.88MKD 48.68
$1.82€1.63
-51.65%
Onion(1kg)
$0.80MKD 43.97
$1.97€1.76
-59.39%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.56MKD 30.98
$1.47€1.32
-61.90%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.42MKD 23.11
$0.72€0.65
-41.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.25MKD 179
$6.58€5.90
-50.61%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.42MKD 409
$5.61€5.02
32.26%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.03MKD 56.8
$1.36€1.22
-24.26%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.49MKD 81.9
$2.14€1.91
-30.37%
🚌 Getting Around
Stip
Lisbon
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.67MKD 36.88
$2.33€2.09
-71.24%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$23.98MKD 1,319
$44.68€40.04
-46.33%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.08MKD 59.3
$3.85€3.45
-71.95%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.58MKD 31.74
$1.07€0.96
-45.79%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.54MKD 305
$16.46€14.75
-66.34%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.53MKD 84.2
$2.20€1.97
-30.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.1KMKD 1.8M
$34.2K€30.6K
-3.09%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.0KMKD 1.4M
$38.7K€34.7K
-32.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Stip
Lisbon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$158MKD 8,680
$161€144
-2.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.95MKD 492
$18.41€16.50
-51.39%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.29MKD 896
$32.74€29.34
-50.24%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Stip
Lisbon
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$27.01MKD 1,486
$44.55€39.92
-39.37%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.36MKD 955
$19.10€17.11
-9.11%
Cinema Ticket
$6.50MKD 358
$9.60€8.60
-32.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Stip
Lisbon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$357MKD 19.6K
$668€598
-46.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,645MKD 310.6K
$17.6K€15.8K
-67.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Stip
Lisbon
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.74MKD 1,966
$102€91.4
-64.97%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.66MKD 1,687
$44.46€39.85
-31.04%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$101MKD 5,556
$98.5€88.3
2.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113MKD 6,203
$124€111
-8.85%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Stip
Lisbon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$201MKD 11.1K
$1,608€1,441
-87.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$127MKD 6,989
$1,190€1,066
-89.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$331MKD 18.2K
$2,812€2,520
-88.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$201MKD 11.0K
$2,013€1,804
-90.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,210MKD 66.6K
$7,839€7,025
-84.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$976MKD 53.7K
$4,576€4,100
-78.66%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Stip
Lisbon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$463MKD 25.5K
$1,575€1,411
-70.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.23
3.85
9.87%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Stip: October 25, 2026
Last update for Lisbon: October 27, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Stip
$183 22.6%
Lisbon
$212 9.6% ↑ 16%$29
🛒Groceries & Markets
Stip
$177 21.9%
Lisbon
$272 12.3% ↑ 53.4%$95
🏠Accommodation & Living
Stip
$127 15.7%
Lisbon
$1.2K 53.8% ↑ 837%$1.1K
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Stip
$126 15.6%
Lisbon
$166 7.5% ↑ 31.6%$40
🍽Eating Out
Stip
$125 15.4%
Lisbon
$243 11% ↑ 94.3%$118
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Stip
$40 5%
Lisbon
$64 2.9% ↑ 59.3%$24
🚌Getting Around
Stip
$31 3.8%
Lisbon
$63 2.9% ↑ 106%$33
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Stip
$192 11.9%
Lisbon
$231 5.3% ↑ 20.2%$39
🛒Groceries & Markets
Stip
$413 25.7%
Lisbon
$649 15% ↑ 57.1%$236
🏠Accommodation & Living
Stip
$201 12.5%
Lisbon
$2K 46.4% ↑ 902%$1.8K
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Stip
$280 17.4%
Lisbon
$369 8.5% ↑ 31.6%$89
🍽Eating Out
Stip
$365 22.7%
Lisbon
$801 18.5% ↑ 119%$436
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Stip
$97 6%
Lisbon
$147 3.4% ↑ 50.5%$49
🚌Getting Around
Stip
$63 3.9%
Lisbon
$131 3% ↑ 109%$68
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $201 in Stip and $1,608 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Lisbon pays about 3.4 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.
🛒Dining out: $23 in Stip vs $62 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $177 vs $272 per month, with Stip cheaper across the board.
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
Stip vs Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Stip and in Lisbon?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $809 in Stip and $2,210 in Lisbon, so Stip is about 63% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 71% lower in Stip. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Stip and in Lisbon?
Rent for a central apartment: $201 in Stip versus $1,608 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Stip and Lisbon?
Childcare runs $357 in Stip versus $668 in Lisbon. 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 53% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $809 in Stip versus $2,210 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Stip but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Stip the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Stip and Lisbon?
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.
Is Stip or Lisbon safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Stip and Lisbon are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Where should expats move: Stip or Lisbon?
Expats usually find Stip gentler on the wallet – expenses run 63% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.