Cost of Living Comparison Between Bitola and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Bitola and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $880 in Bitola versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,333 in Bitola versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,787 in Bitola versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Bitola costs roughly 12% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bitola 34% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.56 MKD 297

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-5.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.29 MKD 1,512

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-14.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.14 MKD 275

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-30.82%

Cappuccino

$1.91 MKD 102

$1.65 COP 5,207

15.76%

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

$1.76 MKD 94.0

$1.10 COP 3,468

60.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 MKD 67.5

$0.78 COP 2,458

61.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 MKD 119

$1.72 COP 5,412

29.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 MKD 146

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-13.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 MKD 72.0

$1.10 COP 3,474

22.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 MKD 36.18

$1.26 COP 3,962

-46.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 MKD 94.1

$1.38 COP 4,349

27.54%

Eggs

$2.01 MKD 108

$2.18 COP 6,858

-7.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MKD 536

$4.49 COP 14.1K

123.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.39 MKD 395

$5.79 COP 18.2K

27.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.74 MKD 734

$8.97 COP 28.2K

53.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 MKD 57.0

$2.32 COP 7,308

-53.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MKD 74.2

$1.06 COP 3,352

31.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 MKD 67.4

$1.52 COP 4,774

-17.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 MKD 86.7

$1.36 COP 4,270

19.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 MKD 50.2

$1.13 COP 3,552

-16.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 MKD 72.0

$1.17 COP 3,689

15.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 MKD 31.07

$0.90 COP 2,838

-35.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MKD 29.99

$0.90 COP 2,823

-37.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 MKD 157

$2.23 COP 7,034

31.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.16 MKD 329

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-49.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 MKD 53.4

$1.19 COP 3,743

-15.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 MKD 101

$2.48 COP 7,815

-23.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MKD 30.48

$0.85 COP 2,687

-32.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.81 MKD 899

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-59.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MKD 62.0

$1.42 COP 4,459

-18.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 26.21

$1.95 COP 6,141

-74.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.52 MKD 348

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-17.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 MKD 79.0

$0.99 COP 3,118

49.49%

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

$32.1K MKD 1.7M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

82.28%

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

$33.5K MKD 1.8M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

25.09%

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

$143 MKD 7,654

$83.0 COP 261.4K

72.55%

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

$17.64 MKD 943

$9.70 COP 30.5K

81.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.37 MKD 822

$23.52 COP 74.1K

-34.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.06 MKD 1,286

$25.26 COP 79.5K

-4.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.73 MKD 360

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-64.76%

Cinema Ticket

$4.77 MKD 255

$3.95 COP 12.4K

20.76%

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

$221 MKD 11.8K

$316 COP 994.2K

-30.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,221 MKD 65.2K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-79.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 MKD 4,124

$60.0 COP 188.9K

28.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.66 MKD 2,547

$31.82 COP 100.2K

49.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 MKD 4,033

$102 COP 320.1K

-25.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 MKD 6,103

$107 COP 338.3K

6.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 MKD 15.1K

$475 COP 1.5M

-40.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 MKD 10.4K

$374 COP 1.2M

-48.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$597 MKD 31.9K

$849 COP 2.7M

-29.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 MKD 16.8K

$719 COP 2.3M

-56.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,698 MKD 90.7K

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-48.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,179 MKD 63.0K

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-18.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$762 MKD 40.7K

$624 COP 2.0M

22.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

13.43

-47.13%

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

Last update for Bitola: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $282 in Bitola and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bitola pays 22% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $28.00 in Bitola vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $206 vs $193, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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

Bitola vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bitola and Medellin differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($880 vs $1,003 including rent). Bitola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 22% higher in Bitola, 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: $282 in Bitola versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Bitola – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $880 in Bitola versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bitola but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bitola 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, Bitola and Medellin 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 Bitola gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.