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: $883 in Bitola versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,337 in Bitola versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,790 in Bitola versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Bitola costs roughly 13% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bitola 34% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.51 MKD 292

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-7.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.91 MKD 1,481

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-16.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.11 MKD 271

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-29.32%

Cappuccino

$1.96 MKD 104

$1.63 COP 5,687

20.25%

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

$1.72 MKD 91.2

$1.09 COP 3,821

57.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 MKD 68.2

$0.73 COP 2,548

76.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.20 MKD 117

$1.74 COP 6,065

26.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MKD 147

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-14.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MKD 74.3

$1.05 COP 3,662

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 MKD 35.86

$1.29 COP 4,515

-47.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MKD 90.6

$1.32 COP 4,617

29.55%

Eggs

$2.04 MKD 108

$2.27 COP 7,927

-10.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.25 MKD 544

$4.35 COP 15.2K

135.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.28 MKD 386

$5.88 COP 20.5K

23.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.75 MKD 730

$8.61 COP 30.0K

59.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 MKD 54.7

$2.25 COP 7,844

-54.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MKD 75.8

$1.07 COP 3,733

33.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 MKD 69.1

$1.52 COP 5,322

-14.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 MKD 86.7

$1.42 COP 4,964

14.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 MKD 48.37

$1.17 COP 4,084

-22.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MKD 71.3

$1.17 COP 4,077

14.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 MKD 30.88

$0.89 COP 3,096

-34.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MKD 27.85

$0.90 COP 3,146

-42.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 MKD 159

$2.25 COP 7,837

33.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.94 MKD 315

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-46.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 MKD 49.99

$1.14 COP 3,977

-17.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 MKD 99.7

$2.38 COP 8,301

-21.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MKD 28.91

$0.84 COP 2,916

-35.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.73 MKD 888

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-60.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 MKD 59.3

$1.41 COP 4,912

-20.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MKD 26.48

$1.90 COP 6,634

-73.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.74 MKD 357

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-13.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 MKD 75.8

$1.01 COP 3,509

41.58%

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

$32.0K MKD 1.7M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

82.03%

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

$34.0K MKD 1.8M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

28.34%

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

$145 MKD 7,695

$83.7 COP 292.1K

73.32%

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

$17.86 MKD 948

$9.45 COP 33.0K

88.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.58 MKD 826

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-35.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.59 MKD 1,305

$25.31 COP 88.3K

-2.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.49 MKD 344

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-66.09%

Cinema Ticket

$4.84 MKD 257

$4.10 COP 14.3K

18.05%

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

$219 MKD 11.6K

$312 COP 1.1M

-29.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,214 MKD 64.4K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-79.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.2 MKD 4,042

$58.0 COP 202.6K

31.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.94 MKD 2,597

$32.56 COP 113.6K

50.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 MKD 4,013

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-24.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MKD 6,013

$109 COP 378.8K

4.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 MKD 15.1K

$482 COP 1.7M

-40.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 MKD 10.5K

$379 COP 1.3M

-47.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$591 MKD 31.4K

$837 COP 2.9M

-29.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 MKD 16.7K

$723 COP 2.5M

-56.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,726 MKD 91.6K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-39.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,188 MKD 63.0K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-2.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$785 MKD 41.6K

$541 COP 1.9M

45.12%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $285 in Bitola and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bitola pays 45% 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 $190, 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 15% in total monthly costs ($883 vs $1,017 including rent). Bitola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bitola pays 45% more on average, 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: $285 in Bitola versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 8% 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 $883 in Bitola versus $1,017 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 15% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.