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: $882 in Bitola versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,326 in Bitola versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,771 in Bitola versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Bitola costs roughly 48% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bitola is 36% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.57 MKD 296

$8.02 COP 25.0K

-30.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.82 MKD 1,479

$47.87 COP 149.4K

-41.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.38 MKD 286

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-45.60%

Cappuccino

$2.01 MKD 107

$3.13 COP 9,767

-35.78%

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

$1.77 MKD 94.1

$1.91 COP 5,954

-7.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 MKD 78.5

$1.51 COP 4,712

-1.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 MKD 116

$3.12 COP 9,747

-29.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MKD 139

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-54.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 MKD 72.3

$1.44 COP 4,509

-5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 MKD 37.23

$2.49 COP 7,759

-71.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 MKD 93.3

$1.77 COP 5,535

-1.13%

Eggs

$2.00 MKD 106

$2.96 COP 9,235

-32.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.37 MKD 552

$10.07 COP 31.4K

2.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.31 MKD 389

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-27.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.45 MKD 715

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-5.94%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 MKD 54.8

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-75.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MKD 73.5

$1.61 COP 5,019

-14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 MKD 69.0

$2.25 COP 7,007

-42.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 MKD 82.1

$2.25 COP 7,028

-31.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 MKD 48.14

$2.04 COP 6,375

-55.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 MKD 72.9

$1.54 COP 4,790

-11.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 MKD 30.35

$1.17 COP 3,651

-51.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 MKD 26.83

$1.31 COP 4,077

-61.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 MKD 178

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-14.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 MKD 314

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-57.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 MKD 52.5

$1.74 COP 5,439

-43.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 MKD 98.6

$2.87 COP 8,956

-35.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MKD 28.48

$1.22 COP 3,792

-55.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.70 MKD 888

$80.5 COP 251.1K

-79.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MKD 61.2

$1.31 COP 4,084

-12.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 MKD 33.60

$2.19 COP 6,825

-71.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.44 MKD 343

$8.71 COP 27.2K

-26.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 MKD 77.9

$1.37 COP 4,260

6.57%

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

$32.4K MKD 1.7M

$27.8K COP 86.9M

16.48%

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

$34.5K MKD 1.8M

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-3.69%

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

$152 MKD 8,088

$177 COP 553.2K

-14.22%

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

$14.81 MKD 787

$13.88 COP 43.3K

6.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.25 MKD 705

$29.72 COP 92.8K

-55.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.99 MKD 1,169

$44.88 COP 140.1K

-51.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 MKD 347

$17.12 COP 53.4K

-61.86%

Cinema Ticket

$4.65 MKD 247

$6.65 COP 20.7K

-30.08%

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

$218 MKD 11.6K

$813 COP 2.5M

-73.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,181 MKD 62.8K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-87.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.9 MKD 4,090

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-14.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.90 MKD 2,548

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-18.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 MKD 4,060

$138 COP 431.2K

-44.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 MKD 5,958

$102 COP 318.7K

9.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$266 MKD 14.1K

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-74.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$195 MKD 10.3K

$663 COP 2.1M

-70.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$415 MKD 22.1K

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-78.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 MKD 16.0K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-70.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,774 MKD 94.3K

$4,183 COP 13.1M

-57.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,204 MKD 64.0K

$1,675 COP 5.2M

-28.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$780 MKD 41.5K

$678 COP 2.1M

15.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

10.94

-41.04%

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

Last update for Bitola: September 15, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $266 in Bitola and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bitola pays 15% 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 $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 vs $305 per month, with Bitola 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

Bitola vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bitola and Medellin differ by about 91% in total monthly costs ($882 vs $1,681 including rent). Bitola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 15% 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: $266 in Bitola versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Bitola – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $882 in Bitola versus $1,681 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 91% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.