Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartagena and Skopje Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartagena and Skopje

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,070 per month in Cartagena vs $1,105 in Skopje, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,619 per month in Cartagena vs $1,631 in Skopje, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,168 per month in Cartagena vs $2,156 in Skopje, rent included.

Cartagena is about 3% cheaper than Skopje, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Cartagena and Skopje are more affordable than the global median – Cartagena 20% lower, Skopje 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.89 COP 20.5K

$7.49 MKD 397

-21.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.71 COP 163.0K

$34.48 MKD 1,830

35.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 COP 32.9K

$6.75 MKD 358

39.70%

Cappuccino

$1.62 COP 5,658

$2.30 MKD 122

-29.57%

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

$0.82 COP 2,855

$2.01 MKD 106

-59.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 COP 2,309

$1.29 MKD 68.3

-48.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.25 COP 4,347

$2.60 MKD 138

-51.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 COP 10.1K

$3.30 MKD 175

-12.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 COP 4,020

$1.34 MKD 71.0

-14.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.92 COP 6,695

$0.77 MKD 41.09

149.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,818

$1.68 MKD 89.2

-17.86%

Eggs

$2.10 COP 7,317

$2.19 MKD 116

-4.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.73 COP 23.5K

$9.35 MKD 496

-28.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.13 COP 21.4K

$7.76 MKD 412

-21.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.82 COP 27.3K

$13.48 MKD 715

-41.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 COP 11.2K

$1.07 MKD 56.7

200.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 COP 6,729

$1.42 MKD 75.3

35.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 COP 5,011

$1.38 MKD 73.2

4.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 COP 5,757

$2.08 MKD 110

-20.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 COP 5,378

$0.88 MKD 46.94

75.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,716

$0.93 MKD 49.41

13.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 COP 3,489

$0.69 MKD 36.58

44.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 COP 2,224

$0.56 MKD 29.71

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 7,973

$3.10 MKD 164

-26.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.45 COP 64.4K

$7.29 MKD 387

153.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 COP 3,272

$1.11 MKD 59.0

-15.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 COP 3,392

$1.52 MKD 80.6

-36.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 COP 3,583

$0.78 MKD 41.46

32.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.09 COP 98.0K

$28.09 MKD 1,491

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.46 COP 8,570

$0.96 MKD 51.1

156.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.44 COP 8,521

$0.50 MKD 26.27

388.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.73 COP 16.5K

$7.68 MKD 407

-38.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 COP 3,552

$1.49 MKD 78.8

-31.54%

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

$21.4K COP 74.8M

$33.4K MKD 1.8M

-35.85%

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

$23.6K COP 82.3M

$29.1K MKD 1.5M

-19.03%

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

$139 COP 486.8K

$159 MKD 8,449

-12.40%

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

$10.98 COP 38.3K

$18.34 MKD 973

-40.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.01 COP 87.3K

$19.12 MKD 1,015

30.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.52 COP 120.5K

$39.05 MKD 2,072

-11.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.50 COP 29.7K

$17.56 MKD 932

-51.59%

Cinema Ticket

$2.85 COP 9,936

$6.47 MKD 343

-55.95%

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

$139 COP 485.5K

$321 MKD 17.0K

-56.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,857 COP 20.4M

$4,590 MKD 243.5K

27.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.52 COP 165.9K

$78.4 MKD 4,161

-39.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.12 COP 133.0K

$39.02 MKD 2,070

-2.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 COP 440.8K

$100 MKD 5,328

25.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 COP 396.4K

$113 MKD 5,970

0.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$725 COP 2.5M

$429 MKD 22.7K

69.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$334 COP 1.2M

$313 MKD 16.6K

6.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 COP 4.4M

$645 MKD 34.2K

97.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 COP 1.6M

$455 MKD 24.1K

2.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,075 COP 10.7M

$2,768 MKD 146.9K

11.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$842 COP 2.9M

$1,796 MKD 95.3K

-53.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$410 COP 1.4M

$880 MKD 46.7K

-53.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.54

230.40%

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

Last update for Cartagena: June 8, 2026

Last update for Skopje: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $725 in Cartagena versus $429 in Skopje. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 115% higher in Skopje, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Cartagena versus $34.00 in Skopje. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $211 – making Skopje the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Cartagena vs Skopje: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Skopje costs about 3% more than Cartagena, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,605 per month in Cartagena and $1,657 in Skopje. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cartagena, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $139 per month in Cartagena and $321 in Skopje. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Skopje – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cartagena, where all-in costs run around $1,070, than in Skopje at $1,105. In Cartagena it covers expenses comfortably, while in Skopje it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cartagena costs $1,070 versus $1,105 in Skopje. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Cartagena. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Skopje makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.