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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,062 per month in Cartagena vs $1,083 in Skopje, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,608 per month in Cartagena vs $1,616 in Skopje, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,153 per month in Cartagena vs $2,149 in Skopje, rent included.

Cartagena is about 2% cheaper than Skopje, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Cartagena and Skopje are more affordable than the global median – Cartagena 21% lower, Skopje 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.17 COP 22.4K

$7.47 MKD 392

-17.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.58 COP 173.1K

$34.48 MKD 1,811

37.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 COP 35.8K

$6.60 MKD 347

49.24%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,992

$2.29 MKD 120

-27.95%

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

$0.81 COP 2,936

$1.96 MKD 103

-58.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 COP 2,425

$1.29 MKD 67.7

-48.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 COP 4,717

$2.57 MKD 135

-49.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 COP 10.7K

$3.30 MKD 173

-10.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 COP 4,155

$1.34 MKD 70.2

-14.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 COP 6,765

$0.77 MKD 40.27

141.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,819

$1.69 MKD 88.7

-21.30%

Eggs

$2.11 COP 7,661

$2.25 MKD 118

-6.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.07 COP 25.7K

$8.97 MKD 471

-21.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.91 COP 21.5K

$8.11 MKD 426

-27.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.13 COP 29.6K

$13.90 MKD 730

-41.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.20 COP 11.6K

$1.02 MKD 53.8

213.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 COP 7,111

$1.36 MKD 71.6

44.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,465

$1.36 MKD 71.6

10.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 COP 5,732

$2.16 MKD 113

-26.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 COP 5,630

$0.84 MKD 43.97

84.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,921

$0.98 MKD 51.6

10.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 COP 3,646

$0.71 MKD 37.33

40.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 COP 2,160

$0.55 MKD 29.07

7.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 COP 8,567

$3.20 MKD 168

-26.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.52 COP 67.3K

$7.53 MKD 395

145.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 COP 3,392

$1.05 MKD 55.4

-11.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 COP 3,737

$1.58 MKD 82.7

-34.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 COP 3,834

$0.78 MKD 40.77

34.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.08 COP 102.1K

$28.32 MKD 1,487

-0.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.38 COP 8,666

$0.92 MKD 48.09

158.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 COP 8,619

$0.50 MKD 26.15

374.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.93 COP 17.9K

$7.32 MKD 384

-32.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,736

$1.54 MKD 80.7

-33.12%

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

$20.9K COP 75.9M

$34.4K MKD 1.8M

-39.35%

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

$23.6K COP 85.9M

$30.0K MKD 1.6M

-21.13%

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

$142 COP 518.0K

$160 MKD 8,423

-11.21%

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

$10.96 COP 39.8K

$18.02 MKD 947

-39.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.17 COP 91.5K

$19.00 MKD 998

32.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.27 COP 128.3K

$39.49 MKD 2,074

-10.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.84 COP 32.2K

$17.78 MKD 934

-50.28%

Cinema Ticket

$2.94 COP 10.7K

$6.38 MKD 335

-53.92%

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

$142 COP 516.2K

$322 MKD 16.9K

-55.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,910 COP 21.5M

$4,517 MKD 237.2K

30.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.13 COP 175.1K

$78.5 MKD 4,120

-38.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.46 COP 143.5K

$39.91 MKD 2,096

-1.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 COP 448.6K

$101 MKD 5,306

22.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 COP 416.7K

$110 MKD 5,790

3.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$741 COP 2.7M

$423 MKD 22.2K

75.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$330 COP 1.2M

$311 MKD 16.3K

6.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 COP 4.8M

$626 MKD 32.9K

108.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$479 COP 1.7M

$465 MKD 24.4K

2.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,077 COP 11.2M

$2,841 MKD 149.2K

8.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,977 COP 7.2M

$1,883 MKD 98.9K

4.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$420 COP 1.5M

$888 MKD 46.6K

-52.66%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Skopje: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $741 in Cartagena versus $423 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 111% 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 $48.00 in Cartagena versus $34.00 in Skopje. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $213 – 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 2% 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 $1,593 per month in Cartagena and $1,625 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 $142 per month in Cartagena and $322 in Skopje. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% 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 $1,062, than in Skopje at $1,083. 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 $1,062 versus $1,083 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.