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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,086 per month in Cartagena vs $1,094 in Skopje, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,604 per month in Cartagena vs $1,636 in Skopje, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,121 per month in Cartagena vs $2,178 in Skopje, rent included.

Cartagena is about 1% cheaper than Skopje, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 18.9K

$7.42 MKD 399

-20.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.34 COP 151.0K

$33.79 MKD 1,817

40.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.95 COP 31.7K

$6.65 MKD 357

49.62%

Cappuccino

$1.57 COP 5,016

$2.24 MKD 120

-29.91%

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

$0.82 COP 2,614

$2.04 MKD 110

-59.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 COP 2,156

$1.29 MKD 69.5

-47.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.31 COP 4,166

$2.60 MKD 140

-49.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 COP 9,229

$3.43 MKD 184

-15.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 COP 3,638

$1.27 MKD 68.5

-10.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 COP 5,854

$0.84 MKD 45.08

117.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,382

$1.69 MKD 91.0

-18.93%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,003

$2.17 MKD 117

0.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.81 COP 21.7K

$9.26 MKD 498

-26.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.22 COP 19.8K

$8.00 MKD 430

-22.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.77 COP 24.8K

$13.41 MKD 721

-42.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 COP 10.4K

$1.02 MKD 55.0

219.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 COP 6,095

$1.37 MKD 73.4

39.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 COP 4,616

$1.37 MKD 73.5

5.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,169

$2.08 MKD 112

-22.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,142

$0.88 MKD 47.21

82.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,446

$0.97 MKD 51.9

11.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 COP 3,219

$0.73 MKD 39.24

38.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 COP 1,890

$0.59 MKD 31.62

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 7,502

$3.26 MKD 175

-27.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.80 COP 60.0K

$7.56 MKD 407

148.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 COP 3,124

$1.05 MKD 56.7

-6.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 COP 3,122

$1.55 MKD 83.5

-36.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 COP 3,356

$0.77 MKD 41.38

36.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.98 COP 92.4K

$28.16 MKD 1,514

2.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.46 COP 7,856

$0.98 MKD 52.6

151.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 COP 7,561

$0.53 MKD 28.46

347.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.86 COP 15.5K

$7.71 MKD 415

-36.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 COP 3,247

$1.47 MKD 79.1

-30.61%

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

$21.1K COP 67.4M

$34.2K MKD 1.8M

-38.32%

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

$24.0K COP 76.7M

$29.4K MKD 1.6M

-18.34%

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

$143 COP 455.0K

$160 MKD 8,582

-10.65%

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

$10.93 COP 34.9K

$17.94 MKD 965

-39.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.27 COP 80.6K

$19.42 MKD 1,044

30.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.26 COP 112.5K

$38.64 MKD 2,078

-8.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.60 COP 27.4K

$17.95 MKD 965

-52.09%

Cinema Ticket

$2.84 COP 9,068

$6.44 MKD 346

-55.90%

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

$144 COP 459.8K

$312 MKD 16.8K

-53.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,062 COP 19.3M

$4,479 MKD 240.8K

35.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.97 COP 153.0K

$76.2 MKD 4,096

-37.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.50 COP 122.8K

$39.60 MKD 2,129

-2.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 COP 399.0K

$100 MKD 5,391

24.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 COP 355.9K

$111 MKD 5,984

0.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$720 COP 2.3M

$422 MKD 22.7K

70.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$333 COP 1.1M

$309 MKD 16.6K

7.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,292 COP 4.1M

$641 MKD 34.5K

101.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 COP 1.5M

$467 MKD 25.1K

0.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,492 COP 11.1M

$2,687 MKD 144.5K

29.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$935 COP 3.0M

$1,745 MKD 93.8K

-46.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$467 COP 1.5M

$882 MKD 47.4K

-47.02%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Skopje: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $720 in Cartagena versus $422 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 89% 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 $212 – 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 1% 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 $1,629 per month in Cartagena and $1,641 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 $144 per month in Cartagena and $312 in Skopje. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% 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 $1,086, than in Skopje at $1,094. 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 $1,086 versus $1,094 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.