Cost of Living Comparison Between Gostivar and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Gostivar and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $798 in Gostivar versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,195 in Gostivar versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,592 in Gostivar versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Gostivar costs roughly 21% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Gostivar 41% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.13 MKD 272

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-13.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.07 MKD 1,224

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-30.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 MKD 264

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-31.12%

Cappuccino

$1.39 MKD 73.5

$1.63 COP 5,687

-14.72%

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

$1.16 MKD 61.7

$1.09 COP 3,821

6.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MKD 61.0

$0.73 COP 2,548

57.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.39 MKD 73.7

$1.74 COP 6,065

-20.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 MKD 101

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-40.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 MKD 71.1

$1.05 COP 3,662

27.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 MKD 37.73

$1.29 COP 4,515

-44.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 MKD 81.7

$1.32 COP 4,617

16.67%

Eggs

$2.12 MKD 113

$2.27 COP 7,927

-6.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.39 MKD 339

$4.35 COP 15.2K

46.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.52 MKD 293

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-6.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.64 MKD 724

$8.61 COP 30.0K

58.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 MKD 56.4

$2.25 COP 7,844

-52.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MKD 76.6

$1.07 COP 3,733

34.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 MKD 69.9

$1.52 COP 5,322

-13.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 MKD 83.8

$1.42 COP 4,964

11.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 MKD 49.73

$1.17 COP 4,084

-19.66%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 MKD 38.34

$1.17 COP 4,077

-38.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 MKD 28.92

$0.89 COP 3,096

-39.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MKD 29.78

$0.90 COP 3,146

-37.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.80 MKD 148

$2.25 COP 7,837

24.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.60 MKD 244

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-58.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 MKD 51.0

$1.14 COP 3,977

-15.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 MKD 81.1

$2.38 COP 8,301

-35.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MKD 36.30

$0.84 COP 2,916

-19.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.86 MKD 1,054

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-52.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 MKD 51.7

$1.41 COP 4,912

-31.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 MKD 18.94

$1.90 COP 6,634

-81.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.47 MKD 343

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-16.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 MKD 78.2

$1.01 COP 3,509

45.54%

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

$31.5K MKD 1.7M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

79.32%

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

$46.2K MKD 2.5M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

74.55%

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

$131 MKD 6,939

$83.7 COP 292.1K

56.29%

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

$11.32 MKD 601

$9.45 COP 33.0K

19.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.23 MKD 808

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-36.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.46 MKD 1,404

$25.31 COP 88.3K

4.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.79 MKD 254

$4.10 COP 14.3K

16.83%

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

$219 MKD 11.6K

$312 COP 1.1M

-29.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,209 MKD 64.2K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-79.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.49 MKD 1,989

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-35.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.20 MKD 2,027

$32.56 COP 113.6K

17.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.7 MKD 3,908

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-26.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MKD 5,985

$109 COP 378.8K

3.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$283 MKD 15.0K

$482 COP 1.7M

-41.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$193 MKD 10.2K

$379 COP 1.3M

-49.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$555 MKD 29.5K

$837 COP 2.9M

-33.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 MKD 16.2K

$723 COP 2.5M

-57.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,656 MKD 87.9K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-41.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,252 MKD 66.4K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

2.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$885 MKD 47.0K

$541 COP 1.9M

63.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

13.43

-51.60%

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

Last update for Gostivar: June 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $283 in Gostivar and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gostivar pays 64% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $23.00 in Gostivar vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $190 per month, with Gostivar 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

Gostivar vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gostivar wins on cost – living expenses run 27% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Gostivar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Gostivar pays 64% 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: $283 in Gostivar versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $798 per month in Gostivar versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Gostivar runs roughly 111% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $798 in Gostivar versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Gostivar but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Gostivar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Gostivar delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $798 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Gostivar hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Gostivar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.