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: $868 in Gostivar versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,295 in Gostivar versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,721 in Gostivar versus $3,210 in Medellin.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Gostivar is 37% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.51 MKD 346

$8.02 COP 25.0K

-18.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.17 MKD 1,498

$47.87 COP 149.4K

-41.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.07 MKD 323

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-38.62%

Cappuccino

$1.39 MKD 74.0

$3.13 COP 9,767

-55.59%

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

$1.38 MKD 73.2

$1.91 COP 5,954

-27.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 MKD 58.6

$1.51 COP 4,712

-27.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.33 MKD 70.7

$3.12 COP 9,747

-57.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 MKD 103

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-66.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 MKD 70.7

$1.44 COP 4,509

-7.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 MKD 39.04

$2.49 COP 7,759

-70.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 MKD 78.4

$1.77 COP 5,535

-16.95%

Eggs

$2.46 MKD 131

$2.96 COP 9,235

-16.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.50 MKD 345

$10.07 COP 31.4K

-35.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.72 MKD 304

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-43.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.27 MKD 812

$14.30 COP 44.6K

6.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.46 MKD 77.9

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-64.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MKD 76.6

$1.61 COP 5,019

-10.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 MKD 71.7

$2.25 COP 7,007

-40.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 MKD 98.8

$2.25 COP 7,028

-17.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 MKD 47.32

$2.04 COP 6,375

-56.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 MKD 38.29

$1.54 COP 4,790

-53.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 MKD 32.02

$1.17 COP 3,651

-48.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MKD 31.20

$1.31 COP 4,077

-54.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 MKD 154

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-25.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.60 MKD 245

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-67.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 MKD 51.4

$1.74 COP 5,439

-44.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 MKD 77.7

$2.87 COP 8,956

-49.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MKD 36.33

$1.22 COP 3,792

-44.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.14 MKD 1,337

$80.5 COP 251.1K

-68.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 MKD 41.81

$1.31 COP 4,084

-39.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 MKD 18.24

$2.19 COP 6,825

-84.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 MKD 417

$8.71 COP 27.2K

-9.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MKD 81.8

$1.37 COP 4,260

12.41%

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

$33.5K MKD 1.8M

$27.8K COP 86.9M

20.19%

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

$28.6K MKD 1.5M

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-19.98%

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

$131 MKD 6,951

$177 COP 553.2K

-26.28%

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

$11.29 MKD 600

$13.88 COP 43.3K

-18.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.88 MKD 1,004

$29.72 COP 92.8K

-36.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.62 MKD 1,362

$44.88 COP 140.1K

-42.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 MKD 1,018

$17.12 COP 53.4K

11.80%

Cinema Ticket

$7.63 MKD 406

$6.65 COP 20.7K

14.74%

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

$366 MKD 19.5K

$813 COP 2.5M

-54.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,823 MKD 309.6K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-36.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.84 MKD 2,012

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-57.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.88 MKD 1,961

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-37.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 MKD 5,636

$138 COP 431.2K

-23.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 MKD 6,137

$102 COP 318.7K

12.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$271 MKD 14.4K

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-74.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$195 MKD 10.4K

$663 COP 2.1M

-70.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 MKD 25.1K

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-75.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$304 MKD 16.1K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-70.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,532 MKD 81.5K

$4,183 COP 13.1M

-63.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,155 MKD 61.4K

$1,675 COP 5.2M

-31.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$882 MKD 46.9K

$678 COP 2.1M

30.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.23

10.94

-61.33%

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

Last update for Gostivar: September 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $271 in Gostivar and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gostivar pays 30% 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 Gostivar vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $191 vs $305 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 94% 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.

Average pay runs 30% higher in Gostivar, 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: $271 in Gostivar versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $868 per month in Gostivar versus $1,681 in Medellin – a 94% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Gostivar runs roughly 220% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $868 in Gostivar versus $1,681 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 $868 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 94% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.