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: $813 in Gostivar versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,191 in Gostivar versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,570 in Gostivar versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Gostivar costs roughly 19% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Gostivar 39% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.19 MKD 277

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-12.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.38 MKD 1,250

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-29.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.03 MKD 269

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-32.30%

Cappuccino

$1.44 MKD 76.7

$1.65 COP 5,207

-12.73%

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

$1.15 MKD 61.5

$1.10 COP 3,468

4.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MKD 61.7

$0.78 COP 2,458

48.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 MKD 72.1

$1.72 COP 5,412

-21.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 MKD 98.4

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-42.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 MKD 75.2

$1.10 COP 3,474

28.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 MKD 35.64

$1.26 COP 3,962

-46.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 MKD 82.3

$1.38 COP 4,349

11.59%

Eggs

$2.09 MKD 112

$2.18 COP 6,858

-4.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.66 MKD 356

$4.49 COP 14.1K

48.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 MKD 310

$5.79 COP 18.2K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 MKD 720

$8.97 COP 28.2K

50.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.08 MKD 57.6

$2.32 COP 7,308

-53.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 MKD 76.1

$1.06 COP 3,352

33.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 MKD 67.2

$1.52 COP 4,774

-17.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 MKD 87.3

$1.36 COP 4,270

19.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 MKD 52.4

$1.13 COP 3,552

-13.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 MKD 41.92

$1.17 COP 3,689

-33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 MKD 28.80

$0.90 COP 2,838

-40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MKD 29.94

$0.90 COP 2,823

-37.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.78 MKD 148

$2.23 COP 7,034

24.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.71 MKD 252

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-61.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 MKD 48.36

$1.19 COP 3,743

-24.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 MKD 82.2

$2.48 COP 7,815

-37.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 MKD 33.61

$0.85 COP 2,687

-25.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.00 MKD 1,069

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-51.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 MKD 49.59

$1.42 COP 4,459

-34.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 MKD 18.79

$1.95 COP 6,141

-82.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.60 MKD 353

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-16.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MKD 77.2

$0.99 COP 3,118

45.45%

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

$31.9K MKD 1.7M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

81.26%

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

$46.2K MKD 2.5M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

72.23%

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

$132 MKD 7,079

$83.0 COP 261.4K

59.57%

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

$11.05 MKD 590

$9.70 COP 30.5K

13.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.45 MKD 826

$23.52 COP 74.1K

-34.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.09 MKD 1,394

$25.26 COP 79.5K

3.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$4.67 MKD 250

$3.95 COP 12.4K

18.23%

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

$218 MKD 11.7K

$316 COP 994.2K

-30.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,197 MKD 64.0K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-79.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.51 MKD 2,004

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-37.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.26 MKD 2,045

$31.82 COP 100.2K

20.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 MKD 3,964

$102 COP 320.1K

-27.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 MKD 6,093

$107 COP 338.3K

6.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$280 MKD 15.0K

$475 COP 1.5M

-40.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$193 MKD 10.3K

$374 COP 1.2M

-48.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 MKD 30.4K

$849 COP 2.7M

-32.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 MKD 16.8K

$719 COP 2.3M

-56.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,584 MKD 84.6K

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-51.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,238 MKD 66.1K

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-14.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$887 MKD 47.4K

$624 COP 2.0M

42.07%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $280 in Gostivar and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gostivar pays 42% 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 $182 vs $193 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 23% 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 42% 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: $280 in Gostivar versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $813 per month in Gostivar versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Gostivar runs roughly 108% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $813 in Gostivar versus $1,003 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 $813 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 23% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.