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: $822 in Gostivar versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,201 in Gostivar versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,580 in Gostivar versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Gostivar costs roughly 20% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Gostivar 39% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.31 MKD 280

$5.92 COP 21.4K

-10.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.13 MKD 1,219

$32.75 COP 118.2K

-29.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.13 MKD 271

$7.20 COP 26.0K

-28.75%

Cappuccino

$1.44 MKD 75.9

$1.70 COP 6,140

-15.29%

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

$1.12 MKD 58.9

$1.10 COP 3,966

1.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MKD 61.1

$0.72 COP 2,605

61.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.39 MKD 73.2

$1.67 COP 6,022

-16.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 MKD 98.4

$3.10 COP 11.2K

-39.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 MKD 70.4

$1.06 COP 3,809

25.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 MKD 36.25

$1.25 COP 4,497

-44.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 MKD 77.6

$1.39 COP 5,022

5.76%

Eggs

$2.03 MKD 107

$2.26 COP 8,168

-10.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.76 MKD 356

$4.33 COP 15.6K

56.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.73 MKD 302

$5.84 COP 21.1K

-1.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.63 MKD 718

$8.83 COP 31.9K

54.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 MKD 54.8

$2.24 COP 8,099

-53.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MKD 73.2

$1.08 COP 3,882

28.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.24 MKD 65.5

$1.53 COP 5,522

-18.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 MKD 83.8

$1.37 COP 4,950

16.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 MKD 49.36

$1.13 COP 4,078

-16.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 MKD 38.60

$1.12 COP 4,036

-34.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 MKD 28.15

$0.85 COP 3,057

-37.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MKD 29.84

$0.91 COP 3,281

-37.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 MKD 150

$2.33 COP 8,414

21.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.81 MKD 254

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-56.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 MKD 51.0

$1.19 COP 4,309

-18.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 MKD 80.6

$2.37 COP 8,553

-35.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MKD 35.90

$0.79 COP 2,838

-13.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.01 MKD 1,055

$41.13 COP 148.5K

-51.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 MKD 50.1

$1.44 COP 5,184

-34.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 MKD 17.30

$1.91 COP 6,901

-82.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.61 MKD 349

$8.02 COP 28.9K

-17.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 MKD 79.0

$0.94 COP 3,385

59.57%

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

$31.9K MKD 1.7M

$17.9K COP 64.7M

78.19%

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

$47.5K MKD 2.5M

$26.8K COP 96.7M

77.34%

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

$134 MKD 7,041

$84.0 COP 303.1K

59.03%

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

$11.12 MKD 586

$9.60 COP 34.7K

15.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.29 MKD 806

$24.16 COP 87.2K

-36.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.10 MKD 1,376

$25.88 COP 93.4K

0.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MKD 254

$3.92 COP 14.1K

22.70%

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

$222 MKD 11.7K

$306 COP 1.1M

-27.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,184 MKD 62.4K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

-79.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.77 MKD 1,992

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-34.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.22 MKD 1,963

$31.82 COP 114.9K

16.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.2 MKD 4,020

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-23.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MKD 5,948

$107 COP 386.8K

5.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$283 MKD 14.9K

$487 COP 1.8M

-41.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$197 MKD 10.4K

$368 COP 1.3M

-46.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 MKD 30.0K

$826 COP 3.0M

-31.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$312 MKD 16.4K

$716 COP 2.6M

-56.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,627 MKD 85.8K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-44.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,207 MKD 63.6K

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-14.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$903 MKD 47.6K

$546 COP 2.0M

65.54%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $283 in Gostivar and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gostivar pays 66% 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 $181 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 26% 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 66% 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 $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $822 per month in Gostivar versus $1,034 in Medellin – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Gostivar runs roughly 106% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $822 in Gostivar versus $1,034 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 $822 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 26% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.