Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bitola Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bitola

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $880 in Bitola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,333 in Bitola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,787 in Bitola.

Living in Medellin is roughly 14% more expensive than in Bitola, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Bitola 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$5.56 MKD 299

6.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$28.29 MKD 1,521

16.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$5.14 MKD 277

44.55%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$1.91 MKD 103

-13.61%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$1.76 MKD 94.5

-37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$1.26 MKD 67.9

-38.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$2.23 MKD 120

-22.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$2.74 MKD 147

16.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$1.35 MKD 72.5

-18.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$0.68 MKD 36.41

85.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$1.76 MKD 94.7

-21.59%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$2.01 MKD 108

8.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$10.03 MKD 540

-55.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$7.39 MKD 398

-21.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$13.74 MKD 739

-34.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$1.07 MKD 57.3

116.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.39 MKD 74.6

-23.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$1.26 MKD 67.9

20.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$1.62 MKD 87.2

-16.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$0.94 MKD 50.5

20.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$1.35 MKD 72.4

-13.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$0.58 MKD 31.26

55.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.56 MKD 30.17

60.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$2.94 MKD 158

-24.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$6.16 MKD 331

96.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$1.00 MKD 53.7

19.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$1.89 MKD 102

31.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$0.57 MKD 30.67

49.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

$16.81 MKD 904

147.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$1.16 MKD 62.4

22.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$0.49 MKD 26.37

297.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$6.52 MKD 350

21.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.48 MKD 79.4

-33.11%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$32.1K MKD 1.7M

-45.14%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$33.5K MKD 1.8M

-20.05%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$143 MKD 7,702

-42.04%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$17.64 MKD 949

-45.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$15.37 MKD 827

53.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$24.06 MKD 1,294

4.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

$6.73 MKD 362

183.80%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$4.77 MKD 257

-17.19%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$221 MKD 11.9K

42.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$1,221 MKD 65.6K

389.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$77.2 MKD 4,149

-22.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$47.66 MKD 2,563

-33.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$75.5 MKD 4,058

34.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$114 MKD 6,141

-5.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$282 MKD 15.1K

68.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$194 MKD 10.4K

92.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$597 MKD 32.1K

42.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$315 MKD 16.9K

128.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$1,698 MKD 91.3K

92.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$1,179 MKD 63.4K

22.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$762 MKD 41.0K

-18.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

7.1

89.15%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bitola: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $282 in Bitola. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bitola pays 22% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $28.00 in Bitola. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $206, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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

Medellin vs Bitola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Bitola differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $880 including rent). Bitola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 22% lower in Bitola. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Medellin versus $282 in Bitola. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Bitola – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $880 in Bitola versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bitola but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bitola the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Bitola are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bitola gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.