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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $883 in Bitola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,337 in Bitola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,790 in Bitola.

Living in Medellin is roughly 15% more expensive than Bitola, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Bitola 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$5.51 MKD 292

7.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$27.91 MKD 1,481

19.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$5.11 MKD 271

41.49%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.96 MKD 104

-16.84%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.72 MKD 91.2

-36.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$1.29 MKD 68.2

-43.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.20 MKD 117

-20.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.77 MKD 147

16.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.40 MKD 74.3

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.68 MKD 35.86

89.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.71 MKD 90.6

-22.81%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.04 MKD 108

11.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$10.25 MKD 544

-57.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$7.28 MKD 386

-19.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$13.75 MKD 730

-37.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.03 MKD 54.7

118.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.43 MKD 75.8

-25.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.30 MKD 69.1

16.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.63 MKD 86.7

-12.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.91 MKD 48.37

28.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.34 MKD 71.3

-12.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.58 MKD 30.88

53.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.52 MKD 27.85

73.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$3.00 MKD 159

-25.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$5.94 MKD 315

85.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$0.94 MKD 49.99

21.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.88 MKD 99.7

26.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.54 MKD 28.91

55.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$16.73 MKD 888

150.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.12 MKD 59.3

25.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.50 MKD 26.48

280.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$6.74 MKD 357

14.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.43 MKD 75.8

-29.37%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$32.0K MKD 1.7M

-45.06%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$34.0K MKD 1.8M

-22.08%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$145 MKD 7,695

-42.30%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$17.86 MKD 948

-47.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$15.58 MKD 826

54.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$24.59 MKD 1,305

2.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$6.49 MKD 344

194.92%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$4.84 MKD 257

-15.29%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$219 MKD 11.6K

42.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$1,214 MKD 64.4K

393.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$76.2 MKD 4,042

-23.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$48.94 MKD 2,597

-33.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$75.6 MKD 4,013

31.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$113 MKD 6,013

-4.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$285 MKD 15.1K

69.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$198 MKD 10.5K

91.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$591 MKD 31.4K

41.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$316 MKD 16.7K

129.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,726 MKD 91.6K

64.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,188 MKD 63.0K

2.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$785 MKD 41.6K

-31.09%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Bitola: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $285 in Bitola. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bitola pays 45% 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 $190 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 15% in total monthly costs ($1,017 vs $883 including rent). Bitola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bitola earns 45% less. 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: $482 in Medellin versus $285 in Bitola. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 8% 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 $883 in Bitola versus $1,017 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 15% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.