😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $822 in Gostivar.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,201 in Gostivar.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,580 in Gostivar.
😐Living in Medellin is roughly 26% more expensive than Gostivar, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin23% lower, Gostivar39% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Gostivar
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.92COP 21.4K
$5.31MKD 280
11.49%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.75COP 118.2K
$23.13MKD 1,219
41.59%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.20COP 26.0K
$5.13MKD 271
40.35%
Cappuccino
$1.70COP 6,140
$1.44MKD 75.9
18.06%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10COP 3,966
$1.12MKD 58.9
-1.79%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72COP 2,605
$1.16MKD 61.1
-37.93%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.67COP 6,022
$1.39MKD 73.2
20.14%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10COP 11.2K
$1.87MKD 98.4
65.78%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Gostivar
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.06COP 3,809
$1.33MKD 70.4
-20.30%
White Bread(500g)
$1.25COP 4,497
$0.69MKD 36.25
81.16%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.39COP 5,022
$1.47MKD 77.6
-5.44%
Eggs
$2.26COP 8,168
$2.03MKD 107
11.33%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.33COP 15.6K
$6.76MKD 356
-35.95%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.84COP 21.1K
$5.73MKD 302
1.92%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.83COP 31.9K
$13.63MKD 718
-35.22%
Apples(1kg)
$2.24COP 8,099
$1.04MKD 54.8
115.38%
Banana(1kg)
$1.08COP 3,882
$1.39MKD 73.2
-22.30%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.53COP 5,522
$1.24MKD 65.5
23.39%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.37COP 4,950
$1.59MKD 83.8
-13.84%
Potato(1kg)
$1.13COP 4,078
$0.94MKD 49.36
20.21%
Onion(1kg)
$1.12COP 4,036
$0.73MKD 38.60
53.42%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.85COP 3,057
$0.53MKD 28.15
60.38%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91COP 3,281
$0.57MKD 29.84
59.65%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.33COP 8,414
$2.84MKD 150
-17.96%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.13COP 40.2K
$4.81MKD 254
131.39%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19COP 4,309
$0.97MKD 51.0
22.68%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37COP 8,553
$1.53MKD 80.6
54.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Gostivar
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.79COP 2,838
$0.68MKD 35.90
16.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.13COP 148.5K
$20.01MKD 1,055
105.55%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.44COP 5,184
$0.95MKD 50.1
51.58%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.91COP 6,901
$0.33MKD 17.30
478.79%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.02COP 28.9K
$6.61MKD 349
21.33%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.94COP 3,385
$1.50MKD 79.0
-37.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.9KCOP 64.7M
$31.9KMKD 1.7M
-43.88%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8KCOP 96.7M
$47.5KMKD 2.5M
-43.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Gostivar
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$84.0COP 303.1K
$134MKD 7,041
-37.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.60COP 34.7K
$11.12MKD 586
-13.67%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.16COP 87.2K
$15.29MKD 806
58.01%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Gostivar
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.88COP 93.4K
$26.10MKD 1,376
-0.84%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04COP 68.7K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.92COP 14.1K
$4.81MKD 254
-18.50%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Gostivar
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$306COP 1.1M
$222MKD 11.7K
38.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,919COP 21.4M
$1,184MKD 62.4K
399.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Gostivar
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.9COP 209.1K
$37.77MKD 1,992
53.32%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.82COP 114.9K
$37.22MKD 1,963
-14.51%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.9COP 360.6K
$76.2MKD 4,020
31.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107COP 386.8K
$113MKD 5,948
-5.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Gostivar
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$487COP 1.8M
$283MKD 14.9K
71.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$368COP 1.3M
$197MKD 10.4K
86.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$826COP 3.0M
$569MKD 30.0K
45.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$716COP 2.6M
$312MKD 16.4K
129.85%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,925COP 10.6M
$1,627MKD 85.8K
79.75%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,407COP 5.1M
$1,207MKD 63.6K
16.56%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Gostivar
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$546COP 2.0M
$903MKD 47.6K
-39.59%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
6.5
106.62%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Medellin: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Gostivar: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $283 in Gostivar. 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $23.00 in Gostivar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $181 per month, with Gostivar cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Medellin vs Gostivar: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Which city is more expensive, Medellin or Gostivar?
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.
Are salaries higher in Medellin or Gostivar?
On paper, Gostivar earns 66% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Medellin vs Gostivar?
Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Medellin versus $283 in Gostivar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Medellin compared to Gostivar?
All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $822 in Gostivar – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Medellin vs Gostivar?
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.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Medellin or Gostivar?
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.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Medellin or Gostivar?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
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.
Medellin vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado