Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gostivar Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gostivar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $798 in Gostivar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,195 in Gostivar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,592 in Gostivar.

Living in Medellin is roughly 27% more expensive than Gostivar, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Gostivar 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$5.13 MKD 272

15.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$23.07 MKD 1,224

44.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$4.98 MKD 264

45.18%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.39 MKD 73.5

17.27%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.16 MKD 61.7

-6.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$1.15 MKD 61.0

-36.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.39 MKD 73.7

25.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$1.91 MKD 101

69.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.34 MKD 71.1

-21.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.71 MKD 37.73

81.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.54 MKD 81.7

-14.29%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.12 MKD 113

7.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$6.39 MKD 339

-31.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$5.52 MKD 293

6.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$13.64 MKD 724

-36.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.06 MKD 56.4

112.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.44 MKD 76.6

-25.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.32 MKD 69.9

15.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.58 MKD 83.8

-10.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.94 MKD 49.73

24.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.72 MKD 38.34

62.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.54 MKD 28.92

64.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.56 MKD 29.78

60.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.80 MKD 148

-19.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$4.60 MKD 244

140.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$0.96 MKD 51.0

18.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.53 MKD 81.1

55.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.68 MKD 36.30

23.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$19.86 MKD 1,054

111.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.97 MKD 51.7

45.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.36 MKD 18.94

427.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$6.47 MKD 343

19.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.47 MKD 78.2

-31.29%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$31.5K MKD 1.7M

-44.23%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$46.2K MKD 2.5M

-42.71%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$131 MKD 6,939

-36.01%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$11.32 MKD 601

-16.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$15.23 MKD 808

58.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$26.46 MKD 1,404

-4.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$4.79 MKD 254

-14.41%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$219 MKD 11.6K

42.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$1,209 MKD 64.2K

395.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$37.49 MKD 1,989

54.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$38.20 MKD 2,027

-14.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$73.7 MKD 3,908

35.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$113 MKD 5,985

-3.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$283 MKD 15.0K

70.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$193 MKD 10.2K

97.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$555 MKD 29.5K

50.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$305 MKD 16.2K

137.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,656 MKD 87.9K

71.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,252 MKD 66.4K

-2.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$885 MKD 47.0K

-38.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.5

106.62%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Gostivar: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $283 in Gostivar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gostivar pays 64% 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 $180 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

Medellin vs Gostivar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gostivar wins on cost – living expenses run 27% 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.

On paper, Gostivar earns 64% 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 $283 in Gostivar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $798 in Gostivar – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Gostivar runs roughly 111% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $798 in Gostivar versus $1,017 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 $798 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 27% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.