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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $813 in Gostivar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,191 in Gostivar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,570 in Gostivar.

Living in Medellin is roughly 23% more expensive than in Gostivar, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Gostivar 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$5.19 MKD 277

13.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$23.38 MKD 1,250

40.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$5.03 MKD 269

47.71%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.44 MKD 76.7

14.58%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.15 MKD 61.5

-4.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$1.16 MKD 61.7

-32.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.35 MKD 72.1

27.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$1.84 MKD 98.4

72.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.41 MKD 75.2

-21.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.67 MKD 35.64

88.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.54 MKD 82.3

-10.39%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.09 MKD 112

4.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$6.66 MKD 356

-32.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$5.79 MKD 310

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$13.47 MKD 720

-33.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.08 MKD 57.6

114.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.42 MKD 76.1

-25.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.26 MKD 67.2

20.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.63 MKD 87.3

-16.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.98 MKD 52.4

15.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.78 MKD 41.92

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.54 MKD 28.80

66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.56 MKD 29.94

60.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.78 MKD 148

-19.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$4.71 MKD 252

157.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$0.90 MKD 48.36

32.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.54 MKD 82.2

61.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.63 MKD 33.61

34.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$20.00 MKD 1,069

108.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.93 MKD 49.59

52.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.35 MKD 18.79

457.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$6.60 MKD 353

19.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.44 MKD 77.2

-31.25%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$31.9K MKD 1.7M

-44.83%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$46.2K MKD 2.5M

-41.94%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$132 MKD 7,079

-37.33%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$11.05 MKD 590

-12.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$15.45 MKD 826

52.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$26.09 MKD 1,394

-3.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$4.67 MKD 250

-15.42%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$218 MKD 11.7K

44.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$1,197 MKD 64.0K

399.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$37.51 MKD 2,004

59.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$38.26 MKD 2,045

-16.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$74.2 MKD 3,964

37.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$114 MKD 6,093

-5.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$280 MKD 15.0K

69.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$193 MKD 10.3K

93.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$569 MKD 30.4K

49.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$315 MKD 16.8K

128.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,584 MKD 84.6K

106.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,238 MKD 66.1K

16.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$887 MKD 47.4K

-29.61%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Gostivar: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $280 in Gostivar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gostivar pays 42% 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 $193 vs $182 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 23% 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, salaries run 42% lower in Gostivar. 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 $280 in Gostivar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $813 in Gostivar – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Gostivar runs roughly 108% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $813 in Gostivar versus $1,003 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 $813 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 23% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.