Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Prilep Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Prilep

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $759 in Prilep, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,138 in Prilep, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,518 in Prilep, rent included.

Medellin costs about 36% more than Prilep, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Prilep are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Prilep 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$4.03 MKD 213

46.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$27.62 MKD 1,456

18.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$5.72 MKD 302

25.87%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.53 MKD 80.7

11.11%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.60 MKD 84.2

-31.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$1.22 MKD 64.2

-40.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.63 MKD 85.9

2.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.03 MKD 107

52.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.21 MKD 63.8

-12.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.74 MKD 39.13

68.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.64 MKD 86.6

-15.24%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.10 MKD 111

7.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$7.21 MKD 380

-39.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$5.87 MKD 310

-0.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$10.13 MKD 534

-12.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$0.85 MKD 44.99

163.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.37 MKD 72.1

-21.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$0.94 MKD 49.71

62.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.48 MKD 77.8

-7.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.88 MKD 46.14

28.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.00 MKD 52.6

12.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.65 MKD 34.40

30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.41 MKD 21.88

121.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.97 MKD 157

-21.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$4.66 MKD 246

138.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$0.91 MKD 48.06

30.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.18 MKD 62.5

100.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.40 MKD 20.97

97.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$18.92 MKD 998

117.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.97 MKD 51.0

48.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.49 MKD 25.95

289.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$6.52 MKD 344

23.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.45 MKD 76.7

-35.17%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$33.3K MKD 1.8M

-46.10%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$29.7K MKD 1.6M

-9.65%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$129 MKD 6,801

-34.90%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$17.73 MKD 935

-45.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$14.15 MKD 746

70.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$16.98 MKD 896

52.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$5.61 MKD 296

239.39%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.32 MKD 281

-26.32%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$281 MKD 14.8K

8.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$1,202 MKD 63.4K

392.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$42.03 MKD 2,216

37.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$36.95 MKD 1,949

-13.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$75.6 MKD 3,986

32.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$95.4 MKD 5,031

12.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$234 MKD 12.3K

108.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$171 MKD 9,020

115.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$522 MKD 27.5K

58.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$289 MKD 15.2K

147.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,041 MKD 54.9K

180.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$865 MKD 45.6K

62.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$620 MKD 32.7K

-11.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.54

195.81%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Prilep: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $234 in Prilep. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 14% higher in Prilep, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $28.00 in Prilep. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $168 – making Prilep the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Prilep: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 36%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,139 in Prilep. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Prilep, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $28.00 in Prilep. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $759 in Prilep. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Prilep, where all-in costs run around $759, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Prilep it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Prilep – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Prilep. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.