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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $765 in Prilep, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,157 in Prilep, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,548 in Prilep, rent included.

Medellin costs about 120% more than Prilep, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Prilep is 44% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$4.16 MKD 221

92.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$28.35 MKD 1,508

68.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$5.78 MKD 307

71.11%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$1.53 MKD 81.4

104.58%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.62 MKD 86.1

17.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$1.22 MKD 64.8

23.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.62 MKD 85.9

92.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.11 MKD 112

172.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.23 MKD 65.3

17.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.71 MKD 37.79

250.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.57 MKD 83.6

12.74%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.04 MKD 108

45.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$7.21 MKD 384

39.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$6.10 MKD 324

65.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$11.53 MKD 613

24.02%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$0.92 MKD 48.80

350.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.44 MKD 76.8

11.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$0.97 MKD 51.5

131.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.34 MKD 71.3

67.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.84 MKD 44.82

142.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.87 MKD 46.48

77.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.60 MKD 32.08

95.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.46 MKD 24.46

184.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.94 MKD 156

32.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$5.05 MKD 269

177.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$0.97 MKD 51.6

79.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.18 MKD 62.9

143.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.36 MKD 19.34

238.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$18.51 MKD 984

334.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$1.11 MKD 59.1

18.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.58 MKD 30.96

277.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$6.68 MKD 355

30.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.48 MKD 78.9

-7.43%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$34.4K MKD 1.8M

-19.14%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$27.9K MKD 1.5M

28.26%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$128 MKD 6,815

38.34%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$17.46 MKD 929

-20.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$14.54 MKD 773

104.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$20.70 MKD 1,101

116.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$8.28 MKD 441

106.76%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$5.28 MKD 281

25.95%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$281 MKD 14.9K

189.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$1,195 MKD 63.6K

668.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$38.42 MKD 2,043

132.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$36.97 MKD 1,966

59.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$68.3 MKD 3,630

102.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$82.5 MKD 4,388

23.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$242 MKD 12.9K

338.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$176 MKD 9,365

276.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$506 MKD 26.9K

273.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$288 MKD 15.3K

257.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$1,028 MKD 54.7K

306.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$847 MKD 45.0K

97.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$622 MKD 33.1K

8.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.23

158.63%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Prilep: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $242 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 9% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $28.00 in Prilep. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $174 – 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 120%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,148 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 $48.00 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $765 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 $765, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.