Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Skopje Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Skopje

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,112 in Skopje, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,621 in Skopje, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,130 in Skopje, rent included.

Medellin is about 9% cheaper than Skopje, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Skopje are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Skopje 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.3K

$7.57 MKD 399

-20.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 116.9K

$34.02 MKD 1,791

-3.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.2K

$6.65 MKD 350

6.62%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,093

$2.19 MKD 115

-21.92%

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

$1.94 MKD 102

-43.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,771

$1.28 MKD 67.5

-39.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

$2.70 MKD 142

-37.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$3.47 MKD 183

-11.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,892

$1.34 MKD 70.6

-18.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,492

$0.82 MKD 43.34

53.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,905

$1.75 MKD 92.4

-21.14%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,799

$2.19 MKD 115

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$9.22 MKD 485

-52.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.0K

$7.99 MKD 421

-29.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.6K

$13.63 MKD 718

-34.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,319

$1.01 MKD 53.3

131.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$1.41 MKD 74.4

-24.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,355

$1.32 MKD 69.6

13.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,906

$2.17 MKD 114

-36.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,097

$0.88 MKD 46.53

30.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,141

$0.92 MKD 48.49

26.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,170

$0.71 MKD 37.39

25.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,986

$0.58 MKD 30.57

44.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,116

$3.15 MKD 166

-27.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$7.41 MKD 390

43.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

$1.06 MKD 55.8

13.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

$1.51 MKD 79.7

63.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

$0.77 MKD 40.40

11.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

$27.67 MKD 1,457

49.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,245

$0.98 MKD 51.4

50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,984

$0.49 MKD 25.59

300.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.5K

$7.60 MKD 400

1.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,397

$1.47 MKD 77.3

-35.37%

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

$18.1K COP 64.5M

$34.0K MKD 1.8M

-46.72%

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

$26.5K COP 94.2M

$29.6K MKD 1.6M

-10.48%

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

$82.3 COP 292.7K

$160 MKD 8,438

-48.68%

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

$9.50 COP 33.8K

$18.34 MKD 965

-48.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.2K

$19.13 MKD 1,007

26.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

$38.37 MKD 2,020

-32.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

$17.56 MKD 925

8.20%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.72 MKD 354

-41.52%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$312 MKD 16.4K

-0.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.2M

$4,509 MKD 237.4K

32.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 208.7K

$77.2 MKD 4,063

-23.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.1K

$40.43 MKD 2,129

-19.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.1K

$100 MKD 5,270

2.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 385.8K

$110 MKD 5,804

-1.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$429 MKD 22.6K

10.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$310 MKD 16.3K

22.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$645 MKD 34.0K

29.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$459 MKD 24.1K

57.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$2,801 MKD 147.5K

-0.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,829 MKD 96.3K

-33.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$913 MKD 48.1K

-43.93%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Skopje: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $429 in Skopje. 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 78% higher in Skopje, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $34.00 in Skopje. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $213 – making Medellin 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 Skopje: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Skopje is pricier by about 10%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,667 in Skopje. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $34.00 in Skopje. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $1,112 in Skopje. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Skopje at $1,112. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Skopje it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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