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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,182 in Skopje, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,723 in Skopje, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $2,263 in Skopje, rent included.

Medellin costs about 39% more than Skopje, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Skopje is 14% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$9.68 MKD 511

-16.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$34.37 MKD 1,816

40.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$6.65 MKD 351

41.65%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$2.23 MKD 118

31.84%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$1.86 MKD 98.5

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$1.28 MKD 67.6

14.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$2.81 MKD 148

14.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$3.25 MKD 172

75.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.33 MKD 70.4

8.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$0.78 MKD 41.46

207.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.94 MKD 102

-12.37%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$2.47 MKD 131

17.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$8.73 MKD 461

15.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$7.49 MKD 396

33.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$15.07 MKD 796

-5.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$1.53 MKD 80.7

160.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.50 MKD 79.0

5.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$1.38 MKD 73.0

55.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$2.08 MKD 110

10.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$0.92 MKD 48.78

117.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$0.84 MKD 44.24

79.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.62 MKD 32.51

93.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.57 MKD 30.31

124.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$3.63 MKD 192

5.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$7.37 MKD 389

90.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.09 MKD 57.5

56.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$1.56 MKD 82.3

75.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.80 MKD 42.10

56.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$28.14 MKD 1,487

176.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$1.11 MKD 58.4

18.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.68 MKD 35.75

219.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$7.98 MKD 422

3.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.54 MKD 81.2

-11.69%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$37.0K MKD 2.0M

-25.77%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$28.4K MKD 1.5M

28.70%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$168 MKD 8,854

0.67%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$19.55 MKD 1,033

-30.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$19.73 MKD 1,042

43.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$38.05 MKD 2,010

20.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$17.83 MKD 942

-3.42%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$7.13 MKD 377

-6.73%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$389 MKD 20.5K

106.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$5,501 MKD 290.6K

67.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$91.6 MKD 4,837

-4.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$39.71 MKD 2,098

49.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$107 MKD 5,629

30.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$114 MKD 6,023

-10.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$443 MKD 23.4K

141.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$339 MKD 17.9K

92.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$750 MKD 39.6K

156.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$535 MKD 28.3K

95.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$2,778 MKD 146.8K

48.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$1,892 MKD 99.9K

-10.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$906 MKD 47.9K

-27.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.25

157.41%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Skopje: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $443 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 38% higher in Skopje, 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $34.00 in Skopje. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $217 – making Skopje 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 – Medellin is pricier by about 39%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,774 in Skopje. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Skopje, 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 $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 $1,641 in Medellin and $1,182 in Skopje. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Skopje, where all-in costs run around $1,182, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Skopje it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Skopje – 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 Skopje. 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.