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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,087 in Skopje, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,634 in Skopje, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,180 in Skopje, rent included.

Medellin is about 5% cheaper than Skopje, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Skopje are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Skopje 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$7.58 MKD 407

-18.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$33.45 MKD 1,796

-2.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.70 MKD 360

9.55%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.27 MKD 122

-24.23%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$2.03 MKD 109

-48.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.29 MKD 69.3

-40.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.66 MKD 143

-36.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.35 MKD 180

-5.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.29 MKD 69.5

-18.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.76 MKD 40.83

71.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.67 MKD 89.7

-16.17%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.21 MKD 119

-2.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$9.13 MKD 490

-51.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$7.78 MKD 418

-24.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$13.71 MKD 736

-36.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.06 MKD 57.1

115.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.43 MKD 76.8

-22.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.35 MKD 72.6

13.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.17 MKD 116

-37.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.89 MKD 47.79

26.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.90 MKD 48.49

25.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.69 MKD 36.95

23.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.55 MKD 29.72

65.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.18 MKD 171

-26.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$7.26 MKD 390

70.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.07 MKD 57.3

12.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.52 MKD 81.5

63.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.76 MKD 40.98

10.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$28.58 MKD 1,534

41.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.96 MKD 51.6

47.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.48 MKD 26.03

300.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$7.41 MKD 398

3.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.49 MKD 79.7

-33.56%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$33.7K MKD 1.8M

-46.43%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$29.3K MKD 1.6M

-9.02%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$160 MKD 8,580

-49.44%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$18.05 MKD 969

-44.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$19.13 MKD 1,027

26.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$38.66 MKD 2,075

-35.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$17.36 MKD 932

10.31%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.62 MKD 356

-39.88%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$320 MKD 17.2K

-4.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,642 MKD 249.2K

30.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$77.5 MKD 4,160

-24.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$40.16 MKD 2,156

-19.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$100 MKD 5,368

0.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$110 MKD 5,918

-2.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$425 MKD 22.8K

12.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$310 MKD 16.6K

21.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$645 MKD 34.6K

30.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$463 MKD 24.8K

57.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,731 MKD 146.6K

17.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,740 MKD 93.4K

-21.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$886 MKD 47.6K

-30.37%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Skopje: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $425 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 44% 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 $33.00 in Skopje. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $210 – 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 6%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,631 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 $33.00 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $1,087 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 $1,031, than in Skopje at $1,087. 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.