Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Stip Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Stip

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $853 in Stip, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,260 in Stip, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,667 in Stip, rent included.

Medellin costs about 92% more than Stip, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Stip is 38% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$7.53 MKD 398

6.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$23.64 MKD 1,249

104.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$6.78 MKD 358

38.94%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$1.86 MKD 98.2

58.06%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$1.55 MKD 82.0

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$1.16 MKD 61.4

25.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$1.84 MKD 97.4

74.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$2.92 MKD 154

95.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.27 MKD 67.2

13.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$0.82 MKD 43.07

192.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.16 MKD 61.5

46.55%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$2.59 MKD 137

11.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$8.69 MKD 459

15.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$7.52 MKD 397

32.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$7.69 MKD 406

84.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$0.93 MKD 49.25

327.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.43 MKD 75.3

10.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$1.39 MKD 73.5

54.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$1.72 MKD 90.8

33.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$0.93 MKD 48.93

115.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$0.89 MKD 46.77

69.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.59 MKD 31.21

103.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.42 MKD 22.08

204.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$3.26 MKD 172

17.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$7.61 MKD 402

84.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.09 MKD 57.4

56.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$1.53 MKD 81.0

79.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.65 MKD 34.21

92.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$22.86 MKD 1,208

240.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$1.14 MKD 60.3

14.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.68 MKD 35.94

219.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$5.79 MKD 306

43.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.52 MKD 80.5

-10.53%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$36.7K MKD 1.9M

-25.08%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$28.1K MKD 1.5M

30.23%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$165 MKD 8,691

2.55%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$9.36 MKD 495

44.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$17.13 MKD 905

65.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$28.13 MKD 1,486

62.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$6.64 MKD 351

0.15%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$381 MKD 20.1K

110.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$5,594 MKD 295.6K

64.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$38.16 MKD 2,016

128.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$31.71 MKD 1,675

87.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$108 MKD 5,689

29.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$114 MKD 6,022

-10.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$209 MKD 11.0K

413.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$131 MKD 6,901

399.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$341 MKD 18.0K

464.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$204 MKD 10.8K

412.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$1,246 MKD 65.9K

230.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$1,000 MKD 52.8K

69.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$472 MKD 24.9K

38.77%

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 Stip: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $209 in Stip. 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 39% 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 $24.00 in Stip. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $186 – making Stip 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 Stip: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 92%, 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 $1,279 in Stip. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Stip, 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 $24.00 in Stip. 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 $853 in Stip. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Stip, where all-in costs run around $853, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Stip it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Stip – 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 Stip. 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.