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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $778 in Stip, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,138 in Stip, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,497 in Stip, rent included.

Medellin costs about 30% more than Stip, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Stip are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Stip 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$5.74 MKD 302

4.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$16.11 MKD 849

103.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$4.92 MKD 259

44.11%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.89 MKD 99.4

-9.52%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.74 MKD 92.0

-36.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$1.21 MKD 64.0

-35.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$2.21 MKD 117

-23.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.79 MKD 147

10.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.29 MKD 67.9

-15.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.68 MKD 35.66

85.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.10 MKD 58.2

25.45%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.10 MKD 111

4.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$10.32 MKD 544

-57.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$7.23 MKD 381

-22.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$7.43 MKD 392

19.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$0.97 MKD 51.2

141.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.43 MKD 75.6

-25.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.31 MKD 69.0

14.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.58 MKD 83.1

-12.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.93 MKD 48.85

23.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.39 MKD 73.1

-16.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.53 MKD 28.17

67.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.40 MKD 21.30

110.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$3.05 MKD 161

-25.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$7.49 MKD 395

42.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.01 MKD 53.4

18.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.81 MKD 95.3

36.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.63 MKD 33.06

36.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$20.52 MKD 1,082

101.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.10 MKD 58.1

33.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.49 MKD 25.84

300.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$5.61 MKD 296

37.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.45 MKD 76.2

-34.48%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$31.4K MKD 1.7M

-42.21%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$34.4K MKD 1.8M

-22.99%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$144 MKD 7,568

-42.73%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$9.23 MKD 486

2.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$15.31 MKD 807

58.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$27.83 MKD 1,467

-6.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.74 MKD 250

-17.09%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$216 MKD 11.4K

42.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$1,182 MKD 62.3K

404.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$38.03 MKD 2,004

54.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$31.80 MKD 1,676

1.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$74.6 MKD 3,933

37.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$114 MKD 6,013

-4.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$207 MKD 10.9K

130.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$133 MKD 7,008

184.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$344 MKD 18.1K

143.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$204 MKD 10.8K

254.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,257 MKD 66.3K

121.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,026 MKD 54.1K

18.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$467 MKD 24.6K

9.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

7.1

89.15%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Stip: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $207 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 10% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $16.00 in Stip. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $185 – 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 30%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. 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 $1,167 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $16.00 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $778 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 $778, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.