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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $774 in Stip, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,153 in Stip, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,532 in Stip, rent included.

Medellin costs about 33% more than Stip, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Stip are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Stip 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$5.80 MKD 311

6.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$15.99 MKD 858

103.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.95 MKD 266

48.28%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.98 MKD 106

-13.13%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.76 MKD 94.5

-40.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.23 MKD 66.1

-37.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.29 MKD 123

-26.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.65 MKD 142

19.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.33 MKD 71.2

-21.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.67 MKD 36.09

94.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.12 MKD 60.0

25.00%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.03 MKD 109

6.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$10.33 MKD 555

-57.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$7.34 MKD 394

-19.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.50 MKD 403

15.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$0.90 MKD 48.53

153.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.38 MKD 74.0

-19.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.31 MKD 70.2

16.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.63 MKD 87.5

-17.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.99 MKD 52.9

14.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.37 MKD 73.8

-17.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.58 MKD 31.02

46.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.41 MKD 22.01

121.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.95 MKD 159

-20.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$7.60 MKD 408

62.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.99 MKD 53.1

21.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.79 MKD 95.9

39.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.64 MKD 34.35

31.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$19.79 MKD 1,063

105.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.16 MKD 62.1

22.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.53 MKD 28.38

262.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$5.61 MKD 301

36.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.49 MKD 80.0

-33.56%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$31.7K MKD 1.7M

-43.19%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$34.4K MKD 1.8M

-22.54%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$147 MKD 7,914

-45.19%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$9.36 MKD 503

6.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$15.45 MKD 829

56.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$27.94 MKD 1,500

-10.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.75 MKD 255

-16.21%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$219 MKD 11.8K

39.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$1,186 MKD 63.7K

410.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$36.87 MKD 1,979

57.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$31.76 MKD 1,705

1.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$75.4 MKD 4,049

33.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$114 MKD 6,105

-5.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$209 MKD 11.2K

128.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$133 MKD 7,150

182.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$338 MKD 18.1K

150.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$203 MKD 10.9K

260.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,228 MKD 65.9K

161.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$988 MKD 53.0K

38.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$463 MKD 24.9K

33.22%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Stip: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 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 33% 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: $193 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 33%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,161 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $774 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 $774, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.