Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Stip

For one person, living is cheaper in Stip: $809 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $10,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index
39

Cost of Living Index in Stip
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Stip Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,639

/mo nomad

Stip

🇲🇰 North Macedonia

$809

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Stip

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Stip actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $809 in Stip, rent included.

Medellin $1,639
Stip $809

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $1,210 in Stip, rent included.

Medellin $2,413
Stip $1,210

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $1,611 in Stip, rent included.

Medellin $3,186
Stip $1,611

Medellin costs about 103% more than Stip, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Stip is 41% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 COP 25.6K

$7.45 MKD 410

8.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.05 COP 148.9K

$23.08 MKD 1,270

103.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.1K

$6.30 MKD 347

50.79%

Cappuccino

$3.01 COP 9,540

$1.81 MKD 99.3

66.30%

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

$1.80 COP 5,693

$1.43 MKD 78.7

25.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 COP 4,469

$1.07 MKD 58.8

31.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$1.84 MKD 101

72.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.2K

$2.75 MKD 151

109.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 COP 4,778

$1.27 MKD 70.1

18.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 COP 7,524

$0.74 MKD 40.87

221.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,606

$1.11 MKD 61.1

59.46%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 9,146

$2.52 MKD 139

14.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.2K

$7.96 MKD 438

28.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.87 COP 31.2K

$7.26 MKD 399

35.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 COP 44.3K

$7.21 MKD 397

94.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.6K

$0.90 MKD 49.31

341.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 COP 4,911

$1.45 MKD 79.6

6.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 COP 6,907

$1.32 MKD 72.7

65.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 COP 6,910

$1.60 MKD 87.8

36.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 COP 6,210

$0.88 MKD 48.68

122.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 COP 5,029

$0.80 MKD 43.97

98.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,625

$0.56 MKD 30.98

105.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 3,934

$0.42 MKD 23.11

195.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 COP 12.5K

$3.25 MKD 179

21.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.68 COP 43.3K

$7.42 MKD 409

84.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,252

$1.03 MKD 56.8

61.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,145

$1.49 MKD 81.9

51.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,696

$0.67 MKD 36.88

74.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.4 COP 244.8K

$23.98 MKD 1,319

222.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,013

$1.08 MKD 59.3

17.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,480

$0.58 MKD 31.74

253.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.55 COP 27.1K

$5.54 MKD 305

54.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,262

$1.53 MKD 84.2

-11.76%

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

$34.1K COP 107.8M

$33.1K MKD 1.8M

2.82%

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

$34.7K COP 109.7M

$26.0K MKD 1.4M

33.50%

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

$170 COP 536.8K

$158 MKD 8,680

7.53%

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

$13.55 COP 42.9K

$8.95 MKD 492

51.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.07 COP 88.8K

$16.29 MKD 896

72.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.70 COP 138.3K

$27.01 MKD 1,486

61.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.19 COP 54.4K

$17.36 MKD 955

-0.98%

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 COP 21.9K

$6.50 MKD 358

6.31%

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

$797 COP 2.5M

$357 MKD 19.6K

123.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,112 COP 28.8M

$5,645 MKD 310.6K

61.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.7 COP 268.1K

$35.74 MKD 1,966

137.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.0 COP 183.4K

$30.66 MKD 1,687

89.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 COP 427.1K

$101 MKD 5,556

33.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 309.7K

$113 MKD 6,203

-13.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,208 COP 3.8M

$201 MKD 11.1K

500.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$642 COP 2.0M

$127 MKD 6,989

405.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 COP 6.4M

$331 MKD 18.2K

512.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 COP 3.2M

$201 MKD 11.0K

403.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,170 COP 13.2M

$1,210 MKD 66.6K

244.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,910 COP 6.0M

$976 MKD 53.7K

95.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$657 COP 2.1M

$463 MKD 25.5K

41.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.23

158.63%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Stip: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$642 39.1%

Stip

$127 15.7% 80.2% $515

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$297 18.1%

Stip

$177 21.9% 40.2% $120

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$211 12.9%

Stip

$183 22.6% 13.4% $28

Eating Out

Medellin

$170 10.4%

Stip

$125 15.4% 26.4% $45

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$169 10.3%

Stip

$126 15.6% 25.4% $43

Getting Around

Medellin

$94 5.7%

Stip

$31 3.8% 67.3% $63

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$58 3.5%

Stip

$40 5% 30.5% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $201 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 42% 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 $47 in Medellin versus $23 in Stip. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $177 – making Stip the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇲🇰 Stip

🕒 Local time

20:54 8:54 PM

02:54 2:54 AM

6 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

65,000

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

North Macedonian Denar MKD ден

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.16 USD

10,000 COP = 2.84 EUR

100 MKD = 1.82 USD

100 MKD = 1.63 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MKD, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 3,164 COP (10,000 COP = 3.16 USD). 1 EUR = 3,523 COP (10,000 COP = 2.84 EUR).

North Macedonian Denar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 55.02 MKD (100 MKD = 1.82 USD). 1 EUR = 61.25 MKD (100 MKD = 1.63 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Medellin Stip 10,190 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Stip

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 103%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $1,214 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $201 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $23 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 $1,639 in Medellin and $809 in Stip. That makes Stip about 51% cheaper.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Stip, where all-in costs run around $809, than in Medellin at $1,639. 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.

If budget matters most, go with Stip. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.