Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Struga Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Struga

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $898 in Struga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,355 in Struga, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,812 in Struga, rent included.

Medellin costs about 87% more than Struga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Struga is 34% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$7.42 MKD 395

8.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$30.35 MKD 1,614

57.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$5.47 MKD 291

80.80%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$1.57 MKD 83.7

99.36%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.89 MKD 100

1.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$1.25 MKD 66.7

20.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$2.76 MKD 147

13.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$3.35 MKD 178

71.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.29 MKD 68.8

11.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.75 MKD 39.67

232.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.59 MKD 84.4

11.32%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.09 MKD 111

41.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$7.86 MKD 418

28.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$6.72 MKD 357

50.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$13.02 MKD 693

9.83%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.40 MKD 74.6

195.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.40 MKD 74.2

15.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.30 MKD 69.1

73.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.65 MKD 87.6

36.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.83 MKD 44.39

145.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.86 MKD 45.79

79.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.65 MKD 34.53

80.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.58 MKD 30.77

125.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.54 MKD 188

10.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$4.57 MKD 243

206.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.09 MKD 58.0

59.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.54 MKD 81.8

86.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.92 MKD 48.84

32.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$56.5 MKD 3,006

42.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$1.12 MKD 59.4

16.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.60 MKD 31.67

265.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$5.07 MKD 270

71.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.51 MKD 80.3

-9.27%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$36.3K MKD 1.9M

-23.26%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$27.8K MKD 1.5M

28.69%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$101 MKD 5,364

75.77%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$11.22 MKD 597

23.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$18.94 MKD 1,007

56.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$20.17 MKD 1,073

122.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$12.07 MKD 642

41.84%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$7.56 MKD 402

-12.04%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$124 MKD 6,571

557.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$1,650 MKD 87.7K

456.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$86.9 MKD 4,622

2.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$31.90 MKD 1,696

84.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$74.4 MKD 3,956

85.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$55.1 MKD 2,929

85.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$280 MKD 14.9K

278.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$227 MKD 12.1K

191.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$451 MKD 24.0K

319.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$370 MKD 19.7K

177.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$1,552 MKD 82.5K

169.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$1,404 MKD 74.7K

19.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$879 MKD 46.7K

-22.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

3.75

191.73%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Struga: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $280 in Struga. 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 30% higher in Struga, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $30.00 in Struga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $192 – making Struga 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 Struga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 87%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,347 in Struga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Struga, 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 $30.00 in Struga. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $898 in Struga. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Struga, where all-in costs run around $898, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Struga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Struga – 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 Struga. 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.