Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sveti Nikole Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sveti Nikole

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $887 in Sveti Nikole, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,323 in Sveti Nikole, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,759 in Sveti Nikole, rent included.

Medellin costs about 14% more than Sveti Nikole, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Sveti Nikole are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Sveti Nikole 34% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Sveti Nikole
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.99 COPΒ 21.4K
$5.74 MKDΒ 302
4.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.86 COPΒ 117.4K
$28.63 MKDΒ 1,509
14.77%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.09 COPΒ 25.3K
$5.21 MKDΒ 275
36.08%
Cappuccino
$1.71 COPΒ 6,115
$1.73 MKDΒ 91.4
-1.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10 COPΒ 3,924
$1.67 MKDΒ 88.3
-34.13%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 COPΒ 2,781
$1.26 MKDΒ 66.5
-38.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.68 COPΒ 5,997
$2.20 MKDΒ 116
-23.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07 COPΒ 11.0K
$2.69 MKDΒ 142
14.13%
πŸ›’ Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Sveti Nikole
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.09 COPΒ 3,906
$1.29 MKDΒ 68.1
-15.50%
White Bread (500g)
$1.26 COPΒ 4,508
$0.71 MKDΒ 37.59
77.46%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.38 COPΒ 4,922
$1.72 MKDΒ 90.7
-19.77%
Eggs
$2.19 COPΒ 7,827
$2.08 MKDΒ 110
5.29%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.40 COPΒ 15.7K
$8.30 MKDΒ 438
-46.99%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.63 COPΒ 20.1K
$6.47 MKDΒ 341
-12.98%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.89 COPΒ 31.8K
$13.33 MKDΒ 703
-33.31%
Apples (1kg)
$2.34 COPΒ 8,349
$1.07 MKDΒ 56.5
118.69%
Banana (1kg)
$1.06 COPΒ 3,777
$1.45 MKDΒ 76.2
-26.90%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.50 COPΒ 5,374
$1.27 MKDΒ 66.7
18.11%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.38 COPΒ 4,924
$1.58 MKDΒ 83.1
-12.66%
Potato (1kg)
$1.15 COPΒ 4,111
$0.94 MKDΒ 49.70
22.34%
Onion (1kg)
$1.16 COPΒ 4,155
$0.99 MKDΒ 52.3
17.17%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.89 COPΒ 3,182
$0.62 MKDΒ 32.51
43.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 COPΒ 2,997
$0.53 MKDΒ 27.75
58.49%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.28 COPΒ 8,145
$3.06 MKDΒ 161
-25.49%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.64 COPΒ 38.0K
$6.48 MKDΒ 341
64.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 COPΒ 4,284
$1.01 MKDΒ 53.3
18.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 COPΒ 8,824
$1.46 MKDΒ 76.8
69.18%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Sveti Nikole
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.86 COPΒ 3,056
$0.65 MKDΒ 34.20
32.31%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.40 COPΒ 147.9K
$20.07 MKDΒ 1,058
106.28%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.47 COPΒ 5,264
$1.29 MKDΒ 68.2
13.95%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.96 COPΒ 7,009
$0.49 MKDΒ 25.87
300.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.74 COPΒ 27.6K
$6.44 MKDΒ 339
20.19%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.95 COPΒ 3,409
$1.43 MKDΒ 75.5
-33.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.1K COPΒ 64.7M
$32.1K MKDΒ 1.7M
-43.50%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K COPΒ 94.6M
$30.0K MKDΒ 1.6M
-11.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Sveti Nikole
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.3 COPΒ 293.7K
$145 MKDΒ 7,619
-43.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.50 COPΒ 33.9K
$17.35 MKDΒ 915
-45.24%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.23 COPΒ 86.5K
$15.43 MKDΒ 813
57.03%
πŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Sveti Nikole
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.89 COPΒ 92.4K
$26.73 MKDΒ 1,409
-3.14%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.00 COPΒ 67.9K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.93 COPΒ 14.0K
$4.60 MKDΒ 243
-14.57%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Sveti Nikole
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$309 COPΒ 1.1M
$215 MKDΒ 11.4K
43.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,965 COPΒ 21.3M
$1,226 MKDΒ 64.6K
386.59%
πŸ‘•πŸ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Sveti Nikole
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.7 COPΒ 209.5K
$76.1 MKDΒ 4,009
-22.89%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.35 COPΒ 115.5K
$39.12 MKDΒ 2,061
-17.31%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 COPΒ 366.4K
$74.4 MKDΒ 3,922
37.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 COPΒ 387.2K
$111 MKDΒ 5,860
-2.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Sveti Nikole
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$476 COPΒ 1.7M
$281 MKDΒ 14.8K
69.30%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$379 COPΒ 1.4M
$198 MKDΒ 10.4K
91.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$838 COPΒ 3.0M
$563 MKDΒ 29.7K
48.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$724 COPΒ 2.6M
$309 MKDΒ 16.3K
134.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,791 COPΒ 10.0M
$1,644 MKDΒ 86.6K
69.76%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,211 COPΒ 4.3M
$1,276 MKDΒ 67.3K
-5.09%
πŸ’΅ Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Sveti Nikole
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$512 COPΒ 1.8M
$568 MKDΒ 29.9K
-9.93%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.43
4.54
195.81%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sveti Nikole: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $281 in Sveti Nikole. 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 11% higher in Sveti Nikole, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $29.00 in Sveti Nikole. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $194 in Sveti Nikole – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Sveti Nikole: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sveti Nikole cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 14%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,331 in Sveti Nikole. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Sveti Nikole, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or Sveti Nikole?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $29.00 in Sveti Nikole. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and cafΓ© pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin vs Sveti Nikole?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $887 in Sveti Nikole. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for Medellin or Sveti Nikole?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sveti Nikole, where all-in costs run around $887, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Sveti Nikole it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Sveti Nikole more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Sveti Nikole – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Medellin or Sveti Nikole?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Sveti Nikole. 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.

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