Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Cartagena Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Cartagena

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,083 per month in Skopje vs $1,062 in Cartagena, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,616 per month in Skopje vs $1,608 in Cartagena, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,149 per month in Skopje vs $2,153 in Cartagena, rent included.

Skopje costs about 2% more than Cartagena, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Skopje and Cartagena are more affordable than the global median – Skopje 19% lower, Cartagena 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.47 MKD 392

$6.17 COP 22.4K

21.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.48 MKD 1,811

$47.58 COP 173.1K

-27.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.60 MKD 347

$9.85 COP 35.8K

-32.99%

Cappuccino

$2.29 MKD 120

$1.65 COP 5,992

38.79%

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

$1.96 MKD 103

$0.81 COP 2,936

141.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 MKD 67.7

$0.67 COP 2,425

92.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 MKD 135

$1.30 COP 4,717

97.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 MKD 173

$2.95 COP 10.7K

11.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 MKD 70.2

$1.14 COP 4,155

17.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 MKD 40.27

$1.86 COP 6,765

-58.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MKD 88.7

$1.33 COP 4,819

27.07%

Eggs

$2.25 MKD 118

$2.11 COP 7,661

6.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.97 MKD 471

$7.07 COP 25.7K

26.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.11 MKD 426

$5.91 COP 21.5K

37.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.90 MKD 730

$8.13 COP 29.6K

70.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 MKD 53.8

$3.20 COP 11.6K

-68.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 MKD 71.6

$1.96 COP 7,111

-30.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 MKD 71.6

$1.50 COP 5,465

-9.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 MKD 113

$1.58 COP 5,732

36.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 MKD 43.97

$1.55 COP 5,630

-45.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 MKD 51.6

$1.08 COP 3,921

-9.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 MKD 37.33

$1.00 COP 3,646

-29.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MKD 29.07

$0.59 COP 2,160

-6.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.20 MKD 168

$2.36 COP 8,567

35.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.53 MKD 395

$18.52 COP 67.3K

-59.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MKD 55.4

$0.93 COP 3,392

12.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 MKD 82.7

$1.03 COP 3,737

53.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 MKD 40.77

$1.05 COP 3,834

-25.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.32 MKD 1,487

$28.08 COP 102.1K

0.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 MKD 48.09

$2.38 COP 8,666

-61.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MKD 26.15

$2.37 COP 8,619

-78.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.32 MKD 384

$4.93 COP 17.9K

48.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MKD 80.7

$1.03 COP 3,736

49.51%

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

$34.4K MKD 1.8M

$20.9K COP 75.9M

64.89%

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

$30.0K MKD 1.6M

$23.6K COP 85.9M

26.79%

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

$160 MKD 8,423

$142 COP 518.0K

12.63%

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

$18.02 MKD 947

$10.96 COP 39.8K

64.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.00 MKD 998

$25.17 COP 91.5K

-24.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.49 MKD 2,074

$35.27 COP 128.3K

11.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.78 MKD 934

$8.84 COP 32.2K

101.13%

Cinema Ticket

$6.38 MKD 335

$2.94 COP 10.7K

117.01%

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

$322 MKD 16.9K

$142 COP 516.2K

126.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,517 MKD 237.2K

$5,910 COP 21.5M

-23.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.5 MKD 4,120

$48.13 COP 175.1K

63.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.91 MKD 2,096

$39.46 COP 143.5K

1.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MKD 5,306

$123 COP 448.6K

-18.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 MKD 5,790

$115 COP 416.7K

-3.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 MKD 22.2K

$741 COP 2.7M

-42.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$311 MKD 16.3K

$330 COP 1.2M

-5.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 MKD 32.9K

$1,308 COP 4.8M

-52.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MKD 24.4K

$479 COP 1.7M

-2.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 MKD 149.2K

$3,077 COP 11.2M

-7.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,883 MKD 98.9K

$1,977 COP 7.2M

-4.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$888 MKD 46.6K

$420 COP 1.5M

111.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.54

-69.73%

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

Last update for Skopje: April 28, 2026

Last update for Cartagena: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Skopje versus $741 in Cartagena. 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 111% higher in Skopje, 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 $34.00 in Skopje versus $48.00 in Cartagena. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $213 vs $222 – making Skopje 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

Skopje vs Cartagena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Skopje costs about 2% more than Cartagena, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,625 per month in Skopje and $1,593 in Cartagena. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cartagena, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $322 per month in Skopje and $142 in Cartagena. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Skopje – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cartagena, where all-in costs run around $1,062, than in Skopje at $1,083. In Cartagena it covers expenses comfortably, while in Skopje it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cartagena costs $1,062 versus $1,083 in Skopje. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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