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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,081 per month in Skopje vs $1,063 in Cartagena, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,622 per month in Skopje vs $1,611 in Cartagena, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,163 per month in Skopje vs $2,160 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 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.56 MKD 400

$6.09 COP 20.9K

24.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.21 MKD 1,759

$47.00 COP 161.1K

-29.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.70 MKD 355

$9.47 COP 32.4K

-29.25%

Cappuccino

$2.23 MKD 118

$1.64 COP 5,616

35.98%

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

$2.03 MKD 107

$0.87 COP 2,971

133.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 MKD 64.8

$0.66 COP 2,249

84.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 MKD 139

$1.25 COP 4,269

109.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 MKD 184

$2.93 COP 10.1K

18.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 MKD 70.6

$1.16 COP 3,968

14.66%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 MKD 41.05

$1.90 COP 6,511

-58.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 MKD 88.0

$1.33 COP 4,563

24.81%

Eggs

$2.24 MKD 119

$2.10 COP 7,206

6.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.23 MKD 489

$6.80 COP 23.3K

35.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.08 MKD 428

$6.16 COP 21.1K

31.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.49 MKD 714

$8.16 COP 28.0K

65.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 MKD 56.6

$3.28 COP 11.2K

-67.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 MKD 71.5

$1.99 COP 6,819

-32.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 MKD 72.1

$1.46 COP 4,997

-6.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 MKD 114

$1.65 COP 5,665

30.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 MKD 43.84

$1.60 COP 5,480

-48.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 MKD 52.8

$1.06 COP 3,647

-5.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 MKD 38.21

$1.05 COP 3,595

-31.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MKD 29.01

$0.58 COP 1,988

-5.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.16 MKD 167

$2.35 COP 8,045

34.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.72 MKD 409

$18.92 COP 64.8K

-59.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 MKD 58.6

$1.00 COP 3,422

11.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 MKD 82.1

$0.99 COP 3,385

56.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MKD 40.74

$1.02 COP 3,508

-24.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.72 MKD 1,468

$29.14 COP 99.9K

-4.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 MKD 47.46

$2.47 COP 8,451

-63.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MKD 28.17

$2.35 COP 8,049

-77.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.71 MKD 408

$4.96 COP 17.0K

55.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 MKD 78.2

$0.96 COP 3,298

54.17%

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

$34.5K MKD 1.8M

$20.8K COP 71.3M

65.60%

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

$29.4K MKD 1.6M

$23.6K COP 80.8M

24.64%

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

$164 MKD 8,679

$140 COP 478.8K

17.30%

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

$18.26 MKD 967

$10.70 COP 36.7K

70.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.08 MKD 1,010

$25.03 COP 85.8K

-23.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.38 MKD 2,085

$35.17 COP 120.5K

11.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.51 MKD 927

$8.48 COP 29.1K

106.49%

Cinema Ticket

$6.45 MKD 342

$2.93 COP 10.1K

120.14%

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

$324 MKD 17.1K

$144 COP 492.3K

125.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,636 MKD 245.5K

$5,840 COP 20.0M

-20.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 MKD 4,087

$48.52 COP 166.3K

59.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.10 MKD 2,071

$39.07 COP 133.9K

0.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MKD 5,335

$124 COP 425.6K

-18.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 MKD 5,886

$112 COP 385.1K

-1.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$421 MKD 22.3K

$716 COP 2.5M

-41.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 MKD 16.8K

$335 COP 1.1M

-5.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 MKD 33.1K

$1,270 COP 4.4M

-50.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 MKD 24.0K

$475 COP 1.6M

-4.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,829 MKD 149.8K

$3,197 COP 11.0M

-11.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,827 MKD 96.7K

$871 COP 3.0M

109.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$886 MKD 46.9K

$422 COP 1.4M

109.95%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Cartagena: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $421 in Skopje versus $716 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 110% 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 $33.00 in Skopje versus $47.00 in Cartagena. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $213 vs $225 – 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 $1,622 per month in Skopje and $1,594 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 $324 per month in Skopje and $144 in Cartagena. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% 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 $1,063, than in Skopje at $1,081. 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 $1,063 versus $1,081 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.