Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,182 per month in Skopje vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,723 per month in Skopje vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,263 per month in Skopje vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Skopje is about 28% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Skopje sits 14% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.68 MKD 511

$8.04 COP 24.8K

20.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.37 MKD 1,816

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-28.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.65 MKD 351

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-29.41%

Cappuccino

$2.23 MKD 118

$2.94 COP 9,040

-24.15%

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

$1.86 MKD 98.5

$1.86 COP 5,735

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 MKD 67.6

$1.46 COP 4,479

-12.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 MKD 148

$3.21 COP 9,882

-12.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 MKD 172

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-43.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 MKD 70.4

$1.44 COP 4,428

-7.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 MKD 41.46

$2.40 COP 7,389

-67.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 MKD 102

$1.70 COP 5,228

14.12%

Eggs

$2.47 MKD 131

$2.89 COP 8,896

-14.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.73 MKD 461

$10.06 COP 30.9K

-13.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.49 MKD 396

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-24.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.07 MKD 796

$14.20 COP 43.7K

6.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.53 MKD 80.7

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-61.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MKD 79.0

$1.58 COP 4,878

-5.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 MKD 73.0

$2.15 COP 6,624

-35.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MKD 110

$2.30 COP 7,078

-9.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 MKD 48.78

$2.00 COP 6,169

-54.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 MKD 44.24

$1.51 COP 4,646

-44.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 MKD 32.51

$1.20 COP 3,701

-48.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MKD 30.31

$1.28 COP 3,946

-55.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.63 MKD 192

$3.84 COP 11.8K

-5.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.37 MKD 389

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-47.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MKD 57.5

$1.71 COP 5,256

-36.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 MKD 82.3

$2.74 COP 8,440

-43.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 MKD 42.10

$1.25 COP 3,834

-36.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.14 MKD 1,487

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-63.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 MKD 58.4

$1.31 COP 4,016

-15.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 MKD 35.75

$2.17 COP 6,680

-68.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.98 MKD 422

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-3.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MKD 81.2

$1.36 COP 4,172

13.24%

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

$37.0K MKD 2.0M

$27.5K COP 84.5M

34.72%

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

$28.4K MKD 1.5M

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-22.30%

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

$168 MKD 8,854

$169 COP 519.2K

-0.66%

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

$19.55 MKD 1,033

$13.57 COP 41.8K

44.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.73 MKD 1,042

$28.32 COP 87.2K

-30.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.05 MKD 2,010

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-16.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.83 MKD 942

$17.22 COP 53.0K

3.54%

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 MKD 377

$6.65 COP 20.5K

7.22%

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

$389 MKD 20.5K

$803 COP 2.5M

-51.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,501 MKD 290.6K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-40.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.6 MKD 4,837

$87.4 COP 268.8K

4.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.71 MKD 2,098

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-33.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MKD 5,629

$139 COP 427.5K

-23.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 MKD 6,023

$102 COP 314.0K

11.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 MKD 23.4K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-58.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 MKD 17.9K

$653 COP 2.0M

-48.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$750 MKD 39.6K

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-61.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 MKD 28.3K

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-48.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,778 MKD 146.8K

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-32.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,892 MKD 99.9K

$1,697 COP 5.2M

11.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$906 MKD 47.9K

$655 COP 2.0M

38.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

10.94

-61.15%

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

Last update for Skopje: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $443 in Skopje versus $1,071 in Medellin. 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 38% higher in Skopje, 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 $34.00 in Skopje versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $217 vs $300 – 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 Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 39%, 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 $1,774 per month in Skopje and $2,462 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Skopje, 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 $34.00 in Skopje and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,182 in Skopje and $1,641 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Skopje, where all-in costs run around $1,182, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Skopje it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Skopje – 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 Skopje. 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.