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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,087 per month in Skopje vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,634 per month in Skopje vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,180 per month in Skopje vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Skopje costs about 6% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Skopje and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Skopje 19% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.58 MKD 407

$6.16 COP 20.1K

23.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.45 MKD 1,796

$32.60 COP 106.1K

2.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.70 MKD 360

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-8.72%

Cappuccino

$2.27 MKD 122

$1.72 COP 5,599

31.98%

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

$2.03 MKD 109

$1.05 COP 3,420

93.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 MKD 69.3

$0.77 COP 2,515

67.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.66 MKD 143

$1.69 COP 5,487

57.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 MKD 180

$3.17 COP 10.3K

5.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MKD 69.5

$1.05 COP 3,423

22.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 MKD 40.83

$1.30 COP 4,236

-41.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MKD 89.7

$1.40 COP 4,544

19.29%

Eggs

$2.21 MKD 119

$2.16 COP 7,046

2.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.13 MKD 490

$4.39 COP 14.3K

107.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.78 MKD 418

$5.88 COP 19.1K

32.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.71 MKD 736

$8.64 COP 28.1K

58.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 MKD 57.1

$2.28 COP 7,425

-53.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MKD 76.8

$1.11 COP 3,603

28.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 MKD 72.6

$1.53 COP 4,982

-11.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MKD 116

$1.35 COP 4,410

60.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 MKD 47.79

$1.13 COP 3,674

-21.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 MKD 48.49

$1.13 COP 3,692

-20.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 MKD 36.95

$0.85 COP 2,753

-18.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MKD 29.72

$0.91 COP 2,975

-39.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 MKD 171

$2.34 COP 7,629

35.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.26 MKD 390

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-41.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MKD 57.3

$1.20 COP 3,909

-10.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MKD 81.5

$2.49 COP 8,104

-38.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MKD 40.98

$0.84 COP 2,727

-9.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.58 MKD 1,534

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-29.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MKD 51.6

$1.42 COP 4,623

-32.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MKD 26.03

$1.92 COP 6,235

-75.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.41 MKD 398

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-3.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 MKD 79.7

$0.99 COP 3,223

50.51%

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

$33.7K MKD 1.8M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

86.67%

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

$29.3K MKD 1.6M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

9.92%

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

$160 MKD 8,580

$80.8 COP 263.1K

97.80%

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

$18.05 MKD 969

$9.95 COP 32.4K

81.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.13 MKD 1,027

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-20.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.66 MKD 2,075

$25.08 COP 81.6K

54.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.36 MKD 932

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-9.35%

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 MKD 356

$3.98 COP 13.0K

66.33%

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

$320 MKD 17.2K

$305 COP 993.4K

4.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,642 MKD 249.2K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-23.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.5 MKD 4,160

$58.1 COP 189.2K

33.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.16 MKD 2,156

$32.20 COP 104.8K

24.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 MKD 5,368

$101 COP 327.9K

-0.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 MKD 5,918

$108 COP 350.8K

2.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 MKD 22.8K

$477 COP 1.6M

-10.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 MKD 16.6K

$376 COP 1.2M

-17.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 MKD 34.6K

$845 COP 2.7M

-23.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$463 MKD 24.8K

$730 COP 2.4M

-36.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,731 MKD 146.6K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-15.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,740 MKD 93.4K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

26.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$886 MKD 47.6K

$617 COP 2.0M

43.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.54

13.43

-66.20%

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

Last update for Skopje: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Skopje versus $477 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 44% 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 $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $210 in Skopje vs $193 in Medellin – 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

Skopje vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Skopje is pricier by about 6%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,631 per month in Skopje and $1,546 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $33.00 in Skopje and $33.00 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 $1,087 in Skopje and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Skopje at $1,087. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Skopje it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. 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.