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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,112 per month in Skopje vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,621 per month in Skopje vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,130 per month in Skopje vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Skopje costs about 10% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Skopje and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Skopje 17% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.57 MKD 399

$5.99 COP 21.3K

26.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.02 MKD 1,791

$32.86 COP 116.9K

3.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.65 MKD 350

$7.09 COP 25.2K

-6.21%

Cappuccino

$2.19 MKD 115

$1.71 COP 6,093

28.07%

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

$1.94 MKD 102

$1.10 COP 3,910

76.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 MKD 67.5

$0.78 COP 2,771

64.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 MKD 142

$1.68 COP 5,976

60.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 MKD 183

$3.07 COP 10.9K

13.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 MKD 70.6

$1.09 COP 3,892

22.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 MKD 43.34

$1.26 COP 4,492

-34.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 MKD 92.4

$1.38 COP 4,905

26.81%

Eggs

$2.19 MKD 115

$2.19 COP 7,799

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 MKD 485

$4.40 COP 15.7K

109.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.99 MKD 421

$5.63 COP 20.0K

41.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.63 MKD 718

$8.89 COP 31.6K

53.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 MKD 53.3

$2.34 COP 8,319

-56.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 MKD 74.4

$1.06 COP 3,764

33.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 MKD 69.6

$1.50 COP 5,355

-12.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MKD 114

$1.38 COP 4,906

57.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 MKD 46.53

$1.15 COP 4,097

-23.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 MKD 48.49

$1.16 COP 4,141

-20.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 MKD 37.39

$0.89 COP 3,170

-20.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MKD 30.57

$0.84 COP 2,986

-30.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 MKD 166

$2.28 COP 8,116

38.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.41 MKD 390

$10.64 COP 37.9K

-30.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 MKD 55.8

$1.20 COP 4,268

-11.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 MKD 79.7

$2.47 COP 8,793

-38.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MKD 40.40

$0.86 COP 3,045

-10.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.67 MKD 1,457

$41.40 COP 147.3K

-33.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MKD 51.4

$1.47 COP 5,245

-33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 25.59

$1.96 COP 6,984

-75.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.60 MKD 400

$7.74 COP 27.5K

-1.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 MKD 77.3

$0.95 COP 3,397

54.74%

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

$34.0K MKD 1.8M

$18.1K COP 64.5M

87.69%

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

$29.6K MKD 1.6M

$26.5K COP 94.2M

11.71%

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

$160 MKD 8,438

$82.3 COP 292.7K

94.86%

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

$18.34 MKD 965

$9.50 COP 33.8K

93.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.13 MKD 1,007

$24.23 COP 86.2K

-21.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.37 MKD 2,020

$25.89 COP 92.1K

48.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.56 MKD 925

$19.00 COP 67.6K

-7.58%

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 MKD 354

$3.93 COP 14.0K

70.99%

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

$312 MKD 16.4K

$309 COP 1.1M

0.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,509 MKD 237.4K

$5,965 COP 21.2M

-24.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 MKD 4,063

$58.7 COP 208.7K

31.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.43 MKD 2,129

$32.35 COP 115.1K

24.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 MKD 5,270

$103 COP 365.1K

-2.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 MKD 5,804

$108 COP 385.8K

1.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 MKD 22.6K

$476 COP 1.7M

-9.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 MKD 16.3K

$379 COP 1.3M

-18.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 MKD 34.0K

$838 COP 3.0M

-23.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$459 MKD 24.1K

$724 COP 2.6M

-36.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,801 MKD 147.5K

$2,791 COP 9.9M

0.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,829 MKD 96.3K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

50.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$913 MKD 48.1K

$512 COP 1.8M

78.35%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $429 in Skopje versus $476 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 78% 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 $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $213 vs $188 – making Medellin 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 – Skopje is pricier by about 10%, 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 $1,667 per month in Skopje and $1,519 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 $34.00 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 $1,112 in Skopje and $1,013 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 $1,013, than in Skopje at $1,112. 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.