Cost of Living Comparison Between Stip and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Stip and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $774 per month in Stip vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,153 per month in Stip vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,532 per month in Stip vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Stip is about 25% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Stip and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Stip 42% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.80 MKD 311

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-5.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.99 MKD 858

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-50.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 MKD 265

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-32.56%

Cappuccino

$1.98 MKD 106

$1.72 COP 5,600

15.12%

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

$1.76 MKD 94.4

$1.05 COP 3,420

67.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 MKD 66.0

$0.77 COP 2,515

59.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 MKD 123

$1.69 COP 5,488

35.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 MKD 142

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-16.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 MKD 71.1

$1.05 COP 3,423

26.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 MKD 36.06

$1.30 COP 4,236

-48.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 MKD 59.9

$1.40 COP 4,544

-20.00%

Eggs

$2.03 MKD 109

$2.16 COP 7,047

-6.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.33 MKD 554

$4.39 COP 14.3K

135.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.34 MKD 394

$5.88 COP 19.1K

24.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.50 MKD 402

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-13.19%

Apples (1kg)

$0.90 MKD 48.50

$2.28 COP 7,426

-60.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MKD 73.9

$1.11 COP 3,604

24.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 MKD 70.2

$1.53 COP 4,983

-14.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 MKD 87.4

$1.35 COP 4,410

20.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 MKD 52.9

$1.13 COP 3,674

-12.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 MKD 73.7

$1.13 COP 3,692

21.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 MKD 31.00

$0.85 COP 2,753

-31.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 MKD 21.99

$0.91 COP 2,975

-54.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 MKD 158

$2.34 COP 7,630

26.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.60 MKD 408

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-38.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 MKD 53.1

$1.20 COP 3,909

-17.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 MKD 95.9

$2.49 COP 8,104

-28.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 MKD 34.33

$0.84 COP 2,728

-23.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.79 MKD 1,062

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-51.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MKD 62.1

$1.42 COP 4,623

-18.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MKD 28.36

$1.92 COP 6,235

-72.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.61 MKD 301

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-26.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 MKD 79.9

$0.99 COP 3,223

50.51%

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

$31.7K MKD 1.7M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

76.03%

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

$34.4K MKD 1.8M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

29.10%

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

$147 MKD 7,908

$80.8 COP 263.1K

82.44%

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

$9.36 MKD 502

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-5.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.45 MKD 829

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-36.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.94 MKD 1,499

$25.08 COP 81.7K

11.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.75 MKD 255

$3.98 COP 13.0K

19.35%

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

$219 MKD 11.7K

$305 COP 993.5K

-28.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,186 MKD 63.6K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-80.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.87 MKD 1,978

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-36.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.76 MKD 1,704

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-1.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.4 MKD 4,046

$101 COP 327.9K

-25.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 MKD 6,101

$108 COP 350.8K

5.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$209 MKD 11.2K

$477 COP 1.6M

-56.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$133 MKD 7,145

$376 COP 1.2M

-64.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$338 MKD 18.1K

$845 COP 2.7M

-60.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$203 MKD 10.9K

$730 COP 2.4M

-72.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,228 MKD 65.9K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-61.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$988 MKD 53.0K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-28.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$463 MKD 24.8K

$617 COP 2.0M

-24.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

13.43

-47.13%

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

Last update for Stip: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $209 in Stip 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 33% higher in Medellin, 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 $16.00 in Stip versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $186 vs $193 – making Stip 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

Stip vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 33%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,161 per month in Stip 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 Stip, 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 $16.00 in Stip 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 $774 in Stip 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 Stip, where all-in costs run around $774, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Stip it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Stip – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Stip. 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.