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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $853 per month in Stip vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,260 per month in Stip vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,667 per month in Stip vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Stip is about 48% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Stip sits 38% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.53 MKD 398

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-6.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.64 MKD 1,249

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-51.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.78 MKD 358

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-28.03%

Cappuccino

$1.86 MKD 98.2

$2.94 COP 9,040

-36.73%

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

$1.55 MKD 82.0

$1.86 COP 5,735

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MKD 61.4

$1.46 COP 4,479

-20.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 MKD 97.4

$3.21 COP 9,882

-42.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MKD 154

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-48.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 MKD 67.2

$1.44 COP 4,428

-11.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 MKD 43.07

$2.40 COP 7,389

-65.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 MKD 61.5

$1.70 COP 5,228

-31.76%

Eggs

$2.59 MKD 137

$2.89 COP 8,896

-10.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.69 MKD 459

$10.06 COP 30.9K

-13.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.52 MKD 397

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-24.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.69 MKD 406

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-45.85%

Apples (1kg)

$0.93 MKD 49.25

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-76.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MKD 75.3

$1.58 COP 4,878

-9.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 MKD 73.5

$2.15 COP 6,624

-35.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 MKD 90.8

$2.30 COP 7,078

-25.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 MKD 48.93

$2.00 COP 6,169

-53.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 MKD 46.77

$1.51 COP 4,646

-41.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 MKD 31.21

$1.20 COP 3,701

-50.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 MKD 22.08

$1.28 COP 3,946

-67.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.26 MKD 172

$3.84 COP 11.8K

-15.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 MKD 402

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-45.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MKD 57.4

$1.71 COP 5,256

-36.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 MKD 81.0

$2.74 COP 8,440

-44.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 MKD 34.21

$1.25 COP 3,834

-48.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.86 MKD 1,208

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-70.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 MKD 60.3

$1.31 COP 4,016

-12.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 MKD 35.94

$2.17 COP 6,680

-68.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.79 MKD 306

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-30.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MKD 80.5

$1.36 COP 4,172

11.76%

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

$36.7K MKD 1.9M

$27.5K COP 84.5M

33.47%

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

$28.1K MKD 1.5M

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-23.21%

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

$165 MKD 8,691

$169 COP 519.2K

-2.49%

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

$9.36 MKD 495

$13.57 COP 41.8K

-31.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.13 MKD 905

$28.32 COP 87.2K

-39.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.13 MKD 1,486

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-38.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.64 MKD 351

$6.65 COP 20.5K

-0.15%

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

$381 MKD 20.1K

$803 COP 2.5M

-52.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,594 MKD 295.6K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-39.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.16 MKD 2,016

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-56.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.71 MKD 1,675

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-46.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 MKD 5,689

$139 COP 427.5K

-22.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 MKD 6,022

$102 COP 314.0K

11.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$209 MKD 11.0K

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-80.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$131 MKD 6,901

$653 COP 2.0M

-79.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$341 MKD 18.0K

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-82.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$204 MKD 10.8K

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-80.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,246 MKD 65.9K

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-69.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,000 MKD 52.8K

$1,697 COP 5.2M

-41.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$472 MKD 24.9K

$655 COP 2.0M

-27.94%

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 Stip: September 5, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $209 in Stip 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 39% 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 $24.00 in Stip versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $186 vs $300 – 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 92%, 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 $1,279 per month in Stip 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 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 $24.00 in Stip 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 $853 in Stip and $1,641 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 $853, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.