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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $778 per month in Stip vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,138 per month in Stip vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,497 per month in Stip vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Stip is about 23% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Stip and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Stip 42% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.74 MKD 302

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-4.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.11 MKD 849

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-50.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.92 MKD 259

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-30.61%

Cappuccino

$1.89 MKD 99.4

$1.71 COP 6,115

10.53%

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

$1.74 MKD 92.0

$1.10 COP 3,924

58.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 MKD 64.0

$0.78 COP 2,781

55.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 MKD 117

$1.68 COP 5,997

31.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 MKD 147

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-9.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MKD 67.9

$1.09 COP 3,906

18.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 MKD 35.66

$1.26 COP 4,508

-46.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 MKD 58.2

$1.38 COP 4,922

-20.29%

Eggs

$2.10 MKD 111

$2.19 COP 7,827

-4.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.32 MKD 544

$4.40 COP 15.7K

134.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.23 MKD 381

$5.63 COP 20.1K

28.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.43 MKD 392

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-16.42%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 MKD 51.2

$2.34 COP 8,349

-58.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MKD 75.6

$1.06 COP 3,777

34.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 MKD 69.0

$1.50 COP 5,374

-12.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 MKD 83.1

$1.38 COP 4,924

14.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 MKD 48.85

$1.15 COP 4,111

-19.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 MKD 73.1

$1.16 COP 4,155

19.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 MKD 28.17

$0.89 COP 3,182

-40.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 MKD 21.30

$0.84 COP 2,997

-52.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.05 MKD 161

$2.28 COP 8,145

33.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.49 MKD 395

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-29.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 MKD 53.4

$1.20 COP 4,284

-15.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 MKD 95.3

$2.47 COP 8,824

-26.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 MKD 33.06

$0.86 COP 3,056

-26.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.52 MKD 1,082

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-50.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 MKD 58.1

$1.47 COP 5,264

-25.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 25.84

$1.96 COP 7,009

-75.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.61 MKD 296

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-27.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 MKD 76.2

$0.95 COP 3,409

52.63%

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

$31.4K MKD 1.7M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

73.03%

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

$34.4K MKD 1.8M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

29.85%

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

$144 MKD 7,568

$82.3 COP 293.7K

74.60%

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

$9.23 MKD 486

$9.50 COP 33.9K

-2.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.31 MKD 807

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-36.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.83 MKD 1,467

$25.89 COP 92.4K

7.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.74 MKD 250

$3.93 COP 14.0K

20.61%

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

$216 MKD 11.4K

$309 COP 1.1M

-30.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,182 MKD 62.3K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-80.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.03 MKD 2,004

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-35.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.80 MKD 1,676

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-1.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.6 MKD 3,933

$103 COP 366.4K

-27.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 MKD 6,013

$108 COP 387.2K

5.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$207 MKD 10.9K

$476 COP 1.7M

-56.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$133 MKD 7,008

$379 COP 1.4M

-64.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$344 MKD 18.1K

$838 COP 3.0M

-58.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$204 MKD 10.8K

$724 COP 2.6M

-71.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,257 MKD 66.3K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-54.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,026 MKD 54.1K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-15.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$467 MKD 24.6K

$512 COP 1.8M

-8.82%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $207 in Stip 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 10% 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: $185 vs $188 – 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 30%, 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 $1,167 per month in Stip 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 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 $778 in Stip 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 Stip, where all-in costs run around $778, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.