Cost of Living Comparison Between Manizales and Veles Cost of Living Comparison Between Manizales and Veles

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $774 per month in Manizales vs $785 in Veles, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,740 per month in Manizales vs $1,155 in Veles, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,707 per month in Manizales vs $1,525 in Veles, rent included.

Manizales is about 1% cheaper than Veles, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Manizales and Veles are more affordable than the global median – Manizales 44% lower, Veles 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.39 COP 19.6K

$8.74 MKD 462

-26.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.41 COP 127.4K

$18.64 MKD 985

122.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.13 COP 31.2K

$5.75 MKD 304

76.17%

Cappuccino

$2.56 COP 7,882

$1.58 MKD 83.6

62.03%

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

$1.34 COP 4,137

$1.31 MKD 69.1

2.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,762

$0.84 MKD 44.63

7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 COP 4,994

$1.55 MKD 81.9

4.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 COP 7,785

$3.30 MKD 175

-23.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 COP 4,900

$1.10 MKD 58.1

44.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 COP 7,623

$0.51 MKD 26.71

386.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 COP 5,142

$1.53 MKD 80.7

9.15%

Eggs

$3.68 COP 11.3K

$2.56 MKD 135

43.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.99 COP 24.6K

$2.96 MKD 156

169.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 COP 23.7K

$4.03 MKD 213

91.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.44 COP 32.1K

$15.26 MKD 806

-31.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 COP 10.9K

$1.53 MKD 80.8

131.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 COP 5,531

$1.44 MKD 75.9

25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,158

$1.43 MKD 75.5

39.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 COP 5,543

$2.02 MKD 107

-10.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,650

$0.87 MKD 45.72

73.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 COP 4,262

$0.87 MKD 46.00

59.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 COP 4,165

$0.62 MKD 32.61

117.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 COP 3,617

$0.58 MKD 30.53

103.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 COP 13.3K

$3.49 MKD 184

24.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.96 COP 39.9K

$6.42 MKD 339

101.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 COP 4,585

$1.10 MKD 58.2

35.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,844

$1.55 MKD 82.0

85.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 COP 3,127

$0.79 MKD 41.62

29.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.38 MKD 1,288

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 COP 4,809

$1.14 MKD 60.3

36.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 COP 4,782

$0.69 MKD 36.42

124.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.34 COP 28.8K

$7.61 MKD 402

22.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 COP 4,033

$1.43 MKD 75.4

-8.39%

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

$22.0K COP 67.6M

$27.4K MKD 1.4M

-19.90%

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

$34.3K COP 105.6M

$25.2K MKD 1.3M

36.41%

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

$123 COP 379.9K

$116 MKD 6,103

6.85%

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

$12.07 COP 37.1K

$17.79 MKD 940

-32.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.70 COP 94.5K

$12.37 MKD 654

148.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.11 MKD 1,379

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.35 MKD 969

Cinema Ticket

$8.11 COP 25.0K

$3.32 MKD 175

144.28%

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

$482 COP 1.5M

$229 MKD 12.1K

110.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,534 COP 20.1M

$5,616 MKD 296.7K

16.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.5 COP 244.7K

$22.52 MKD 1,190

253.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.68 COP 152.9K

$18.78 MKD 992

164.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$141 COP 434.7K

$74.0 MKD 3,911

90.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 COP 343.4K

$111 MKD 5,876

0.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$223 MKD 11.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 MKD 9,390

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,016 COP 3.1M

$291 MKD 15.3K

249.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 COP 3.1M

$235 MKD 12.4K

326.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,056 COP 6.3M

$1,229 MKD 64.9K

67.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,092 COP 6.4M

$982 MKD 51.9K

113.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,206 COP 3.7M

$601 MKD 31.8K

100.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

182.35%

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

Last update for Manizales: September 8, 2026

Last update for Veles: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 101% higher in Manizales, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Manizales versus $19.00 in Veles. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $174 – making Veles 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

Manizales vs Veles: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $774 in Manizales, $785 in Veles – roughly 1% apart. Veles costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,161 per month in Manizales and $1,178 in Veles. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $774 in Manizales and $785 in Veles. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $482 per month in Manizales and $229 in Veles. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $774 in Manizales and $785 in Veles, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Manizales has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $774 in Manizales to $785 in Veles. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Manizales. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Veles makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.