Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Resen Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Resen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $988 in Resen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,492 in Resen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,997 in Resen, rent included.

Medellin costs about 70% more than Resen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Resen is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$9.48 MKD 507

-15.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$35.55 MKD 1,903

34.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$6.80 MKD 364

45.44%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$2.18 MKD 117

43.58%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$1.89 MKD 101

1.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$1.31 MKD 70.2

15.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$2.63 MKD 141

18.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$2.65 MKD 142

116.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.33 MKD 71.4

8.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$0.76 MKD 40.91

227.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$1.83 MKD 98.0

-3.28%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$2.45 MKD 131

20.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$8.27 MKD 443

21.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$7.34 MKD 393

37.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$14.84 MKD 794

-3.64%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$1.47 MKD 78.6

181.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.47 MKD 78.8

9.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$1.37 MKD 73.2

64.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$2.09 MKD 112

7.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$0.91 MKD 48.77

124.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$0.86 MKD 46.23

79.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$0.60 MKD 32.12

95.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.63 MKD 33.68

107.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$3.65 MKD 195

6.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$7.48 MKD 400

87.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$1.08 MKD 57.9

61.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$1.54 MKD 82.3

86.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$0.77 MKD 41.23

58.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$24.07 MKD 1,288

234.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$1.12 MKD 59.9

16.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.63 MKD 33.81

247.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$7.99 MKD 427

9.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.61 MKD 86.0

-14.91%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$36.4K MKD 1.9M

-23.48%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$27.9K MKD 1.5M

28.07%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$165 MKD 8,816

7.63%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$18.71 MKD 1,002

-25.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$19.33 MKD 1,034

53.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$25.43 MKD 1,361

76.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$18.76 MKD 1,004

-8.74%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$7.67 MKD 411

-13.30%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$369 MKD 19.7K

120.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$5,800 MKD 310.4K

58.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$85.8 MKD 4,592

4.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$38.45 MKD 2,058

53.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$106 MKD 5,652

30.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$117 MKD 6,250

-12.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$265 MKD 14.2K

301.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$170 MKD 9,086

290.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$480 MKD 25.7K

293.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$307 MKD 16.4K

234.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$1,590 MKD 85.1K

163.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,202 MKD 64.3K

39.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.23

158.63%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Resen: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $265 in Resen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $36.00 in Resen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $214 – making Resen 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

Medellin vs Resen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 70%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,482 in Resen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Resen, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $36.00 in Resen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $988 in Resen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Resen, where all-in costs run around $988, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Resen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Resen – 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 Resen. 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.