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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $899 in Resen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,368 in Resen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,836 in Resen, rent included.

Medellin costs about 13% more than Resen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Resen are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Resen 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$5.67 MKD 299

5.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$33.24 MKD 1,752

-1.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$6.49 MKD 342

9.24%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.22 MKD 117

-22.97%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$2.00 MKD 105

-45.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$1.29 MKD 68.1

-39.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$2.58 MKD 136

-34.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.70 MKD 142

13.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.33 MKD 69.9

-18.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.68 MKD 35.88

85.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.69 MKD 89.1

-18.34%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.04 MKD 108

7.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$9.17 MKD 483

-52.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$7.18 MKD 378

-21.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$13.65 MKD 719

-34.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.07 MKD 56.3

118.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.42 MKD 74.7

-25.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.30 MKD 68.5

15.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.57 MKD 83.0

-12.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.81 MKD 42.70

41.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.94 MKD 49.47

23.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.54 MKD 28.57

64.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.57 MKD 30.30

47.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.93 MKD 154

-22.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$7.70 MKD 406

38.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.01 MKD 53.1

18.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.57 MKD 82.9

57.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.63 MKD 33.37

36.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$19.89 MKD 1,048

108.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.91 MKD 47.79

61.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.50 MKD 26.19

292.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$6.61 MKD 348

17.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.47 MKD 77.7

-35.37%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$32.4K MKD 1.7M

-44.06%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$29.5K MKD 1.6M

-10.16%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$145 MKD 7,647

-43.31%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$17.90 MKD 943

-46.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$15.24 MKD 803

58.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$26.56 MKD 1,400

-2.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.74 MKD 250

-17.09%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$218 MKD 11.5K

41.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$1,216 MKD 64.1K

390.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$75.8 MKD 3,996

-22.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$39.74 MKD 2,094

-18.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$74.5 MKD 3,928

37.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$112 MKD 5,914

-3.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$286 MKD 15.1K

66.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$197 MKD 10.4K

92.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$556 MKD 29.3K

50.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$313 MKD 16.5K

131.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,627 MKD 85.8K

71.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,116 MKD 58.8K

8.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.54

195.81%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Resen: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $286 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $33.00 in Resen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $203 – making Medellin 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 13%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,349 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $33.00 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $899 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 $899, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.