Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Resen

For one person, living is cheaper in Resen: $957 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $8,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Resen, North Macedonia
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Resen
🇲🇰 North Macedonia
$957
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Resen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Resen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $957 in Resen, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Resen $957

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $1,461 in Resen, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Resen $1,461

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $1,965 in Resen, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Resen $1,965

Medellin costs about 71% more than Resen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Resen is 30% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Resen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 26.1K
$9.39 MKD 514
-13.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 151.9K
$35.01 MKD 1,914
34.39%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.7K
$6.64 MKD 363
43.07%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,734
$2.08 MKD 114
44.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,809
$1.79 MKD 97.9
0.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,560
$1.32 MKD 71.9
6.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 10.3K
$2.66 MKD 145
19.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.6K
$2.70 MKD 148
112.96%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Resen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,875
$1.24 MKD 67.5
21.77%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,677
$0.78 MKD 42.69
205.13%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,719
$1.77 MKD 96.6
-
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,332
$2.49 MKD 136
16.06%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.9K
$8.20 MKD 448
24.27%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.9K
$7.44 MKD 407
32.66%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 45.2K
$15.01 MKD 821
-6.80%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.8K
$1.44 MKD 78.6
175.69%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 5,011
$1.45 MKD 79.4
6.90%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,047
$1.32 MKD 72.3
65.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,050
$1.94 MKD 106
12.37%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,336
$0.90 MKD 48.96
117.78%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,131
$0.84 MKD 46.03
89.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,698
$0.64 MKD 34.99
79.69%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 4,014
$0.58 MKD 31.72
113.79%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.8K
$3.44 MKD 188
15.12%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 44.2K
$7.18 MKD 393
90.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,359
$1.07 MKD 58.3
55.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,290
$1.44 MKD 78.6
56.94%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Resen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,770
$0.82 MKD 44.61
42.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 249.8K
$22.03 MKD 1,204
251.20%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,094
$1.11 MKD 60.7
14.41%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,611
$0.61 MKD 33.25
236.07%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 27.6K
$7.37 MKD 403
16.01%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,348
$1.57 MKD 85.8
-14.01%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.0M
$33.8K MKD 1.8M
0.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 111.9M
$26.0K MKD 1.4M
33.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Resen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 547.7K
$156 MKD 8,525
8.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 43.7K
$18.53 MKD 1,013
-26.88%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 90.6K
$19.21 MKD 1,051
46.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Resen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 141.1K
$21.89 MKD 1,197
99.63%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 55.5K
$19.28 MKD 1,054
-10.84%
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 22.3K
$7.13 MKD 390
-3.09%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Resen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.6M
$365 MKD 20.0K
118.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 29.4M
$5,684 MKD 310.8K
60.30%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Resen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 273.5K
$85.6 MKD 4,682
-1.05%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 187.1K
$36.23 MKD 1,981
59.98%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 435.7K
$102 MKD 5,598
31.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 316.0K
$113 MKD 6,166
-13.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Resen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.9M
$313 MKD 17.1K
285.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.1M
$183 MKD 10.0K
249.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.5M
$511 MKD 27.9K
297.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.3M
$287 MKD 15.7K
252.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.5M
$1,481 MKD 81.0K
181.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.2M
$1,245 MKD 68.1K
53.47%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Resen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
-
-
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: October 25, 2026

Last update for Resen: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Resen
$183 71.4% $458
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Resen
$211 28.8% $86
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Resen
$194 8.3% $18
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Resen
$151 10.8% $18
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Resen
$152 10.3% $17
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Resen
$29 68.5% $64
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Resen
$36 37.1% $21

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $313 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 $47 in Medellin versus $35 in Resen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $211 – making Resen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇲🇰 Resen
🕒 Local time
21:49 9:49 PM
03:49 3:49 AM
6 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
8,700
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MKD, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,619 COP (10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR).

North Macedonian Denar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 54.68 MKD (100 MKD = 1.83 USD). 1 EUR = 61.29 MKD (100 MKD = 1.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Resen 10,100 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Resen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Resen cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 71%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $1,435 in Resen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Resen, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $313 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Resen?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $35 in Resen. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Resen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $957 in Resen. That makes Resen about 42% cheaper.
Is Medellin or Resen more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Resen is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 42% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

Medellin vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?