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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $899 in Resen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,345 in Resen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,791 in Resen, rent included.

Medellin costs about 15% more than Resen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Resen are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Resen 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$5.78 MKD 310

6.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$33.52 MKD 1,799

-2.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.75 MKD 362

8.74%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.28 MKD 122

-24.56%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$2.03 MKD 109

-48.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.29 MKD 69.0

-40.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.59 MKD 139

-34.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.70 MKD 145

17.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.34 MKD 71.9

-21.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.68 MKD 36.61

91.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.75 MKD 94.1

-20.00%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.04 MKD 109

5.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$9.43 MKD 506

-53.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$7.13 MKD 383

-17.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$13.40 MKD 719

-35.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.01 MKD 54.3

125.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.37 MKD 73.7

-18.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.25 MKD 67.3

22.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.64 MKD 87.9

-17.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.83 MKD 44.69

36.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.91 MKD 48.60

24.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.58 MKD 31.33

46.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.54 MKD 28.98

68.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.05 MKD 164

-23.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$7.45 MKD 400

66.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.95 MKD 51.0

26.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.57 MKD 84.3

58.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.68 MKD 36.70

23.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$20.59 MKD 1,105

97.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.91 MKD 48.88

56.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.53 MKD 28.45

262.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$6.45 MKD 346

18.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.48 MKD 79.5

-33.11%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$32.5K MKD 1.7M

-44.54%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$29.4K MKD 1.6M

-9.47%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$145 MKD 7,768

-44.16%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$17.69 MKD 950

-43.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$15.61 MKD 838

54.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$26.59 MKD 1,427

-5.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.67 MKD 251

-14.78%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$218 MKD 11.7K

39.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$1,200 MKD 64.4K

404.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$78.0 MKD 4,186

-25.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$39.47 MKD 2,119

-18.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$74.9 MKD 4,018

34.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$110 MKD 5,891

-1.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$285 MKD 15.3K

67.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$198 MKD 10.6K

90.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$563 MKD 30.2K

50.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$308 MKD 16.6K

136.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,572 MKD 84.4K

104.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,191 MKD 63.9K

15.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Resen: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $285 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 $34.00 in Resen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $202 – 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 15%, 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 $1,546 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 $34.00 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 $1,031 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 $1,031. 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.