Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Veles Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Veles

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $785 in Veles, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,155 in Veles, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,525 in Veles, rent included.

Medellin costs about 109% more than Veles, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Veles is 43% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$8.74 MKD 462

-8.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$18.64 MKD 985

159.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$5.75 MKD 304

63.83%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$1.58 MKD 83.6

86.08%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$1.31 MKD 69.1

41.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.84 MKD 44.63

73.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$1.55 MKD 81.9

107.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$3.30 MKD 175

73.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.10 MKD 58.1

30.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$0.51 MKD 26.71

370.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.53 MKD 80.7

11.11%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$2.56 MKD 135

12.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$2.96 MKD 156

239.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$4.03 MKD 213

147.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$15.26 MKD 806

-6.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$1.53 MKD 80.8

160.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.44 MKD 75.9

9.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$1.43 MKD 75.5

50.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$2.02 MKD 107

13.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$0.87 MKD 45.72

129.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$0.87 MKD 46.00

73.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.62 MKD 32.61

93.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.58 MKD 30.53

120.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$3.49 MKD 184

10.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$6.42 MKD 339

118.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.10 MKD 58.2

55.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$1.55 MKD 82.0

76.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.79 MKD 41.62

58.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$24.38 MKD 1,288

219.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$1.14 MKD 60.3

14.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.69 MKD 36.42

214.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$7.61 MKD 402

8.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.43 MKD 75.4

-4.90%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$27.4K MKD 1.4M

0.25%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$25.2K MKD 1.3M

45.19%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$116 MKD 6,103

46.05%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$17.79 MKD 940

-23.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$12.37 MKD 654

128.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$26.11 MKD 1,379

75.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$18.35 MKD 969

-6.16%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$3.32 MKD 175

100.30%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$229 MKD 12.1K

250.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$5,616 MKD 296.7K

63.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$22.52 MKD 1,190

287.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$18.78 MKD 992

216.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$74.0 MKD 3,911

87.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$111 MKD 5,876

-8.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$223 MKD 11.8K

380.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$178 MKD 9,390

267.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$291 MKD 15.3K

562.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$235 MKD 12.4K

345.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$1,229 MKD 64.9K

235.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$982 MKD 51.9K

72.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$601 MKD 31.8K

8.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.25

157.41%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Veles: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $223 in Veles. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 9% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $19.00 in Veles. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 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

Medellin vs Veles: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 109%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,178 in Veles. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Veles, 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 $19.00 in Veles. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,641 in Medellin and $785 in Veles. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Veles, where all-in costs run around $785, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Veles it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Veles – 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 Veles. 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.