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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $765 in Veles, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,136 in Veles, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,507 in Veles, rent included.

Medellin costs about 35% more than Veles, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Veles are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Veles 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$5.77 MKD 310

6.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$18.54 MKD 995

75.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.05 MKD 271

45.35%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.53 MKD 82.2

12.42%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.33 MKD 71.2

-21.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.85 MKD 45.37

-9.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.52 MKD 81.4

11.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.77 MKD 149

14.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.09 MKD 58.5

-3.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.55 MKD 29.50

136.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.54 MKD 82.8

-9.09%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.05 MKD 110

5.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$3.04 MKD 163

44.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.07 MKD 218

44.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$13.68 MKD 734

-36.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.04 MKD 55.8

119.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.37 MKD 73.6

-18.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.26 MKD 67.6

21.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.58 MKD 84.9

-14.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.98 MKD 52.6

15.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.33 MKD 71.6

-15.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.58 MKD 31.01

46.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.54 MKD 28.96

68.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.94 MKD 158

-20.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$6.17 MKD 331

100.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.00 MKD 53.7

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.83 MKD 98.1

36.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.68 MKD 36.68

23.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$49.96 MKD 2,682

-18.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.16 MKD 62.4

22.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.49 MKD 26.42

291.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$6.43 MKD 345

19.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.45 MKD 77.7

-31.72%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$27.0K MKD 1.4M

-33.17%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$24.6K MKD 1.3M

8.33%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$115 MKD 6,159

-29.57%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$17.17 MKD 922

-42.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$12.10 MKD 650

99.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$26.15 MKD 1,404

-4.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$1.92 MKD 103

897.40%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$3.35 MKD 180

18.81%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$223 MKD 12.0K

36.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$1,210 MKD 64.9K

400.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$22.39 MKD 1,202

159.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$19.06 MKD 1,023

68.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$75.1 MKD 4,033

34.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$113 MKD 6,052

-4.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$226 MKD 12.1K

110.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$174 MKD 9,326

116.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$291 MKD 15.6K

190.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$242 MKD 13.0K

202.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,201 MKD 64.5K

167.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$957 MKD 51.4K

43.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$603 MKD 32.4K

2.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

7.1

89.15%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Veles: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $226 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 2% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $19.00 in Veles. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $163 – 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 35%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,147 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 $33.00 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $765 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 $765, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.