Cost of Living Comparison Between Veles and Manizales Cost of Living Comparison Between Veles and Manizales

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $765 per month in Veles vs $729 in Manizales, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,136 per month in Veles vs $1,080 in Manizales, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,507 per month in Veles vs $1,430 in Manizales, rent included.

Veles costs about 5% more than Manizales, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Veles and Manizales are more affordable than the global median – Veles 43% lower, Manizales 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.77 MKD 309

$3.58 COP 11.7K

61.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.54 MKD 995

$17.01 COP 55.4K

8.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.05 MKD 271

$7.97 COP 25.9K

-36.64%

Cappuccino

$1.53 MKD 82.2

$1.36 COP 4,440

12.50%

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

$1.33 MKD 71.2

$0.75 COP 2,437

77.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 MKD 45.34

$0.52 COP 1,699

63.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 MKD 81.4

$1.10 COP 3,584

38.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MKD 148

$2.15 COP 6,985

28.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 MKD 58.5

$0.96 COP 3,118

13.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 MKD 29.48

$1.48 COP 4,808

-62.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 MKD 82.7

$1.12 COP 3,646

37.50%

Eggs

$2.05 MKD 110

$1.96 COP 6,395

4.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.04 MKD 163

$4.68 COP 15.2K

-35.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 MKD 218

$5.04 COP 16.4K

-19.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.68 MKD 734

$7.32 COP 23.8K

86.89%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 MKD 55.7

$2.95 COP 9,600

-64.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MKD 73.5

$0.99 COP 3,229

38.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 MKD 67.5

$1.32 COP 4,289

-4.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 MKD 84.8

$1.23 COP 4,014

28.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 MKD 52.6

$1.08 COP 3,531

-9.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MKD 71.6

$1.12 COP 3,656

18.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 MKD 30.99

$0.78 COP 2,547

-25.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MKD 28.94

$0.80 COP 2,602

-32.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 MKD 158

$2.46 COP 7,997

19.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.17 MKD 331

$10.65 COP 34.7K

-42.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 MKD 53.7

$1.11 COP 3,599

-9.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 MKD 98.0

$1.90 COP 6,193

-3.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MKD 36.66

$0.71 COP 2,315

-4.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.96 MKD 2,680

$26.98 COP 87.8K

85.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MKD 62.4

$1.18 COP 3,840

-1.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 26.40

$1.30 COP 4,221

-62.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.43 MKD 345

$6.08 COP 19.8K

5.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 MKD 77.7

$1.00 COP 3,264

45.00%

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

$27.0K MKD 1.4M

$15.5K COP 50.5M

73.81%

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

$24.6K MKD 1.3M

$24.8K COP 80.7M

-0.90%

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

$115 MKD 6,154

$59.0 COP 192.0K

94.54%

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

$17.17 MKD 921

$8.88 COP 28.9K

93.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.10 MKD 649

$25.66 COP 83.5K

-52.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.15 MKD 1,403

$26.82 COP 87.3K

-2.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.92 MKD 103

$19.49 COP 63.4K

-90.15%

Cinema Ticket

$3.35 MKD 180

$3.23 COP 10.5K

3.72%

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

$223 MKD 12.0K

$244 COP 794.5K

-8.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,210 MKD 64.9K

$8,483 COP 27.6M

-85.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.39 MKD 1,201

$38.14 COP 124.2K

-41.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.06 MKD 1,022

$31.03 COP 101.0K

-38.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.1 MKD 4,030

$64.5 COP 209.8K

16.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MKD 6,048

$61.1 COP 199.0K

84.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$226 MKD 12.1K

$263 COP 857.7K

-14.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 MKD 9,319

$219 COP 712.9K

-20.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$291 MKD 15.6K

$425 COP 1.4M

-31.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 MKD 13.0K

$300 COP 975.5K

-19.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,201 MKD 64.4K

$1,795 COP 5.8M

-33.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$957 MKD 51.3K

$1,593 COP 5.2M

-39.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$603 MKD 32.4K

$902 COP 2.9M

-33.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

-35.45%

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

Last update for Veles: July 12, 2026

Last update for Manizales: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $226 in Veles versus $263 in Manizales. 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 49% higher in Manizales, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Veles versus $17.00 in Manizales. Groceries tell a different story – $163 in Veles vs $179 in Manizales – so Veles wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Veles vs Manizales: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $765 in Veles, $729 in Manizales – roughly 5% apart. Veles costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,147 per month in Veles and $1,094 in Manizales. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Manizales, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Veles – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Veles and $17.00 in Manizales. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $765 in Veles and $729 in Manizales, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Manizales has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $729 in Manizales to $765 in Veles. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Manizales. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Veles makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.