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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $770 per month in Veles vs $732 in Manizales, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,144 per month in Veles vs $1,069 in Manizales, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,517 per month in Veles vs $1,407 in Manizales, rent included.

Veles costs about 5% more than Manizales, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.80 MKD 306

$3.59 COP 12.8K

61.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.89 MKD 996

$16.72 COP 59.7K

12.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.12 MKD 270

$7.54 COP 26.9K

-32.10%

Cappuccino

$1.59 MKD 83.6

$1.30 COP 4,654

22.31%

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

$1.32 MKD 69.3

$0.73 COP 2,611

80.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 MKD 44.50

$0.53 COP 1,887

58.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 MKD 77.7

$1.10 COP 3,934

33.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 MKD 139

$2.13 COP 7,591

24.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 MKD 55.2

$0.98 COP 3,497

7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 MKD 28.91

$1.41 COP 5,042

-60.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MKD 78.3

$1.13 COP 4,030

31.86%

Eggs

$2.09 MKD 110

$1.96 COP 7,012

6.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.10 MKD 163

$4.86 COP 17.4K

-36.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 MKD 214

$5.13 COP 18.3K

-21.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.42 MKD 707

$7.28 COP 26.0K

84.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 MKD 56.1

$3.08 COP 11.0K

-65.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 MKD 73.7

$1.04 COP 3,728

34.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 MKD 65.9

$1.36 COP 4,857

-8.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 MKD 83.8

$1.29 COP 4,621

23.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 MKD 52.0

$1.12 COP 3,987

-11.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 MKD 73.8

$1.18 COP 4,229

18.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 MKD 30.27

$0.72 COP 2,579

-20.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MKD 27.78

$0.78 COP 2,779

-32.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 MKD 160

$2.47 COP 8,837

22.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.48 MKD 342

$9.20 COP 32.8K

-29.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 MKD 53.6

$1.11 COP 3,960

-8.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 MKD 98.1

$1.87 COP 6,672

-0.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 MKD 35.52

$0.66 COP 2,341

1.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.1 MKD 2,638

$26.63 COP 95.1K

87.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 MKD 58.0

$1.18 COP 4,222

-6.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 25.71

$1.25 COP 4,446

-60.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.51 MKD 343

$6.14 COP 21.9K

6.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 MKD 75.6

$1.02 COP 3,625

40.20%

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

$27.2K MKD 1.4M

$15.6K COP 55.7M

74.44%

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

$24.9K MKD 1.3M

$25.5K COP 91.2M

-2.65%

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

$116 MKD 6,111

$58.7 COP 209.5K

97.65%

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

$17.27 MKD 910

$9.30 COP 33.2K

85.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.28 MKD 647

$25.36 COP 90.5K

-51.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.78 MKD 1,359

$27.23 COP 97.2K

-5.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.86 MKD 98.2

$19.07 COP 68.1K

-90.25%

Cinema Ticket

$3.36 MKD 177

$3.26 COP 11.6K

3.07%

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

$218 MKD 11.5K

$240 COP 858.5K

-9.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,216 MKD 64.1K

$8,608 COP 30.7M

-85.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.63 MKD 1,193

$37.63 COP 134.4K

-39.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.03 MKD 1,003

$30.42 COP 108.6K

-37.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.3 MKD 3,968

$65.7 COP 234.5K

14.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MKD 5,981

$60.2 COP 215.0K

88.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$220 MKD 11.6K

$266 COP 950.2K

-17.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 MKD 9,198

$219 COP 783.6K

-20.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$293 MKD 15.4K

$429 COP 1.5M

-31.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 MKD 12.5K

$296 COP 1.1M

-19.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,239 MKD 65.3K

$1,542 COP 5.5M

-19.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$952 MKD 50.2K

$1,422 COP 5.1M

-33.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$606 MKD 31.9K

$740 COP 2.6M

-18.21%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Manizales: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $220 in Veles versus $266 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 22% 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 $178 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: $770 in Veles, $732 in Manizales – roughly 5% apart. Veles costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,156 per month in Veles and $1,098 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 9% 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 $770 in Veles and $732 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 $732 in Manizales to $770 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.