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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $785 per month in Veles vs $774 in Manizales, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,155 per month in Veles vs $1,740 in Manizales, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,525 per month in Veles vs $2,707 in Manizales, rent included.

Veles costs about 1% more than Manizales, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Veles and Manizales are more affordable than the global median – Veles 43% lower, Manizales 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.74 MKD 462

$6.39 COP 19.6K

36.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 MKD 985

$41.41 COP 127.4K

-54.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.75 MKD 304

$10.13 COP 31.2K

-43.24%

Cappuccino

$1.58 MKD 83.6

$2.56 COP 7,882

-38.28%

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

$1.31 MKD 69.1

$1.34 COP 4,137

-2.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 MKD 44.63

$0.90 COP 2,762

-6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 MKD 81.9

$1.62 COP 4,994

-4.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 MKD 175

$2.53 COP 7,785

30.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 MKD 58.1

$1.59 COP 4,900

-30.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 MKD 26.71

$2.48 COP 7,623

-79.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 MKD 80.7

$1.67 COP 5,142

-8.38%

Eggs

$2.56 MKD 135

$3.68 COP 11.3K

-30.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.96 MKD 156

$7.99 COP 24.6K

-62.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.03 MKD 213

$7.70 COP 23.7K

-47.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.26 MKD 806

$10.44 COP 32.1K

46.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.53 MKD 80.8

$3.54 COP 10.9K

-56.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MKD 75.9

$1.80 COP 5,531

-20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 MKD 75.5

$2.00 COP 6,158

-28.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 MKD 107

$1.80 COP 5,543

12.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 MKD 45.72

$1.51 COP 4,650

-42.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 MKD 46.00

$1.39 COP 4,262

-37.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 MKD 32.61

$1.35 COP 4,165

-54.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MKD 30.53

$1.18 COP 3,617

-50.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.49 MKD 184

$4.33 COP 13.3K

-19.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.42 MKD 339

$12.96 COP 39.9K

-50.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 MKD 58.2

$1.49 COP 4,585

-26.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 MKD 82.0

$2.87 COP 8,844

-45.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 MKD 41.62

$1.02 COP 3,127

-22.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.38 MKD 1,288

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 MKD 60.3

$1.56 COP 4,809

-26.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 MKD 36.42

$1.55 COP 4,782

-55.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.61 MKD 402

$9.34 COP 28.8K

-18.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 MKD 75.4

$1.31 COP 4,033

9.16%

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

$27.4K MKD 1.4M

$22.0K COP 67.6M

24.84%

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

$25.2K MKD 1.3M

$34.3K COP 105.6M

-26.69%

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

$116 MKD 6,103

$123 COP 379.9K

-6.41%

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

$17.79 MKD 940

$12.07 COP 37.1K

47.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.37 MKD 654

$30.70 COP 94.5K

-59.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.11 MKD 1,379

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.35 MKD 969

Cinema Ticket

$3.32 MKD 175

$8.11 COP 25.0K

-59.06%

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

$229 MKD 12.1K

$482 COP 1.5M

-52.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,616 MKD 296.7K

$6,534 COP 20.1M

-14.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.52 MKD 1,190

$79.5 COP 244.7K

-71.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.78 MKD 992

$49.68 COP 152.9K

-62.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.0 MKD 3,911

$141 COP 434.7K

-47.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 MKD 5,876

$112 COP 343.4K

-0.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$223 MKD 11.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 MKD 9,390

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$291 MKD 15.3K

$1,016 COP 3.1M

-71.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 MKD 12.4K

$1,003 COP 3.1M

-76.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,229 MKD 64.9K

$2,056 COP 6.3M

-40.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$982 MKD 51.9K

$2,092 COP 6.4M

-53.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$601 MKD 31.8K

$1,206 COP 3.7M

-50.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

-64.58%

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

Last update for Veles: September 6, 2026

Last update for Manizales: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 101% 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 $41.00 in Manizales. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $174 vs $267 – 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

Veles vs Manizales: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $785 in Veles, $774 in Manizales – roughly 1% apart. Veles costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,178 per month in Veles and $1,161 in Manizales. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $785 in Veles and $774 in Manizales. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $229 per month in Veles and $482 in Manizales. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $785 in Veles and $774 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 $774 in Manizales to $785 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.