Cost of Living Comparison Between Bitola and Veles Cost of Living Comparison Between Bitola and Veles

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $892 in Bitola versus $770 in Veles.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,322 in Bitola versus $1,144 in Veles.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,751 in Bitola versus $1,517 in Veles.

Living in Bitola is roughly 16% more expensive than Veles, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bitola 33% lower, Veles 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.80 MKD 306

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.96 MKD 1,473

$18.89 MKD 996

48.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.21 MKD 275

$5.12 MKD 270

1.76%

Cappuccino

$1.96 MKD 103

$1.59 MKD 83.6

23.27%

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

$1.81 MKD 95.3

$1.32 MKD 69.3

37.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 MKD 65.2

$0.84 MKD 44.50

47.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 MKD 121

$1.47 MKD 77.7

56.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 MKD 142

$2.65 MKD 139

1.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 MKD 74.3

$1.05 MKD 55.2

34.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 MKD 35.07

$0.55 MKD 28.91

21.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 MKD 91.0

$1.49 MKD 78.3

16.11%

Eggs

$2.10 MKD 111

$2.09 MKD 110

0.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.25 MKD 540

$3.10 MKD 163

230.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.26 MKD 383

$4.05 MKD 214

79.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.55 MKD 714

$13.42 MKD 707

0.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 MKD 53.8

$1.07 MKD 56.1

-4.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 MKD 73.6

$1.40 MKD 73.7

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 MKD 66.7

$1.25 MKD 65.9

1.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 MKD 86.6

$1.59 MKD 83.8

3.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 MKD 51.8

$0.99 MKD 52.0

-1.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MKD 70.4

$1.40 MKD 73.8

-4.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 MKD 28.07

$0.57 MKD 30.27

-7.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MKD 27.61

$0.53 MKD 27.78

-1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 MKD 157

$3.03 MKD 160

-1.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.08 MKD 321

$6.48 MKD 342

-6.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 MKD 49.84

$1.02 MKD 53.6

-6.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 MKD 98.9

$1.86 MKD 98.1

1.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 MKD 30.97

$0.67 MKD 35.52

-11.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.92 MKD 892

$50.1 MKD 2,638

-66.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 MKD 58.3

$1.10 MKD 58.0

0.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 MKD 27.44

$0.49 MKD 25.71

6.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 MKD 356

$6.51 MKD 343

3.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 MKD 77.6

$1.43 MKD 75.6

2.80%

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

$31.9K MKD 1.7M

$27.2K MKD 1.4M

17.00%

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

$33.8K MKD 1.8M

$24.9K MKD 1.3M

36.01%

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

$144 MKD 7,588

$116 MKD 6,111

24.16%

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

$17.79 MKD 938

$17.27 MKD 910

3.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.47 MKD 815

$12.28 MKD 647

25.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.09 MKD 1,269

$25.78 MKD 1,359

-6.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.47 MKD 341

$1.86 MKD 98.2

247.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.63 MKD 244

$3.36 MKD 177

37.80%

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

$217 MKD 11.4K

$218 MKD 11.5K

-0.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,193 MKD 62.9K

$1,216 MKD 64.1K

-1.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.8 MKD 3,995

$22.63 MKD 1,193

235.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.75 MKD 2,516

$19.03 MKD 1,003

150.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.7 MKD 3,939

$75.3 MKD 3,968

-0.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 MKD 5,828

$113 MKD 5,981

-2.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$288 MKD 15.2K

$220 MKD 11.6K

31.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 MKD 10.2K

$175 MKD 9,198

11.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 MKD 30.8K

$293 MKD 15.4K

99.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 MKD 16.1K

$238 MKD 12.5K

28.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,732 MKD 91.3K

$1,239 MKD 65.3K

39.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,183 MKD 62.3K

$952 MKD 50.2K

24.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$799 MKD 42.1K

$606 MKD 31.9K

31.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

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

Last update for Bitola: June 1, 2026

Last update for Veles: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $288 in Bitola and $220 in Veles. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bitola pays 32% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $28.00 in Bitola vs $19.00 in Veles for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $163 per month, with Veles cheaper across the board.

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

Bitola vs Veles: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bitola and Veles differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($892 vs $770 including rent). Veles is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bitola pays 32% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $288 in Bitola versus $220 in Veles. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Bitola. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Veles – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $28.00 in Bitola. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Veles gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Bitola and Veles are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Veles gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Bitola. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.