Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Veles Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Veles

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $785 in Veles.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $1,155 in Veles.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $1,525 in Veles.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 114% more expensive than in Veles, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, Veles is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$8.74 MKD 462

38.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$18.64 MKD 985

189.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$5.75 MKD 304

92.87%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$1.58 MKD 83.6

159.49%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$1.31 MKD 69.1

28.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.84 MKD 44.63

65.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$1.55 MKD 81.9

114.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$3.30 MKD 175

78.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$1.10 MKD 58.1

68.18%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$0.51 MKD 26.71

521.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$1.53 MKD 80.7

35.29%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$2.56 MKD 135

14.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$2.96 MKD 156

325.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$4.03 MKD 213

150.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$15.26 MKD 806

5.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$1.53 MKD 80.8

121.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$1.44 MKD 75.9

44.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$1.43 MKD 75.5

48.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$2.02 MKD 107

19.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$0.87 MKD 45.72

144.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$0.87 MKD 46.00

131.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$0.62 MKD 32.61

150.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$0.58 MKD 30.53

134.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$3.49 MKD 184

65.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$6.42 MKD 339

176.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$1.10 MKD 58.2

88.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$1.55 MKD 82.0

197.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$0.79 MKD 41.62

-53.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

$24.38 MKD 1,288

-13.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$1.14 MKD 60.3

79.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$0.69 MKD 36.42

-15.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$7.61 MKD 402

-20.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$1.43 MKD 75.4

8.39%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$27.4K MKD 1.4M

-16.53%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$25.2K MKD 1.3M

8.22%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$116 MKD 6,103

-41.65%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$17.79 MKD 940

72.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$12.37 MKD 654

201.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$26.11 MKD 1,379

135.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

$18.35 MKD 969

47.79%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$3.32 MKD 175

114.16%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$229 MKD 12.1K

98.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$5,616 MKD 296.7K

143.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$22.52 MKD 1,190

229.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$18.78 MKD 992

203.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$74.0 MKD 3,911

55.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$111 MKD 5,876

9.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$223 MKD 11.8K

414.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$178 MKD 9,390

299.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$291 MKD 15.3K

787.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$235 MKD 12.4K

450.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

$1,229 MKD 64.9K

225.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$982 MKD 51.9K

116.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$601 MKD 31.8K

79.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

4.25

165.88%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Veles: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $223 in Veles. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 80% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $19.00 in Veles for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $174 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

Mexico City vs Veles: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Veles differ by about 114% in total monthly costs ($1,677 vs $785 including rent). Veles is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 80% higher in Mexico City, 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: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $223 in Veles. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Veles runs roughly 15% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $456 in Mexico City versus $229 in Veles. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $785 in Veles versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Veles but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Veles the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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, Mexico City 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 114% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.