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: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $765 in Veles.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,136 in Veles.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $1,507 in Veles.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 90% more expensive than in Veles, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Veles is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$5.77 MKD 310

126.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$18.54 MKD 995

189.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$5.05 MKD 271

91.68%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$1.53 MKD 82.2

144.44%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$1.33 MKD 71.2

21.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.85 MKD 45.37

36.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$1.52 MKD 81.4

112.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$2.77 MKD 149

71.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.09 MKD 58.5

51.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$0.55 MKD 29.50

400.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$1.54 MKD 82.8

21.43%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$2.05 MKD 110

21.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$3.04 MKD 163

235.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$4.07 MKD 218

102.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$13.68 MKD 734

-13.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$1.04 MKD 55.8

189.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$1.37 MKD 73.6

32.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$1.26 MKD 67.6

58.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$1.58 MKD 84.9

26.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$0.98 MKD 52.6

112.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$1.33 MKD 71.6

70.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$0.58 MKD 31.01

151.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.54 MKD 28.96

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$2.94 MKD 158

47.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$6.17 MKD 331

175.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$1.00 MKD 53.7

73.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$1.83 MKD 98.1

95.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.68 MKD 36.68

-42.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$49.96 MKD 2,682

-62.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$1.16 MKD 62.4

14.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$0.49 MKD 26.42

-42.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$6.43 MKD 345

-18.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$1.45 MKD 77.7

-7.59%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$27.0K MKD 1.4M

-28.05%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$24.6K MKD 1.3M

-3.04%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$115 MKD 6,159

-64.54%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$17.17 MKD 922

56.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$12.10 MKD 650

152.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$26.15 MKD 1,404

101.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$1.92 MKD 103

1288.02%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$3.35 MKD 180

94.33%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$223 MKD 12.0K

91.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$1,210 MKD 64.9K

767.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$22.39 MKD 1,202

155.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$19.06 MKD 1,023

138.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$75.1 MKD 4,033

38.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$113 MKD 6,052

-4.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$226 MKD 12.1K

343.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$174 MKD 9,326

258.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$291 MKD 15.6K

625.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$242 MKD 13.0K

403.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$1,201 MKD 64.5K

223.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$957 MKD 51.4K

112.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$603 MKD 32.4K

72.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

7.1

59.72%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Veles: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $226 in Veles. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 72% 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 $292 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

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

Mexico City and Veles differ by about 90% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $765 including rent). Veles is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 72% 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $226 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 167% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $223 in Veles. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $765 in Veles versus $1,456 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 90% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.