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: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $770 in Veles.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,144 in Veles.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $1,517 in Veles.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Veles is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$5.80 MKD 306

127.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$18.89 MKD 996

185.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$5.12 MKD 270

83.98%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$1.59 MKD 83.6

123.27%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$1.32 MKD 69.3

22.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.84 MKD 44.50

32.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$1.47 MKD 77.7

112.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$2.65 MKD 139

74.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.05 MKD 55.2

61.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$0.55 MKD 28.91

394.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$1.49 MKD 78.3

28.19%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$2.09 MKD 110

21.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$3.10 MKD 163

223.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$4.05 MKD 214

99.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$13.42 MKD 707

-13.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$1.07 MKD 56.1

177.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.40 MKD 73.7

29.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$1.25 MKD 65.9

60.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$1.59 MKD 83.8

27.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$0.99 MKD 52.0

114.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$1.40 MKD 73.8

62.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$0.57 MKD 30.27

145.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.53 MKD 27.78

113.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$3.03 MKD 160

40.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$6.48 MKD 342

140.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$1.02 MKD 53.6

72.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$1.86 MKD 98.1

93.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.67 MKD 35.52

-43.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$50.1 MKD 2,638

-61.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$1.10 MKD 58.0

25.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$0.49 MKD 25.71

-42.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$6.51 MKD 343

-16.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$1.43 MKD 75.6

-9.09%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$27.2K MKD 1.4M

-31.37%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$24.9K MKD 1.3M

-6.96%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$116 MKD 6,111

-64.76%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$17.27 MKD 910

55.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$12.28 MKD 647

143.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$25.78 MKD 1,359

101.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$1.86 MKD 98.2

1343.01%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$3.36 MKD 177

87.50%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$218 MKD 11.5K

99.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$1,216 MKD 64.1K

756.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$22.63 MKD 1,193

150.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$19.03 MKD 1,003

133.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$75.3 MKD 3,968

36.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$113 MKD 5,981

-7.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$220 MKD 11.6K

365.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$175 MKD 9,198

261.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$293 MKD 15.4K

629.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$238 MKD 12.5K

422.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$1,239 MKD 65.3K

214.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$952 MKD 50.2K

116.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$606 MKD 31.9K

84.12%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Veles: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $220 in Veles. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 84% 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 $288 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 ($1,467 vs $770 including rent). Veles is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 84% 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: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $220 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 161% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $218 in Veles. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $770 in Veles versus $1,467 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.