Cost of Living Comparison Between Safi and Veles Cost of Living Comparison Between Safi and Veles

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $619 in Safi versus $804 in Veles.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $950 in Safi versus $1,180 in Veles.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,282 in Safi versus $1,555 in Veles.

Living in Safi costs roughly 23% less than in Veles, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Safi 55% lower, Veles 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.15 MAD 29.41

$8.81 MKD 466

-64.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.41 MAD 200

$19.06 MKD 1,007

12.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 MAD 45.11

$5.62 MKD 297

-14.06%

Cappuccino

$1.61 MAD 15.01

$1.60 MKD 84.4

0.63%

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

$0.66 MAD 6.17

$1.37 MKD 72.2

-51.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MAD 3.35

$0.90 MKD 47.39

-60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.60 MAD 14.89

$1.54 MKD 81.6

3.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 MAD 15.53

$3.24 MKD 171

-48.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 MAD 8.04

$1.09 MKD 57.6

-21.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 MAD 4.89

$0.51 MKD 26.93

1.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MAD 15.68

$1.53 MKD 80.7

9.80%

Eggs

$1.84 MAD 17.18

$2.56 MKD 136

-28.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.37 MAD 68.8

$3.03 MKD 160

143.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.83 MAD 63.7

$4.10 MKD 217

66.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.32 MAD 87.0

$15.58 MKD 823

-40.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 MAD 11.66

$1.45 MKD 76.8

-13.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 MAD 11.21

$1.44 MKD 76.3

-16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.82 MAD 7.63

$1.43 MKD 75.5

-42.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 MAD 6.93

$1.98 MKD 105

-62.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 MAD 5.78

$0.86 MKD 45.65

-27.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.82 MAD 7.66

$0.88 MKD 46.29

-6.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 MAD 3.88

$0.65 MKD 34.34

-35.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MAD 5.51

$0.63 MKD 33.17

-6.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 MAD 37.67

$3.32 MKD 176

21.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.79 MAD 72.7

$6.52 MKD 345

19.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 MAD 18.55

$1.05 MKD 55.6

89.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 MAD 16.98

$1.59 MKD 83.8

14.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 MAD 4.36

$0.66 MKD 34.75

-28.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.66 MAD 99.6

$24.44 MKD 1,292

-56.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 MAD 6.97

$1.14 MKD 60.4

-34.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MAD 4.91

$0.68 MKD 36.14

-22.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.60 MAD 61.7

$8.04 MKD 425

-17.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 MAD 13.63

$1.43 MKD 75.4

2.10%

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

$35.3K MAD 329.9K

$27.5K MKD 1.5M

28.66%

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

$32.6K MAD 304.0K

$25.3K MKD 1.3M

28.47%

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

$36.27 MAD 339

$114 MKD 6,016

-68.13%

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

$10.44 MAD 97.5

$17.69 MKD 935

-40.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.74 MAD 315

$12.16 MKD 642

177.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.78 MAD 185

$26.41 MKD 1,396

-25.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.40 MAD 50.4

$18.12 MKD 958

-70.20%

Cinema Ticket

$3.79 MAD 35.40

$3.37 MKD 178

12.46%

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

$98.6 MAD 920

$224 MKD 11.8K

-55.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,834 MAD 35.8K

$5,664 MKD 299.4K

-32.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.02 MAD 392

$22.50 MKD 1,189

86.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.63 MAD 333

$18.61 MKD 984

91.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 MAD 853

$75.3 MKD 3,981

21.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$37.08 MAD 346

$114 MKD 6,034

-67.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$293 MAD 2,736

$220 MKD 11.6K

33.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$141 MAD 1,317

$177 MKD 9,376

-20.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$483 MAD 4,507

$294 MKD 15.5K

64.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 MAD 2,373

$239 MKD 12.6K

6.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$928 MAD 8,661

$1,245 MKD 65.8K

-25.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$571 MAD 5,333

$969 MKD 51.2K

-41.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$462 MAD 4,315

$607 MKD 32.1K

-23.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.52

4.25

6.35%

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

Last update for Safi: August 31, 2026

Last update for Veles: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $293 in Safi and $220 in Veles. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Veles pays 31% 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: $21.00 in Safi vs $19.00 in Veles. Groceries flip the comparison at $174 vs $176, with Safi cheaper for home cooking.

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

Safi vs Veles: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Safi and Veles differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($619 vs $804 including rent). Safi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 31% lower in Veles. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $293 in Safi versus $220 in Veles. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $98.6 in Safi versus $224 in Veles. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Veles. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Safi 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, Safi 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 Safi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Veles. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.