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 $765 in Veles.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $948 in Safi versus $1,136 in Veles.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,277 in Safi versus $1,507 in Veles.

Living in Safi costs roughly 19% less than in Veles, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Safi 54% lower, Veles 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.95 MAD 36.81

$5.77 MKD 309

-31.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.24 MAD 151

$18.54 MKD 995

-12.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.70 MAD 43.82

$5.05 MKD 271

-6.93%

Cappuccino

$1.96 MAD 18.25

$1.53 MKD 82.2

28.10%

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

$0.62 MAD 5.79

$1.33 MKD 71.2

-53.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 MAD 2.96

$0.85 MKD 45.34

-62.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 MAD 15.41

$1.52 MKD 81.4

8.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 MAD 15.44

$2.77 MKD 148

-40.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 MAD 8.07

$1.09 MKD 58.5

-20.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.50 MAD 4.71

$0.55 MKD 29.48

-9.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 MAD 14.27

$1.54 MKD 82.7

-0.65%

Eggs

$1.87 MAD 17.47

$2.05 MKD 110

-8.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.39 MAD 68.9

$3.04 MKD 163

143.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.81 MAD 63.5

$4.07 MKD 218

67.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.58 MAD 89.3

$13.68 MKD 734

-29.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 MAD 11.85

$1.04 MKD 55.7

22.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 MAD 11.17

$1.37 MKD 73.5

-12.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.77 MAD 7.17

$1.26 MKD 67.5

-38.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 MAD 6.65

$1.58 MKD 84.8

-55.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 MAD 6.28

$0.98 MKD 52.6

-31.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 MAD 6.52

$1.33 MKD 71.6

-47.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 MAD 3.92

$0.58 MKD 30.99

-27.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 MAD 5.95

$0.54 MKD 28.94

18.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 MAD 38.56

$2.94 MKD 158

40.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.63 MAD 71.2

$6.17 MKD 331

23.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 MAD 18.50

$1.00 MKD 53.7

98.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 MAD 18.07

$1.83 MKD 98.0

6.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MAD 4.77

$0.68 MKD 36.66

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.85 MAD 101

$49.96 MKD 2,680

-78.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 MAD 4.95

$1.16 MKD 62.4

-54.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MAD 4.80

$0.49 MKD 26.40

4.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.62 MAD 61.8

$6.43 MKD 345

2.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MAD 14.81

$1.45 MKD 77.7

9.66%

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

$36.8K MAD 343.1K

$27.0K MKD 1.4M

36.38%

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

$30.0K MAD 279.4K

$24.6K MKD 1.3M

21.90%

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

$29.16 MAD 272

$115 MKD 6,154

-74.59%

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

$11.26 MAD 105

$17.17 MKD 921

-34.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.37 MAD 376

$12.10 MKD 649

233.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.73 MAD 203

$26.15 MKD 1,403

-16.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.56 MAD 51.8

$1.92 MKD 103

189.58%

Cinema Ticket

$3.94 MAD 36.73

$3.35 MKD 180

17.61%

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

$160 MAD 1,491

$223 MKD 12.0K

-28.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,729 MAD 34.8K

$1,210 MKD 64.9K

208.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.18 MAD 393

$22.39 MKD 1,201

88.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.17 MAD 337

$19.06 MKD 1,022

89.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.5 MAD 918

$75.1 MKD 4,030

31.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.95 MAD 363

$113 MKD 6,048

-65.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$245 MAD 2,288

$226 MKD 12.1K

8.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$141 MAD 1,313

$174 MKD 9,319

-18.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$454 MAD 4,234

$291 MKD 15.6K

56.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$240 MAD 2,239

$242 MKD 13.0K

-0.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$920 MAD 8,575

$1,201 MKD 64.4K

-23.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$561 MAD 5,232

$957 MKD 51.3K

-41.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$458 MAD 4,268

$603 MKD 32.4K

-24.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.81

7.1

-32.25%

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

Last update for Safi: July 12, 2026

Last update for Veles: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $245 in Safi and $226 in Veles. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Veles 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: $16.00 in Safi vs $19.00 in Veles. Groceries flip the comparison at $174 vs $163, with Veles 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 24% in total monthly costs ($619 vs $765 including rent). Safi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 32% 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: $245 in Safi versus $226 in Veles. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $160 in Safi versus $223 in Veles. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Veles pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

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 24% less than in Veles. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.