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: $611 in Safi versus $770 in Veles.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $958 in Safi versus $1,144 in Veles.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,305 in Safi versus $1,517 in Veles.

Living in Safi costs roughly 21% 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

$3.76 MAD 34.55

$5.80 MKD 306

-35.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.53 MAD 152

$18.89 MKD 996

-12.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.64 MAD 42.64

$5.12 MKD 270

-9.38%

Cappuccino

$1.96 MAD 17.99

$1.59 MKD 83.6

23.27%

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

$0.61 MAD 5.62

$1.32 MKD 69.3

-53.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 MAD 2.88

$0.84 MKD 44.50

-63.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 MAD 15.35

$1.47 MKD 77.7

13.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 MAD 14.84

$2.65 MKD 139

-38.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 MAD 7.63

$1.05 MKD 55.2

-20.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 MAD 4.29

$0.55 MKD 28.91

-14.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MAD 13.65

$1.49 MKD 78.3

Eggs

$1.92 MAD 17.61

$2.09 MKD 110

-8.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.10 MAD 65.2

$3.10 MKD 163

129.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.91 MAD 63.6

$4.05 MKD 214

70.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.50 MAD 87.3

$13.42 MKD 707

-29.21%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 MAD 11.13

$1.07 MKD 56.1

13.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 MAD 11.41

$1.40 MKD 73.7

-11.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.83 MAD 7.64

$1.25 MKD 65.9

-33.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 MAD 6.52

$1.59 MKD 83.8

-55.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 MAD 5.92

$0.99 MKD 52.0

-35.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 MAD 6.08

$1.40 MKD 73.8

-52.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 MAD 3.93

$0.57 MKD 30.27

-24.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 MAD 5.47

$0.53 MKD 27.78

13.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.09 MAD 37.56

$3.03 MKD 160

34.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 MAD 73.3

$6.48 MKD 342

23.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 MAD 18.67

$1.02 MKD 53.6

99.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 MAD 17.55

$1.86 MKD 98.1

2.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 MAD 4.32

$0.67 MKD 35.52

-29.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.79 MAD 99.1

$50.1 MKD 2,638

-78.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 MAD 5.29

$1.10 MKD 58.0

-47.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MAD 4.43

$0.49 MKD 25.71

-2.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.39 MAD 58.7

$6.51 MKD 343

-1.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 MAD 14.50

$1.43 MKD 75.6

10.49%

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

$37.9K MAD 348.0K

$27.2K MKD 1.4M

39.08%

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

$29.6K MAD 271.8K

$24.9K MKD 1.3M

18.95%

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

$29.75 MAD 273

$116 MKD 6,111

-74.34%

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

$10.93 MAD 100

$17.27 MKD 910

-36.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.66 MAD 374

$12.28 MKD 647

231.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.84 MAD 201

$25.78 MKD 1,359

-15.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.39 MAD 49.50

$1.86 MKD 98.2

189.78%

Cinema Ticket

$3.87 MAD 35.54

$3.36 MKD 177

15.18%

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

$160 MAD 1,467

$218 MKD 11.5K

-26.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,763 MAD 34.6K

$1,216 MKD 64.1K

209.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.95 MAD 386

$22.63 MKD 1,193

85.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.23 MAD 324

$19.03 MKD 1,003

85.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 MAD 892

$75.3 MKD 3,968

28.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.73 MAD 356

$113 MKD 5,981

-65.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 MAD 2,214

$220 MKD 11.6K

9.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$138 MAD 1,267

$175 MKD 9,198

-20.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$453 MAD 4,163

$293 MKD 15.4K

54.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 MAD 2,176

$238 MKD 12.5K

-0.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$946 MAD 8,695

$1,239 MKD 65.3K

-23.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$592 MAD 5,440

$952 MKD 50.2K

-37.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$463 MAD 4,251

$606 MKD 31.9K

-23.62%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Veles: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $241 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: $17.00 in Safi vs $19.00 in Veles. Groceries flip the comparison at $173 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 26% in total monthly costs ($611 vs $770 including rent). Safi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Veles earns 31% less. 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: $241 in Safi versus $220 in Veles. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $160 in Safi versus $218 in Veles. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Veles pay roughly 6% 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 26% less than in Veles. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.