Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Veles Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Veles

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,087 per month in Skopje vs $765 in Veles, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,634 per month in Skopje vs $1,136 in Veles, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,180 per month in Skopje vs $1,507 in Veles, rent included.

Skopje costs about 42% more than Veles, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Skopje and Veles are more affordable than the global median – Skopje 19% lower, Veles 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.58 MKD 407

$5.77 MKD 310

31.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.45 MKD 1,796

$18.54 MKD 995

80.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.70 MKD 360

$5.05 MKD 271

32.67%

Cappuccino

$2.27 MKD 122

$1.53 MKD 82.2

48.37%

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

$2.03 MKD 109

$1.33 MKD 71.2

52.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 MKD 69.3

$0.85 MKD 45.37

51.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.66 MKD 143

$1.52 MKD 81.4

75.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 MKD 180

$2.77 MKD 149

20.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MKD 69.5

$1.09 MKD 58.5

18.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 MKD 40.83

$0.55 MKD 29.50

38.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 MKD 89.7

$1.54 MKD 82.8

8.44%

Eggs

$2.21 MKD 119

$2.05 MKD 110

7.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.13 MKD 490

$3.04 MKD 163

200.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.78 MKD 418

$4.07 MKD 218

91.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.71 MKD 736

$13.68 MKD 734

0.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 MKD 57.1

$1.04 MKD 55.8

1.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MKD 76.8

$1.37 MKD 73.6

4.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 MKD 72.6

$1.26 MKD 67.6

7.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MKD 116

$1.58 MKD 84.9

37.34%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 MKD 47.79

$0.98 MKD 52.6

-9.18%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 MKD 48.49

$1.33 MKD 71.6

-32.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 MKD 36.95

$0.58 MKD 31.01

18.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MKD 29.72

$0.54 MKD 28.96

1.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 MKD 171

$2.94 MKD 158

8.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.26 MKD 390

$6.17 MKD 331

17.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MKD 57.3

$1.00 MKD 53.7

7.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MKD 81.5

$1.83 MKD 98.1

-16.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MKD 40.98

$0.68 MKD 36.68

11.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.58 MKD 1,534

$49.96 MKD 2,682

-42.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MKD 51.6

$1.16 MKD 62.4

-17.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 MKD 26.03

$0.49 MKD 26.42

-2.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.41 MKD 398

$6.43 MKD 345

15.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 MKD 79.7

$1.45 MKD 77.7

2.76%

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

$33.7K MKD 1.8M

$27.0K MKD 1.4M

24.75%

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

$29.3K MKD 1.6M

$24.6K MKD 1.3M

19.08%

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

$160 MKD 8,580

$115 MKD 6,159

39.31%

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

$18.05 MKD 969

$17.17 MKD 922

5.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.13 MKD 1,027

$12.10 MKD 650

58.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.66 MKD 2,075

$26.15 MKD 1,404

47.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.36 MKD 932

$1.92 MKD 103

804.17%

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 MKD 356

$3.35 MKD 180

97.61%

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

$320 MKD 17.2K

$223 MKD 12.0K

43.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,642 MKD 249.2K

$1,210 MKD 64.9K

283.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.5 MKD 4,160

$22.39 MKD 1,202

246.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.16 MKD 2,156

$19.06 MKD 1,023

110.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 MKD 5,368

$75.1 MKD 4,033

33.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 MKD 5,918

$113 MKD 6,052

-2.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 MKD 22.8K

$226 MKD 12.1K

87.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 MKD 16.6K

$174 MKD 9,326

78.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 MKD 34.6K

$291 MKD 15.6K

121.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$463 MKD 24.8K

$242 MKD 13.0K

91.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,731 MKD 146.6K

$1,201 MKD 64.5K

127.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,740 MKD 93.4K

$957 MKD 51.4K

81.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$886 MKD 47.6K

$603 MKD 32.4K

46.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.54

7.1

-36.06%

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

Last update for Skopje: July 11, 2026

Last update for Veles: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $425 in Skopje versus $226 in Veles. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 47% higher in Skopje, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Skopje versus $19.00 in Veles. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $210 vs $163 – making Veles the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Skopje vs Veles: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Skopje costs about 42% more than Veles, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,631 per month in Skopje and $1,147 in Veles. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Veles, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $320 per month in Skopje and $223 in Veles. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% more in Skopje, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,087 in Skopje and $765 in Veles, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Veles costs $765 versus $1,087 in Skopje. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Veles. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Skopje makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.