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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,182 per month in Skopje vs $785 in Veles, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,723 per month in Skopje vs $1,155 in Veles, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,263 per month in Skopje vs $1,525 in Veles, rent included.

Skopje costs about 51% more than Veles, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Skopje and Veles are more affordable than the global median – Skopje 14% lower, Veles 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.68 MKD 511

$8.74 MKD 462

10.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.37 MKD 1,816

$18.64 MKD 985

84.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.65 MKD 351

$5.75 MKD 304

15.65%

Cappuccino

$2.23 MKD 118

$1.58 MKD 83.6

41.14%

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

$1.86 MKD 98.5

$1.31 MKD 69.1

41.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 MKD 67.6

$0.84 MKD 44.63

52.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 MKD 148

$1.55 MKD 81.9

81.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 MKD 172

$3.30 MKD 175

-1.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 MKD 70.4

$1.10 MKD 58.1

20.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 MKD 41.46

$0.51 MKD 26.71

52.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 MKD 102

$1.53 MKD 80.7

26.80%

Eggs

$2.47 MKD 131

$2.56 MKD 135

-3.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.73 MKD 461

$2.96 MKD 156

194.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.49 MKD 396

$4.03 MKD 213

85.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.07 MKD 796

$15.26 MKD 806

-1.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.53 MKD 80.7

$1.53 MKD 80.8

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MKD 79.0

$1.44 MKD 75.9

4.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 MKD 73.0

$1.43 MKD 75.5

-3.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MKD 110

$2.02 MKD 107

2.97%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 MKD 48.78

$0.87 MKD 45.72

5.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 MKD 44.24

$0.87 MKD 46.00

-3.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 MKD 32.51

$0.62 MKD 32.61

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MKD 30.31

$0.58 MKD 30.53

-1.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.63 MKD 192

$3.49 MKD 184

4.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.37 MKD 389

$6.42 MKD 339

14.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MKD 57.5

$1.10 MKD 58.2

-0.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 MKD 82.3

$1.55 MKD 82.0

0.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 MKD 42.10

$0.79 MKD 41.62

1.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.14 MKD 1,487

$24.38 MKD 1,288

15.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 MKD 58.4

$1.14 MKD 60.3

-2.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 MKD 35.75

$0.69 MKD 36.42

-1.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.98 MKD 422

$7.61 MKD 402

4.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MKD 81.2

$1.43 MKD 75.4

7.69%

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

$37.0K MKD 2.0M

$27.4K MKD 1.4M

35.06%

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

$28.4K MKD 1.5M

$25.2K MKD 1.3M

12.82%

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

$168 MKD 8,854

$116 MKD 6,103

45.08%

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

$19.55 MKD 1,033

$17.79 MKD 940

9.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.73 MKD 1,042

$12.37 MKD 654

59.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.05 MKD 2,010

$26.11 MKD 1,379

45.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.83 MKD 942

$18.35 MKD 969

-2.83%

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 MKD 377

$3.32 MKD 175

114.76%

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

$389 MKD 20.5K

$229 MKD 12.1K

69.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,501 MKD 290.6K

$5,616 MKD 296.7K

-2.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.6 MKD 4,837

$22.52 MKD 1,190

306.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.71 MKD 2,098

$18.78 MKD 992

111.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MKD 5,629

$74.0 MKD 3,911

43.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 MKD 6,023

$111 MKD 5,876

2.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 MKD 23.4K

$223 MKD 11.8K

98.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 MKD 17.9K

$178 MKD 9,390

90.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$750 MKD 39.6K

$291 MKD 15.3K

158.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 MKD 28.3K

$235 MKD 12.4K

127.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,778 MKD 146.8K

$1,229 MKD 64.9K

126.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,892 MKD 99.9K

$982 MKD 51.9K

92.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$906 MKD 47.9K

$601 MKD 31.8K

50.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

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

Last update for Skopje: September 6, 2026

Last update for Veles: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $443 in Skopje versus $223 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 51% 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 $34.00 in Skopje versus $19.00 in Veles. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $217 vs $174 – 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 51% more than Veles, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,774 per month in Skopje and $1,178 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 $389 per month in Skopje and $229 in Veles. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 25% more in Skopje, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Veles, where all-in costs run around $785, than in Skopje at $1,182. In Veles it covers expenses comfortably, while in Skopje it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Veles costs $785 versus $1,182 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.