Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Veles Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Veles

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,209 per month in Tbilisi vs $770 in Veles, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,867 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,144 in Veles, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,526 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,517 in Veles, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 57% more than Veles, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tbilisi and Veles are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 10% lower, Veles 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 ₾28.71

$5.80 MKD 306

86.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.18 ₾115

$18.89 MKD 996

128.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.29 ₾22.04

$5.12 MKD 270

61.91%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ₾7.97

$1.59 MKD 83.6

88.68%

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

$0.82 ₾2.17

$1.32 MKD 69.3

-37.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.21

$0.84 MKD 44.50

-45.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 ₾5.93

$1.47 MKD 77.7

51.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.75

$2.65 MKD 139

10.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.12

$1.05 MKD 55.2

83.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.81

$0.55 MKD 28.91

23.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 ₾5.00

$1.49 MKD 78.3

26.17%

Eggs

$2.54 ₾6.74

$2.09 MKD 110

21.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 ₾19.70

$3.10 MKD 163

139.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ₾16.44

$4.05 MKD 214

52.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ₾24.87

$13.42 MKD 707

-30.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 ₾3.25

$1.07 MKD 56.1

14.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ₾4.40

$1.40 MKD 73.7

18.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.78

$1.25 MKD 65.9

44.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 ₾5.96

$1.59 MKD 83.8

40.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.89

$0.99 MKD 52.0

-28.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.79

$1.40 MKD 73.8

-52.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.13

$0.57 MKD 30.27

107.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.76

$0.53 MKD 27.78

24.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ₾7.91

$3.03 MKD 160

-1.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₾20.22

$6.48 MKD 342

17.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.08

$1.02 MKD 53.6

50.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.99

$1.86 MKD 98.1

20.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$0.67 MKD 35.52

-46.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 ₾38.38

$50.1 MKD 2,638

-71.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ₾3.97

$1.10 MKD 58.0

35.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.82

$0.49 MKD 25.71

38.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 ₾19.20

$6.51 MKD 343

11.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.04

$1.43 MKD 75.6

-20.28%

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

$18.5K ₾49.1K

$27.2K MKD 1.4M

-32.21%

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

$20.0K ₾53.1K

$24.9K MKD 1.3M

-19.68%

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

$73.7 ₾196

$116 MKD 6,111

-36.46%

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

$11.64 ₾30.92

$17.27 MKD 910

-32.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.84 ₾47.41

$12.28 MKD 647

45.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 ₾160

$25.78 MKD 1,359

133.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ₾44.65

$1.86 MKD 98.2

803.23%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ₾17.55

$3.36 MKD 177

96.43%

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

$266 ₾708

$218 MKD 11.5K

22.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,191 ₾13.8K

$1,216 MKD 64.1K

327.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾206

$22.63 MKD 1,193

243.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.75 ₾119

$19.03 MKD 1,003

135.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾310

$75.3 MKD 3,968

55.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾300

$113 MKD 5,981

-0.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,840

$220 MKD 11.6K

215.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,227

$175 MKD 9,198

164.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 ₾3,507

$293 MKD 15.4K

350.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₾2,057

$238 MKD 12.5K

225.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,430 ₾6,458

$1,239 MKD 65.3K

96.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 ₾3,842

$952 MKD 50.2K

51.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 ₾1,788

$606 MKD 31.9K

11.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

7.1

67.46%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Veles: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $693 in Tbilisi versus $220 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 11% higher in Tbilisi, 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 $43.00 in Tbilisi versus $19.00 in Veles. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $203 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

Tbilisi vs Veles: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,209 in Tbilisi, $770 in Veles – roughly 57% apart. Tbilisi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,813 per month in Tbilisi and $1,156 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Tbilisi and $19.00 in Veles. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,209 in Tbilisi and $770 in Veles. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Veles, where all-in costs run around $770, than in Tbilisi at $1,209. In Veles it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Tbilisi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $770 in Veles to $1,209 in Tbilisi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Tbilisi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.