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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,279 per month in Tbilisi vs $785 in Veles, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,011 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,155 in Veles, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,743 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,525 in Veles, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 63% more than Veles, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tbilisi and Veles are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 7% lower, Veles 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.43 ₾29.72

$8.74 MKD 462

30.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.16 ₾99.2

$18.64 MKD 985

104.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.40 ₾24.45

$5.75 MKD 304

63.48%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ₾8.78

$1.58 MKD 83.6

113.92%

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

$1.04 ₾2.70

$1.31 MKD 69.1

-20.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₾1.56

$0.84 MKD 44.63

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 ₾7.05

$1.55 MKD 81.9

74.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ₾7.90

$3.30 MKD 175

-7.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 ₾5.90

$1.10 MKD 58.1

106.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ₾2.04

$0.51 MKD 26.71

54.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ₾4.21

$1.53 MKD 80.7

5.88%

Eggs

$2.74 ₾7.13

$2.56 MKD 135

7.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.30 ₾24.19

$2.96 MKD 156

214.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.79 ₾17.65

$4.03 MKD 213

68.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.01 ₾33.84

$15.26 MKD 806

-14.74%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.27

$1.53 MKD 80.8

7.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ₾4.77

$1.44 MKD 75.9

27.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 ₾4.94

$1.43 MKD 75.5

32.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 ₾6.68

$2.02 MKD 107

27.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 ₾2.19

$0.87 MKD 45.72

-3.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$0.87 MKD 46.00

-25.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₾3.54

$0.62 MKD 32.61

119.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₾2.07

$0.58 MKD 30.53

37.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ₾8.85

$3.49 MKD 184

-2.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.67 ₾19.94

$6.42 MKD 339

19.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₾4.36

$1.10 MKD 58.2

52.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.18

$1.55 MKD 82.0

53.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ₾1.02

$0.79 MKD 41.62

-50.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.55 ₾40.44

$24.38 MKD 1,288

-36.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.96

$1.14 MKD 60.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$0.69 MKD 36.42

7.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.32 ₾29.42

$7.61 MKD 402

48.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 ₾3.60

$1.43 MKD 75.4

-3.50%

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

$24.6K ₾63.9K

$27.4K MKD 1.4M

-10.32%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$25.2K MKD 1.3M

-12.60%

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

$88.7 ₾231

$116 MKD 6,103

-23.19%

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

$13.18 ₾34.26

$17.79 MKD 940

-25.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.68 ₾51.2

$12.37 MKD 654

59.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 ₾177

$26.11 MKD 1,379

161.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.94 ₾46.65

$18.35 MKD 969

-2.23%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ₾16.70

$3.32 MKD 175

93.37%

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

$372 ₾967

$229 MKD 12.1K

62.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K ₾28.1K

$5,616 MKD 296.7K

92.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₾272

$22.52 MKD 1,190

364.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.83 ₾101

$18.78 MKD 992

106.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₾299

$74.0 MKD 3,911

55.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$111 MKD 5,876

9.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 ₾1,770

$223 MKD 11.8K

205.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,185

$178 MKD 9,390

156.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 ₾3,410

$291 MKD 15.3K

351.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$892 ₾2,321

$235 MKD 12.4K

279.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,391 ₾6,216

$1,229 MKD 64.9K

94.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,425 ₾3,704

$982 MKD 51.9K

45.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$640 ₾1,663

$601 MKD 31.8K

6.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

4.25

196.94%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: September 5, 2026

Last update for Veles: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $681 in Tbilisi 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 6% 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 $38.00 in Tbilisi versus $19.00 in Veles. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $236 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

Tbilisi vs Veles: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,279 in Tbilisi, $785 in Veles – roughly 63% apart. Tbilisi costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,919 per month in Tbilisi 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 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 $1,279 in Tbilisi and $785 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 $785, than in Tbilisi at $1,279. 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 $785 in Veles to $1,279 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.