Cost of Living Comparison Between Veles and Bitola Cost of Living Comparison Between Veles and Bitola

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $765 in Veles versus $897 in Bitola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,136 in Veles versus $1,351 in Bitola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,507 in Veles versus $1,805 in Bitola.

Living in Veles costs roughly 15% less than in Bitola, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Veles 43% lower, Bitola 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.77 MKD 309

$5.54 MKD 297

4.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.54 MKD 995

$27.95 MKD 1,499

-33.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.05 MKD 271

$5.17 MKD 277

-2.32%

Cappuccino

$1.53 MKD 82.2

$1.97 MKD 105

-22.34%

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

$1.33 MKD 71.2

$1.80 MKD 96.4

-26.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 MKD 45.34

$1.22 MKD 65.3

-30.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 MKD 81.4

$2.21 MKD 118

-31.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MKD 148

$2.74 MKD 147

1.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 MKD 58.5

$1.40 MKD 75.1

-22.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 MKD 29.48

$0.72 MKD 38.52

-23.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 MKD 82.7

$1.77 MKD 95.1

-12.99%

Eggs

$2.05 MKD 110

$2.01 MKD 108

1.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.04 MKD 163

$10.35 MKD 555

-70.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 MKD 218

$7.12 MKD 382

-42.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.68 MKD 734

$13.66 MKD 733

0.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 MKD 55.7

$1.03 MKD 55.2

0.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MKD 73.5

$1.44 MKD 77.1

-4.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 MKD 67.5

$1.25 MKD 67.0

0.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 MKD 84.8

$1.61 MKD 86.5

-1.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 MKD 52.6

$0.91 MKD 48.71

7.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MKD 71.6

$1.34 MKD 71.7

-0.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 MKD 30.99

$0.54 MKD 29.22

7.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MKD 28.94

$0.56 MKD 30.30

-3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 MKD 158

$3.05 MKD 164

-3.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.17 MKD 331

$5.95 MKD 319

3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 MKD 53.7

$0.96 MKD 51.4

4.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 MKD 98.0

$1.82 MKD 97.7

0.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MKD 36.66

$0.55 MKD 29.27

23.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.96 MKD 2,680

$16.81 MKD 902

197.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MKD 62.4

$1.11 MKD 59.8

4.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 26.40

$0.49 MKD 26.15

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.43 MKD 345

$6.49 MKD 348

-0.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 MKD 77.7

$1.43 MKD 76.5

1.40%

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

$27.0K MKD 1.4M

$31.9K MKD 1.7M

-15.37%

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

$24.6K MKD 1.3M

$33.3K MKD 1.8M

-26.11%

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

$115 MKD 6,154

$145 MKD 7,769

-20.78%

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

$17.17 MKD 921

$17.32 MKD 929

-0.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.10 MKD 649

$15.69 MKD 842

-22.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.15 MKD 1,403

$24.19 MKD 1,298

8.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.92 MKD 103

$6.47 MKD 347

-70.32%

Cinema Ticket

$3.35 MKD 180

$4.77 MKD 256

-29.77%

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

$223 MKD 12.0K

$219 MKD 11.7K

2.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,210 MKD 64.9K

$1,211 MKD 65.0K

-0.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.39 MKD 1,201

$78.3 MKD 4,200

-71.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.06 MKD 1,022

$47.21 MKD 2,532

-59.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.1 MKD 4,030

$74.1 MKD 3,975

1.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MKD 6,048

$111 MKD 5,975

1.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$226 MKD 12.1K

$285 MKD 15.3K

-20.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 MKD 9,319

$196 MKD 10.5K

-11.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$291 MKD 15.6K

$606 MKD 32.5K

-51.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 MKD 13.0K

$312 MKD 16.7K

-22.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,201 MKD 64.4K

$1,727 MKD 92.6K

-30.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$957 MKD 51.3K

$1,181 MKD 63.3K

-18.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$603 MKD 32.4K

$776 MKD 41.7K

-22.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

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

Last update for Veles: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bitola: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $226 in Veles and $285 in Bitola. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bitola pays 29% 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: $19.00 in Veles vs $28.00 in Bitola for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $163 vs $205 per month, with Veles cheaper across the board.

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

Veles vs Bitola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Veles and Bitola differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($765 vs $897 including rent). Veles is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 29% lower in Bitola. 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: $226 in Veles versus $285 in Bitola. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Bitola. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Veles – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $28.00 in Bitola. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Veles 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, Veles and Bitola 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 Veles gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Bitola. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.