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: $785 in Veles versus $875 in Bitola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,155 in Veles versus $1,310 in Bitola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,525 in Veles versus $1,746 in Bitola.

Living in Veles costs roughly 10% less than in Bitola, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Veles 43% lower, Bitola 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.74 MKD 462

$5.34 MKD 282

63.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 MKD 985

$28.66 MKD 1,514

-34.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.75 MKD 304

$5.37 MKD 284

7.08%

Cappuccino

$1.58 MKD 83.6

$2.01 MKD 106

-21.39%

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

$1.31 MKD 69.1

$1.81 MKD 95.7

-27.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 MKD 44.63

$1.50 MKD 79.3

-44.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 MKD 81.9

$2.22 MKD 117

-30.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 MKD 175

$2.70 MKD 143

22.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 MKD 58.1

$1.41 MKD 74.7

-21.99%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 MKD 26.71

$0.72 MKD 37.92

-29.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 MKD 80.7

$1.71 MKD 90.3

-10.53%

Eggs

$2.56 MKD 135

$2.05 MKD 108

24.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.96 MKD 156

$10.26 MKD 542

-71.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.03 MKD 213

$7.38 MKD 390

-45.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.26 MKD 806

$13.43 MKD 710

13.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.53 MKD 80.8

$1.07 MKD 56.7

42.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MKD 75.9

$1.46 MKD 77.1

-1.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 MKD 75.5

$1.24 MKD 65.7

15.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 MKD 107

$1.61 MKD 85.3

25.47%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 MKD 45.72

$0.98 MKD 51.7

-11.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 MKD 46.00

$1.34 MKD 70.9

-35.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 MKD 32.61

$0.55 MKD 29.08

12.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MKD 30.53

$0.55 MKD 28.93

5.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.49 MKD 184

$3.08 MKD 163

13.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.42 MKD 339

$5.98 MKD 316

7.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 MKD 58.2

$1.03 MKD 54.3

6.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 MKD 82.0

$1.90 MKD 100

-18.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 MKD 41.62

$0.54 MKD 28.72

46.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.38 MKD 1,288

$16.81 MKD 888

45.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 MKD 60.3

$1.11 MKD 58.6

2.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 MKD 36.42

$0.64 MKD 33.79

7.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.61 MKD 402

$6.75 MKD 356

12.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 MKD 75.4

$1.49 MKD 78.6

-4.03%

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

$27.4K MKD 1.4M

$31.9K MKD 1.7M

-14.10%

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

$25.2K MKD 1.3M

$34.6K MKD 1.8M

-27.16%

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

$116 MKD 6,103

$152 MKD 8,007

-23.78%

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

$17.79 MKD 940

$14.63 MKD 773

21.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.37 MKD 654

$13.36 MKD 706

-7.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.11 MKD 1,379

$22.77 MKD 1,203

14.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.35 MKD 969

$6.72 MKD 355

173.07%

Cinema Ticket

$3.32 MKD 175

$4.66 MKD 246

-28.76%

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

$229 MKD 12.1K

$218 MKD 11.5K

5.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,616 MKD 296.7K

$1,220 MKD 64.5K

360.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.52 MKD 1,190

$75.9 MKD 4,009

-70.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.78 MKD 992

$47.87 MKD 2,529

-60.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.0 MKD 3,911

$74.0 MKD 3,912

-0.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 MKD 5,876

$113 MKD 5,944

-1.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$223 MKD 11.8K

$270 MKD 14.3K

-17.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$178 MKD 9,390

$198 MKD 10.4K

-10.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$291 MKD 15.3K

$406 MKD 21.5K

-28.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 MKD 12.4K

$304 MKD 16.0K

-22.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,229 MKD 64.9K

$1,728 MKD 91.3K

-28.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$982 MKD 51.9K

$1,200 MKD 63.4K

-18.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$601 MKD 31.8K

$792 MKD 41.8K

-24.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

6.45

-34.11%

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

Last update for Veles: September 6, 2026

Last update for Bitola: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $223 in Veles and $270 in Bitola. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bitola pays 32% 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 $29.00 in Bitola for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $174 vs $207 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 11% in total monthly costs ($785 vs $875 including rent). Veles is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 32% 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: $223 in Veles versus $270 in Bitola. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% 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 $29.00 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 11% less than in Bitola. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.