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: $770 in Veles versus $892 in Bitola.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,144 in Veles versus $1,322 in Bitola.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,517 in Veles versus $1,751 in Bitola.

Living in Veles costs roughly 14% 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

$5.80 MKD 306

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.89 MKD 996

$27.96 MKD 1,473

-32.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.12 MKD 270

$5.21 MKD 275

-1.73%

Cappuccino

$1.59 MKD 83.6

$1.96 MKD 103

-18.88%

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

$1.32 MKD 69.3

$1.81 MKD 95.3

-27.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 MKD 44.50

$1.24 MKD 65.2

-32.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 MKD 77.7

$2.30 MKD 121

-36.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 MKD 139

$2.70 MKD 142

-1.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 MKD 55.2

$1.41 MKD 74.3

-25.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 MKD 28.91

$0.67 MKD 35.07

-17.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MKD 78.3

$1.73 MKD 91.0

-13.87%

Eggs

$2.09 MKD 110

$2.10 MKD 111

-0.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.10 MKD 163

$10.25 MKD 540

-69.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 MKD 214

$7.26 MKD 383

-44.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.42 MKD 707

$13.55 MKD 714

-0.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 MKD 56.1

$1.02 MKD 53.8

4.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 MKD 73.7

$1.40 MKD 73.6

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 MKD 65.9

$1.27 MKD 66.7

-1.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 MKD 83.8

$1.64 MKD 86.6

-3.05%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 MKD 52.0

$0.98 MKD 51.8

1.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 MKD 73.8

$1.34 MKD 70.4

4.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 MKD 30.27

$0.53 MKD 28.07

7.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MKD 27.78

$0.52 MKD 27.61

1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 MKD 160

$2.97 MKD 157

2.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.48 MKD 342

$6.08 MKD 321

6.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 MKD 53.6

$0.95 MKD 49.84

7.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 MKD 98.1

$1.88 MKD 98.9

-1.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 MKD 35.52

$0.59 MKD 30.97

13.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.1 MKD 2,638

$16.92 MKD 892

195.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 MKD 58.0

$1.11 MKD 58.3

-0.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 25.71

$0.52 MKD 27.44

-5.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.51 MKD 343

$6.75 MKD 356

-3.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 MKD 75.6

$1.47 MKD 77.6

-2.72%

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

$27.2K MKD 1.4M

$31.9K MKD 1.7M

-14.53%

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

$24.9K MKD 1.3M

$33.8K MKD 1.8M

-26.48%

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

$116 MKD 6,111

$144 MKD 7,588

-19.46%

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

$17.27 MKD 910

$17.79 MKD 938

-2.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.28 MKD 647

$15.47 MKD 815

-20.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.78 MKD 1,359

$24.09 MKD 1,269

7.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.86 MKD 98.2

$6.47 MKD 341

-71.25%

Cinema Ticket

$3.36 MKD 177

$4.63 MKD 244

-27.43%

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

$218 MKD 11.5K

$217 MKD 11.4K

0.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,216 MKD 64.1K

$1,193 MKD 62.9K

1.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.63 MKD 1,193

$75.8 MKD 3,995

-70.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.03 MKD 1,003

$47.75 MKD 2,516

-60.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.3 MKD 3,968

$74.7 MKD 3,939

0.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MKD 5,981

$111 MKD 5,828

2.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$220 MKD 11.6K

$288 MKD 15.2K

-23.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 MKD 9,198

$194 MKD 10.2K

-10.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$293 MKD 15.4K

$584 MKD 30.8K

-49.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 MKD 12.5K

$305 MKD 16.1K

-22.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,239 MKD 65.3K

$1,732 MKD 91.3K

-28.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$952 MKD 50.2K

$1,183 MKD 62.3K

-19.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$606 MKD 31.9K

$799 MKD 42.1K

-24.19%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Bitola: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $220 in Veles and $288 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 $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 16% in total monthly costs ($770 vs $892 including rent). Veles is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bitola earns 32% less. 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: $220 in Veles versus $288 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 16% less than in Bitola. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.