Cost of Living Comparison Between Veles and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Veles and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $765 in Veles versus $2,291 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,136 in Veles versus $3,322 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,507 in Veles versus $4,354 in Lisbon.

Living in Veles costs roughly 67% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Veles is 43% below, Lisbon is 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.77 MKD 309

$16.19 €14.17

-64.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.54 MKD 995

$63.3 €55.4

-70.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.05 MKD 271

$10.32 €9.03

-51.07%

Cappuccino

$1.53 MKD 82.2

$2.83 €2.48

-45.94%

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

$1.33 MKD 71.2

$2.29 €2.00

-41.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 MKD 45.34

$1.58 €1.38

-46.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 MKD 81.4

$3.40 €2.98

-55.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MKD 148

$4.03 €3.52

-31.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 MKD 58.5

$1.09 €0.95

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 MKD 29.48

$1.75 €1.53

-68.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 MKD 82.7

$1.76 €1.54

-12.50%

Eggs

$2.05 MKD 110

$3.17 €2.77

-35.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.04 MKD 163

$13.19 €11.54

-76.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 MKD 218

$7.97 €6.97

-48.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.68 MKD 734

$15.53 €13.59

-11.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 MKD 55.7

$2.37 €2.07

-56.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MKD 73.5

$1.71 €1.49

-19.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 MKD 67.5

$2.01 €1.76

-37.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 MKD 84.8

$2.43 €2.13

-34.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 MKD 52.6

$1.76 €1.54

-44.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MKD 71.6

$2.03 €1.78

-34.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 MKD 30.99

$1.92 €1.68

-69.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MKD 28.94

$0.85 €0.74

-36.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 MKD 158

$6.58 €5.76

-55.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.17 MKD 331

$5.58 €4.88

10.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 MKD 53.7

$1.33 €1.17

-24.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 MKD 98.0

$2.97 €2.60

-38.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MKD 36.66

$2.28 €1.99

-70.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.96 MKD 2,680

$45.79 €40.06

9.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MKD 62.4

$4.23 €3.70

-72.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 26.40

$0.81 €0.71

-39.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.43 MKD 345

$18.44 €16.13

-65.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 MKD 77.7

$2.08 €1.82

-30.29%

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

$27.0K MKD 1.4M

$34.7K €30.3K

-22.18%

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

$24.6K MKD 1.3M

$39.2K €34.3K

-37.23%

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

$115 MKD 6,154

$148 €130

-22.50%

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

$17.17 MKD 921

$20.46 €17.90

-16.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.10 MKD 649

$39.56 €34.61

-69.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.15 MKD 1,403

$47.99 €41.99

-45.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.92 MKD 103

$18.60 €16.27

-89.68%

Cinema Ticket

$3.35 MKD 180

$9.22 €8.07

-63.67%

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

$223 MKD 12.0K

$616 €539

-63.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,210 MKD 64.9K

$16.4K €14.4K

-92.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.39 MKD 1,201

$103 €89.9

-78.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.06 MKD 1,022

$41.74 €36.52

-54.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.1 MKD 4,030

$94.8 €82.9

-20.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MKD 6,048

$122 €107

-7.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$226 MKD 12.1K

$1,633 €1,428

-86.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 MKD 9,319

$1,232 €1,078

-85.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$291 MKD 15.6K

$3,098 €2,711

-90.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 MKD 13.0K

$2,031 €1,777

-88.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,201 MKD 64.4K

$7,831 €6,851

-84.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$957 MKD 51.3K

$4,389 €3,840

-78.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$603 MKD 32.4K

$1,607 €1,406

-62.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

3.81

86.35%

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

Last update for Veles: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $226 in Veles and $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 166% 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 $63.0 in Lisbon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $163 vs $267 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 Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Veles and Lisbon differ by about 200% in total monthly costs ($765 vs $2,291 including rent). Veles is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 166% lower in Lisbon. 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 $1,633 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $223 in Veles versus $616 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 64% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $765 in Veles versus $2,291 in Lisbon, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Veles but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Veles the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Lisbon 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 200% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.