Cost of Living Comparison Between Veles and Safi Cost of Living Comparison Between Veles and Safi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $765 in Veles versus $619 in Safi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,136 in Veles versus $948 in Safi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,507 in Veles versus $1,277 in Safi.

Living in Veles is roughly 24% more expensive than in Safi, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Veles 43% lower, Safi 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.77 MKD 309

$3.95 MAD 36.81

46.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.54 MKD 995

$16.24 MAD 151

14.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.05 MKD 271

$4.70 MAD 43.82

7.45%

Cappuccino

$1.53 MKD 82.2

$1.96 MAD 18.25

-21.94%

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

$1.33 MKD 71.2

$0.62 MAD 5.79

114.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 MKD 45.34

$0.32 MAD 2.96

165.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 MKD 81.4

$1.65 MAD 15.41

-7.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MKD 148

$1.66 MAD 15.44

66.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 MKD 58.5

$0.87 MAD 8.07

25.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 MKD 29.48

$0.50 MAD 4.71

10.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 MKD 82.7

$1.53 MAD 14.27

0.65%

Eggs

$2.05 MKD 110

$1.87 MAD 17.47

9.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.04 MKD 163

$7.39 MAD 68.9

-58.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 MKD 218

$6.81 MAD 63.5

-40.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.68 MKD 734

$9.58 MAD 89.3

42.80%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 MKD 55.7

$1.27 MAD 11.85

-18.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MKD 73.5

$1.20 MAD 11.17

14.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 MKD 67.5

$0.77 MAD 7.17

63.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 MKD 84.8

$0.71 MAD 6.65

122.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 MKD 52.6

$0.67 MAD 6.28

46.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MKD 71.6

$0.70 MAD 6.52

90.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 MKD 30.99

$0.42 MAD 3.92

38.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MKD 28.94

$0.64 MAD 5.95

-15.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 MKD 158

$4.13 MAD 38.56

-28.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.17 MKD 331

$7.63 MAD 71.2

-19.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 MKD 53.7

$1.98 MAD 18.50

-49.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 MKD 98.0

$1.94 MAD 18.07

-5.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MKD 36.66

$0.51 MAD 4.77

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.96 MKD 2,680

$10.85 MAD 101

360.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MKD 62.4

$0.53 MAD 4.95

118.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 26.40

$0.51 MAD 4.80

-3.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.43 MKD 345

$6.62 MAD 61.8

-2.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 MKD 77.7

$1.59 MAD 14.81

-8.81%

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

$27.0K MKD 1.4M

$36.8K MAD 343.1K

-26.67%

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

$24.6K MKD 1.3M

$30.0K MAD 279.4K

-17.97%

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

$115 MKD 6,154

$29.16 MAD 272

293.48%

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

$17.17 MKD 921

$11.26 MAD 105

52.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.10 MKD 649

$40.37 MAD 376

-70.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.15 MKD 1,403

$21.73 MAD 203

20.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.92 MKD 103

$5.56 MAD 51.8

-65.47%

Cinema Ticket

$3.35 MKD 180

$3.94 MAD 36.73

-14.97%

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

$223 MKD 12.0K

$160 MAD 1,491

39.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,210 MKD 64.9K

$3,729 MAD 34.8K

-67.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.39 MKD 1,201

$42.18 MAD 393

-46.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.06 MKD 1,022

$36.17 MAD 337

-47.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.1 MKD 4,030

$98.5 MAD 918

-23.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MKD 6,048

$38.95 MAD 363

189.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$226 MKD 12.1K

$245 MAD 2,288

-7.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 MKD 9,319

$141 MAD 1,313

23.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$291 MKD 15.6K

$454 MAD 4,234

-35.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 MKD 13.0K

$240 MAD 2,239

0.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,201 MKD 64.4K

$920 MAD 8,575

30.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$957 MKD 51.3K

$561 MAD 5,232

70.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$603 MKD 32.4K

$458 MAD 4,268

31.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

4.81

47.61%

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

Last update for Veles: July 12, 2026

Last update for Safi: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $226 in Veles and $245 in Safi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Veles 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 $16.00 in Safi. Groceries flip the comparison at $163 vs $174, with Veles cheaper for home cooking.

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 Safi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Veles and Safi differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($765 vs $619 including rent). Safi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 32% higher in Veles, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $226 in Veles versus $245 in Safi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $223 in Veles versus $160 in Safi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Veles pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Safi 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 Safi 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 Safi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Veles. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.