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: $770 in Veles versus $611 in Safi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,144 in Veles versus $958 in Safi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,517 in Veles versus $1,305 in Safi.

Living in Veles is roughly 26% more expensive than Safi, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.80 MKD 306

$3.76 MAD 34.55

54.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.89 MKD 996

$16.53 MAD 152

14.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.12 MKD 270

$4.64 MAD 42.64

10.34%

Cappuccino

$1.59 MKD 83.6

$1.96 MAD 17.99

-18.88%

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

$1.32 MKD 69.3

$0.61 MAD 5.62

116.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 MKD 44.50

$0.31 MAD 2.88

170.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 MKD 77.7

$1.67 MAD 15.35

-11.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 MKD 139

$1.62 MAD 14.84

63.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 MKD 55.2

$0.83 MAD 7.63

26.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 MKD 28.91

$0.47 MAD 4.29

17.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MKD 78.3

$1.49 MAD 13.65

Eggs

$2.09 MKD 110

$1.92 MAD 17.61

8.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.10 MKD 163

$7.10 MAD 65.2

-56.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 MKD 214

$6.91 MAD 63.6

-41.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.42 MKD 707

$9.50 MAD 87.3

41.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 MKD 56.1

$1.21 MAD 11.13

-11.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 MKD 73.7

$1.24 MAD 11.41

12.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 MKD 65.9

$0.83 MAD 7.64

50.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 MKD 83.8

$0.71 MAD 6.52

123.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 MKD 52.0

$0.64 MAD 5.92

54.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 MKD 73.8

$0.66 MAD 6.08

112.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 MKD 30.27

$0.43 MAD 3.93

32.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MKD 27.78

$0.60 MAD 5.47

-11.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 MKD 160

$4.09 MAD 37.56

-25.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.48 MKD 342

$7.98 MAD 73.3

-18.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 MKD 53.6

$2.03 MAD 18.67

-49.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 MKD 98.1

$1.91 MAD 17.55

-2.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 MKD 35.52

$0.47 MAD 4.32

42.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.1 MKD 2,638

$10.79 MAD 99.1

363.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 MKD 58.0

$0.58 MAD 5.29

89.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 25.71

$0.48 MAD 4.43

2.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.51 MKD 343

$6.39 MAD 58.7

1.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 MKD 75.6

$1.58 MAD 14.50

-9.49%

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

$27.2K MKD 1.4M

$37.9K MAD 348.0K

-28.10%

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

$24.9K MKD 1.3M

$29.6K MAD 271.8K

-15.93%

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

$116 MKD 6,111

$29.75 MAD 273

289.78%

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

$17.27 MKD 910

$10.93 MAD 100

58.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.28 MKD 647

$40.66 MAD 374

-69.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.78 MKD 1,359

$21.84 MAD 201

18.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$1.86 MKD 98.2

$5.39 MAD 49.50

-65.49%

Cinema Ticket

$3.36 MKD 177

$3.87 MAD 35.54

-13.18%

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

$218 MKD 11.5K

$160 MAD 1,467

36.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,216 MKD 64.1K

$3,763 MAD 34.6K

-67.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.63 MKD 1,193

$41.95 MAD 386

-46.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.03 MKD 1,003

$35.23 MAD 324

-45.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.3 MKD 3,968

$97.1 MAD 892

-22.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MKD 5,981

$38.73 MAD 356

193.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$220 MKD 11.6K

$241 MAD 2,214

-8.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 MKD 9,198

$138 MAD 1,267

26.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$293 MKD 15.4K

$453 MAD 4,163

-35.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 MKD 12.5K

$237 MAD 2,176

0.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,239 MKD 65.3K

$946 MAD 8,695

30.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$952 MKD 50.2K

$592 MAD 5,440

60.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$606 MKD 31.9K

$463 MAD 4,251

30.92%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Safi: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $220 in Veles and $241 in Safi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Veles pays 31% 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 $17.00 in Safi. Groceries flip the comparison at $163 vs $173, 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 26% in total monthly costs ($770 vs $611 including rent). Safi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Veles pays 31% more on average, 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: $220 in Veles versus $241 in Safi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $218 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 6% 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 26% less than in Veles. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.