Cost of Living Comparison Between Bitola and Kocani Cost of Living Comparison Between Bitola and Kocani

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $883 in Bitola versus $865 in Kocani.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,340 in Bitola versus $1,276 in Kocani.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,796 in Bitola versus $1,687 in Kocani.

Living in Bitola is roughly 2% more expensive than Kocani, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bitola 34% lower, Kocani 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.74 MKD 301

$5.57 MKD 292

3.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.79 MKD 1,456

$28.51 MKD 1,494

-2.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 MKD 258

$5.13 MKD 269

-3.90%

Cappuccino

$1.95 MKD 102

$1.16 MKD 61.0

68.10%

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

$1.81 MKD 95.1

$1.52 MKD 79.5

19.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 MKD 63.9

$1.11 MKD 58.2

9.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 MKD 120

$2.29 MKD 120

-0.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 MKD 145

$2.79 MKD 146

-1.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 MKD 70.2

$1.28 MKD 67.1

4.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 MKD 38.05

$0.55 MKD 28.62

32.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MKD 89.5

$1.53 MKD 80.1

11.76%

Eggs

$2.13 MKD 111

$1.91 MKD 100

11.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.32 MKD 541

$10.33 MKD 541

-0.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.24 MKD 379

$5.71 MKD 299

26.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.41 MKD 703

$13.30 MKD 697

0.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 MKD 54.1

$0.77 MKD 40.61

33.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MKD 72.2

$1.43 MKD 75.0

-3.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 MKD 65.5

$1.27 MKD 66.4

-1.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 MKD 85.5

$1.47 MKD 76.9

10.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 MKD 51.4

$0.98 MKD 51.1

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 MKD 73.2

$1.35 MKD 70.6

3.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 MKD 29.91

$0.57 MKD 29.88

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MKD 28.01

$0.52 MKD 27.48

1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 MKD 153

$3.05 MKD 160

-4.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.95 MKD 312

$3.79 MKD 199

56.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 MKD 49.39

$0.93 MKD 48.55

1.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 MKD 97.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MKD 28.73

$0.68 MKD 35.51

-19.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.61 MKD 871

$20.01 MKD 1,049

-16.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MKD 60.9

$1.15 MKD 60.2

0.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MKD 27.71

$0.50 MKD 26.01

6.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.62 MKD 347

$3.73 MKD 195

77.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 MKD 74.8

$1.50 MKD 78.5

-4.67%

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

$32.0K MKD 1.7M

$31.6K MKD 1.7M

1.14%

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

$34.3K MKD 1.8M

$33.6K MKD 1.8M

2.17%

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

$146 MKD 7,652

$143 MKD 7,514

1.83%

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

$17.87 MKD 937

$17.16 MKD 899

4.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.43 MKD 809

$15.81 MKD 828

-2.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.86 MKD 1,250

$20.42 MKD 1,070

16.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.70 MKD 351

Cinema Ticket

$4.79 MKD 251

$4.82 MKD 253

-0.62%

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

$217 MKD 11.4K

$219 MKD 11.5K

-0.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,206 MKD 63.2K

$1,217 MKD 63.8K

-0.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.5 MKD 4,010

$77.5 MKD 4,063

-1.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.18 MKD 2,472

$47.48 MKD 2,488

-0.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.0 MKD 3,931

$75.8 MKD 3,973

-1.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MKD 5,921

$111 MKD 5,842

1.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 MKD 14.9K

$285 MKD 14.9K

-0.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$195 MKD 10.2K

-0.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$593 MKD 31.1K

$557 MKD 29.2K

6.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 MKD 16.1K

0.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,793 MKD 94.0K

$1,587 MKD 83.2K

12.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,215 MKD 63.7K

$1,232 MKD 64.5K

-1.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$794 MKD 41.6K

$473 MKD 24.8K

67.88%

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 Bitola: April 20, 2026

Last update for Kocani: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $284 in Bitola and $285 in Kocani. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bitola pays 68% 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: $28 in Bitola vs $29 in Kocani. Groceries flip the comparison at $205 vs $186, with Kocani 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

Bitola vs Kocani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bitola and Kocani differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($883 vs $865 including rent). Kocani is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bitola pays 68% 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: $284 in Bitola versus $285 in Kocani. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Bitola. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Kocani – a meal for two runs $29.00 versus $28.00 in Bitola. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Kocani 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, Bitola and Kocani 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 Kocani gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Bitola. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.