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: $875 in Bitola versus $891 in Kocani.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,310 in Bitola versus $1,343 in Kocani.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,746 in Bitola versus $1,795 in Kocani.

Living in Bitola costs roughly 2% less than in Kocani, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bitola 37% lower, Kocani 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.34 MKD 282

$9.68 MKD 512

-44.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.66 MKD 1,514

$34.27 MKD 1,810

-16.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.37 MKD 284

$6.81 MKD 360

-21.15%

Cappuccino

$2.01 MKD 106

$1.11 MKD 58.8

81.08%

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

$1.81 MKD 95.7

$1.48 MKD 78.0

22.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 MKD 79.3

$1.16 MKD 61.2

29.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 MKD 117

$2.81 MKD 149

-21.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 MKD 143

$3.23 MKD 171

-16.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 MKD 74.7

$1.29 MKD 68.1

9.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 MKD 37.92

$0.58 MKD 30.74

24.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MKD 90.3

$1.74 MKD 91.9

-1.72%

Eggs

$2.05 MKD 108

$1.82 MKD 95.9

12.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.26 MKD 542

$6.42 MKD 339

59.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.38 MKD 390

$4.43 MKD 234

66.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.43 MKD 710

$8.54 MKD 451

57.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 MKD 56.7

$1.34 MKD 70.6

-20.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MKD 77.1

$1.44 MKD 75.9

1.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.24 MKD 65.7

$1.30 MKD 68.7

-4.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 MKD 85.3

$1.92 MKD 101

-16.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 MKD 51.7

$0.74 MKD 39.26

32.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MKD 70.9

$0.83 MKD 43.69

61.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 MKD 29.08

$0.60 MKD 31.61

-8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MKD 28.93

$0.49 MKD 26.02

12.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.08 MKD 163

$3.60 MKD 190

-14.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.98 MKD 316

$3.68 MKD 195

62.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 MKD 54.3

$0.84 MKD 44.28

22.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 MKD 100

$1.10 MKD 58.1

72.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MKD 28.72

$1.40 MKD 73.9

-61.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.81 MKD 888

$24.96 MKD 1,319

-32.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 MKD 58.6

$1.14 MKD 60.4

-2.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 MKD 33.79

$0.64 MKD 34.01

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 MKD 356

$3.32 MKD 175

103.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 MKD 78.6

$1.47 MKD 77.7

1.36%

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

$31.9K MKD 1.7M

$36.4K MKD 1.9M

-12.37%

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

$34.6K MKD 1.8M

$28.1K MKD 1.5M

23.13%

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

$152 MKD 8,007

$167 MKD 8,807

-9.08%

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

$14.63 MKD 773

$17.96 MKD 949

-18.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.36 MKD 706

$14.88 MKD 786

-10.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.77 MKD 1,203

$17.14 MKD 906

32.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.72 MKD 355

$18.77 MKD 991

-64.20%

Cinema Ticket

$4.66 MKD 246

$7.10 MKD 375

-34.37%

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

$218 MKD 11.5K

$381 MKD 20.1K

-42.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,220 MKD 64.5K

$5,458 MKD 288.3K

-77.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MKD 4,009

$65.3 MKD 3,450

16.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.87 MKD 2,529

$39.58 MKD 2,091

20.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.0 MKD 3,912

$96.2 MKD 5,081

-23.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MKD 5,944

$104 MKD 5,494

8.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$270 MKD 14.3K

$289 MKD 15.3K

-6.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 MKD 10.4K

$201 MKD 10.6K

-1.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$406 MKD 21.5K

$455 MKD 24.0K

-10.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$304 MKD 16.0K

$307 MKD 16.2K

-1.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,728 MKD 91.3K

$1,616 MKD 85.4K

6.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,200 MKD 63.4K

$1,215 MKD 64.2K

-1.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$792 MKD 41.8K

$469 MKD 24.8K

68.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

4.25

51.76%

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

Last update for Bitola: September 7, 2026

Last update for Kocani: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $270 in Bitola and $289 in Kocani. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bitola pays 69% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $29.00 in Bitola vs $34.00 in Kocani. Groceries flip the comparison at $207 vs $156, 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 ($875 vs $891 including rent). Bitola is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 69% higher in Bitola, 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: $270 in Bitola versus $289 in Kocani. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Kocani pay roughly 33% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Bitola – a meal for two runs $29.00 versus $34.00 in Kocani. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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