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: $880 in Bitola versus $849 in Kocani.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,333 in Bitola versus $1,281 in Kocani.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,787 in Bitola versus $1,713 in Kocani.

Living in Bitola is roughly 4% more expensive than in Kocani, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bitola 34% lower, Kocani 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.56 MKD 299

$5.48 MKD 295

1.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.29 MKD 1,521

$27.76 MKD 1,493

1.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.14 MKD 277

$4.96 MKD 267

3.63%

Cappuccino

$1.91 MKD 103

$1.12 MKD 60.2

70.54%

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

$1.76 MKD 94.5

$1.52 MKD 81.7

15.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 MKD 67.9

$1.15 MKD 61.8

9.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 MKD 120

$2.30 MKD 124

-3.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 MKD 147

$2.69 MKD 145

1.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 MKD 72.5

$1.23 MKD 66.2

9.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 MKD 36.41

$0.57 MKD 30.68

19.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 MKD 94.7

$1.47 MKD 79.0

19.73%

Eggs

$2.01 MKD 108

$1.90 MKD 102

5.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MKD 540

$10.32 MKD 555

-2.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.39 MKD 398

$5.55 MKD 298

33.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.74 MKD 739

$13.30 MKD 715

3.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 MKD 57.3

$0.76 MKD 40.98

40.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MKD 74.6

$1.40 MKD 75.3

-0.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 MKD 67.9

$1.26 MKD 67.7

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 MKD 87.2

$1.48 MKD 79.6

9.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 MKD 50.5

$0.98 MKD 52.8

-4.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 MKD 72.4

$1.29 MKD 69.5

4.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 MKD 31.26

$0.59 MKD 31.49

-1.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MKD 30.17

$0.53 MKD 28.33

5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 MKD 158

$2.96 MKD 159

-0.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.16 MKD 331

$3.64 MKD 196

69.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 MKD 53.7

$0.98 MKD 52.8

2.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 MKD 102

$1.79 MKD 96.3

5.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MKD 30.67

$0.69 MKD 37.23

-17.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.81 MKD 904

$20.42 MKD 1,098

-17.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MKD 62.4

$1.15 MKD 61.8

0.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 26.37

$0.53 MKD 28.49

-7.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.52 MKD 350

$3.78 MKD 203

72.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 MKD 79.4

$1.49 MKD 80.1

-0.67%

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

$32.1K MKD 1.7M

$31.6K MKD 1.7M

1.66%

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

$33.5K MKD 1.8M

$34.3K MKD 1.8M

-2.32%

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

$143 MKD 7,702

$146 MKD 7,826

-1.59%

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

$17.64 MKD 949

$17.45 MKD 938

1.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.37 MKD 827

$15.29 MKD 822

0.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.06 MKD 1,294

$20.89 MKD 1,123

15.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.73 MKD 362

Cinema Ticket

$4.77 MKD 257

$4.81 MKD 259

-0.83%

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

$221 MKD 11.9K

$217 MKD 11.7K

1.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,221 MKD 65.6K

$1,203 MKD 64.7K

1.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 MKD 4,149

$77.3 MKD 4,158

-0.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.66 MKD 2,563

$48.39 MKD 2,602

-1.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 MKD 4,058

$76.3 MKD 4,100

-1.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 MKD 6,141

$111 MKD 5,953

3.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 MKD 15.1K

$279 MKD 15.0K

0.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 MKD 10.4K

$193 MKD 10.4K

0.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$597 MKD 32.1K

$554 MKD 29.8K

7.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 MKD 16.9K

$304 MKD 16.4K

3.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,698 MKD 91.3K

$1,446 MKD 77.8K

17.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,179 MKD 63.4K

$1,254 MKD 67.4K

-5.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$762 MKD 41.0K

$466 MKD 25.1K

63.36%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Kocani: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $282 in Bitola and $279 in Kocani. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bitola pays 63% 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: $28.00 in Bitola vs $28.00 in Kocani. Groceries flip the comparison at $206 vs $185, 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 4% in total monthly costs ($880 vs $849 including rent). Kocani is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 63% 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: $282 in Bitola versus $279 in Kocani. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% 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 $28.00 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 4% less than in Bitola. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.