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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.57 MKD 292

$5.74 MKD 301

-2.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.51 MKD 1,494

$27.79 MKD 1,456

2.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.13 MKD 269

$4.93 MKD 258

4.06%

Cappuccino

$1.16 MKD 61.0

$1.95 MKD 102

-40.51%

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

$1.52 MKD 79.5

$1.81 MKD 95.1

-16.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MKD 58.2

$1.22 MKD 63.9

-9.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 MKD 120

$2.28 MKD 120

0.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 MKD 146

$2.76 MKD 145

1.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 MKD 67.1

$1.34 MKD 70.2

-4.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 MKD 28.62

$0.73 MKD 38.05

-24.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 MKD 80.1

$1.71 MKD 89.5

-10.53%

Eggs

$1.91 MKD 100

$2.13 MKD 111

-10.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.33 MKD 541

$10.32 MKD 541

0.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.71 MKD 299

$7.24 MKD 379

-21.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.30 MKD 697

$13.41 MKD 703

-0.82%

Apples (1kg)

$0.77 MKD 40.61

$1.03 MKD 54.1

-25.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MKD 75.0

$1.38 MKD 72.2

3.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 MKD 66.4

$1.25 MKD 65.5

1.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 MKD 76.9

$1.63 MKD 85.5

-9.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 MKD 51.1

$0.98 MKD 51.4

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 MKD 70.6

$1.40 MKD 73.2

-3.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 MKD 29.88

$0.57 MKD 29.91

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MKD 27.48

$0.53 MKD 28.01

-1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.05 MKD 160

$2.92 MKD 153

4.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.79 MKD 199

$5.95 MKD 312

-36.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 MKD 48.55

$0.94 MKD 49.39

-1.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 MKD 97.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MKD 35.51

$0.55 MKD 28.73

23.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.01 MKD 1,049

$16.61 MKD 871

20.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MKD 60.2

$1.16 MKD 60.9

-0.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MKD 26.01

$0.53 MKD 27.71

-5.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.73 MKD 195

$6.62 MKD 347

-43.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 MKD 78.5

$1.43 MKD 74.8

4.90%

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

$31.6K MKD 1.7M

$32.0K MKD 1.7M

-1.13%

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

$33.6K MKD 1.8M

$34.3K MKD 1.8M

-2.12%

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

$143 MKD 7,514

$146 MKD 7,652

-1.80%

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

$17.16 MKD 899

$17.87 MKD 937

-3.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 MKD 828

$15.43 MKD 809

2.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.42 MKD 1,070

$23.86 MKD 1,250

-14.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.70 MKD 351

Cinema Ticket

$4.82 MKD 253

$4.79 MKD 251

0.63%

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

$219 MKD 11.5K

$217 MKD 11.4K

0.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,217 MKD 63.8K

$1,206 MKD 63.2K

0.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.5 MKD 4,063

$76.5 MKD 4,010

1.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.48 MKD 2,488

$47.18 MKD 2,472

0.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.8 MKD 3,973

$75.0 MKD 3,931

1.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 MKD 5,842

$113 MKD 5,921

-1.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 MKD 14.9K

$284 MKD 14.9K

0.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$195 MKD 10.2K

0.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$557 MKD 29.2K

$593 MKD 31.1K

-6.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 MKD 16.1K

-0.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,587 MKD 83.2K

$1,793 MKD 94.0K

-11.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,232 MKD 64.5K

$1,215 MKD 63.7K

1.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$473 MKD 24.8K

$794 MKD 41.6K

-40.43%

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 Kocani: April 20, 2026

Last update for Bitola: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $285 in Kocani and $284 in Bitola. 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: $29 in Kocani vs $28 in Bitola. Groceries flip the comparison at $186 vs $205, 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

Kocani vs Bitola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

On paper, Bitola earns 68% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $285 in Kocani versus $284 in Bitola. 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, Kocani and Bitola 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.