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: $849 in Kocani versus $880 in Bitola.

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

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

Living in Kocani costs roughly 4% less than in Bitola, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.48 MKD 295

$5.56 MKD 299

-1.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.76 MKD 1,493

$28.29 MKD 1,521

-1.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.96 MKD 267

$5.14 MKD 277

-3.50%

Cappuccino

$1.12 MKD 60.2

$1.91 MKD 103

-41.36%

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

$1.52 MKD 81.7

$1.76 MKD 94.5

-13.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MKD 61.8

$1.26 MKD 67.9

-8.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 MKD 124

$2.23 MKD 120

3.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 MKD 145

$2.74 MKD 147

-1.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 MKD 66.2

$1.35 MKD 72.5

-8.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 MKD 30.68

$0.68 MKD 36.41

-16.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 MKD 79.0

$1.76 MKD 94.7

-16.48%

Eggs

$1.90 MKD 102

$2.01 MKD 108

-5.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.32 MKD 555

$10.03 MKD 540

2.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.55 MKD 298

$7.39 MKD 398

-24.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.30 MKD 715

$13.74 MKD 739

-3.20%

Apples (1kg)

$0.76 MKD 40.98

$1.07 MKD 57.3

-28.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 MKD 75.3

$1.39 MKD 74.6

0.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 MKD 67.7

$1.26 MKD 67.9

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 MKD 79.6

$1.62 MKD 87.2

-8.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 MKD 52.8

$0.94 MKD 50.5

4.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 MKD 69.5

$1.35 MKD 72.4

-4.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 MKD 31.49

$0.58 MKD 31.26

1.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MKD 28.33

$0.56 MKD 30.17

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 MKD 159

$2.94 MKD 158

0.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.64 MKD 196

$6.16 MKD 331

-40.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 MKD 52.8

$1.00 MKD 53.7

-2.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 MKD 96.3

$1.89 MKD 102

-5.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MKD 37.23

$0.57 MKD 30.67

21.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.42 MKD 1,098

$16.81 MKD 904

21.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MKD 61.8

$1.16 MKD 62.4

-0.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MKD 28.49

$0.49 MKD 26.37

8.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.78 MKD 203

$6.52 MKD 350

-42.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 MKD 80.1

$1.48 MKD 79.4

0.68%

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

$31.6K MKD 1.7M

$32.1K MKD 1.7M

-1.63%

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

$34.3K MKD 1.8M

$33.5K MKD 1.8M

2.37%

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

$146 MKD 7,826

$143 MKD 7,702

1.61%

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

$17.45 MKD 938

$17.64 MKD 949

-1.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.29 MKD 822

$15.37 MKD 827

-0.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.89 MKD 1,123

$24.06 MKD 1,294

-13.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.73 MKD 362

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MKD 259

$4.77 MKD 257

0.84%

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

$217 MKD 11.7K

$221 MKD 11.9K

-1.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,203 MKD 64.7K

$1,221 MKD 65.6K

-1.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.3 MKD 4,158

$77.2 MKD 4,149

0.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.39 MKD 2,602

$47.66 MKD 2,563

1.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 MKD 4,100

$75.5 MKD 4,058

1.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 MKD 5,953

$114 MKD 6,141

-3.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$279 MKD 15.0K

$282 MKD 15.1K

-0.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$193 MKD 10.4K

$194 MKD 10.4K

-0.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$554 MKD 29.8K

$597 MKD 32.1K

-7.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$304 MKD 16.4K

$315 MKD 16.9K

-3.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,446 MKD 77.8K

$1,698 MKD 91.3K

-14.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,254 MKD 67.4K

$1,179 MKD 63.4K

6.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$466 MKD 25.1K

$762 MKD 41.0K

-38.78%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bitola: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $279 in Kocani and $282 in Bitola. 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 Kocani vs $28.00 in Bitola for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $185 vs $206 per month, with Kocani cheaper across the board.

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 4% in total monthly costs ($849 vs $880 including rent). Kocani is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 63% lower in Bitola. 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: $279 in Kocani versus $282 in Bitola. 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, 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 4% less than in Bitola. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.