Cost of Living Comparison Between Kocani and Skopje Cost of Living Comparison Between Kocani and Skopje

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $865 in Kocani versus $1,112 in Skopje.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,276 in Kocani versus $1,614 in Skopje.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,687 in Kocani versus $2,116 in Skopje.

Living in Kocani costs roughly 22% less than in Skopje, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kocani 35% lower, Skopje 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.57 MKD 292

$7.46 MKD 391

-25.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.51 MKD 1,494

$33.99 MKD 1,782

-16.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.13 MKD 269

$6.64 MKD 348

-22.74%

Cappuccino

$1.16 MKD 61.0

$2.28 MKD 120

-49.12%

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

$1.52 MKD 79.5

$2.00 MKD 105

-24.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MKD 58.2

$1.23 MKD 64.7

-9.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 MKD 120

$2.69 MKD 141

-14.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 MKD 146

$3.29 MKD 172

-15.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 MKD 67.1

$1.28 MKD 67.3

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 MKD 28.62

$0.76 MKD 39.97

-27.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 MKD 80.1

$1.69 MKD 88.7

-9.47%

Eggs

$1.91 MKD 100

$2.26 MKD 119

-15.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.33 MKD 541

$9.47 MKD 496

9.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.71 MKD 299

$8.08 MKD 423

-29.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.30 MKD 697

$13.54 MKD 710

-1.77%

Apples (1kg)

$0.77 MKD 40.61

$1.07 MKD 56.1

-28.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MKD 75.0

$1.35 MKD 70.9

5.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 MKD 66.4

$1.32 MKD 69.1

-3.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 MKD 76.9

$2.12 MKD 111

-30.66%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 MKD 51.1

$0.87 MKD 45.64

12.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 MKD 70.6

$0.97 MKD 51.0

39.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 MKD 29.88

$0.68 MKD 35.69

-16.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MKD 27.48

$0.56 MKD 29.20

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.05 MKD 160

$3.28 MKD 172

-7.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.79 MKD 199

$7.81 MKD 409

-51.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 MKD 48.55

$1.07 MKD 56.1

-13.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 MKD 97.0

$1.49 MKD 77.9

24.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MKD 35.51

$0.71 MKD 37.47

-4.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.01 MKD 1,049

$28.22 MKD 1,479

-29.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MKD 60.2

$0.98 MKD 51.2

17.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MKD 26.01

$0.49 MKD 25.51

2.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.73 MKD 195

$7.58 MKD 397

-50.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 MKD 78.5

$1.46 MKD 76.4

2.74%

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

$31.6K MKD 1.7M

$33.4K MKD 1.7M

-5.20%

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

$33.6K MKD 1.8M

$29.9K MKD 1.6M

12.42%

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

$143 MKD 7,514

$160 MKD 8,384

-10.37%

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

$17.16 MKD 899

$17.86 MKD 936

-3.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.81 MKD 828

$18.97 MKD 994

-16.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.42 MKD 1,070

$39.57 MKD 2,074

-48.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.62 MKD 923

Cinema Ticket

$4.82 MKD 253

$6.62 MKD 347

-27.19%

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

$219 MKD 11.5K

$323 MKD 16.9K

-32.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,217 MKD 63.8K

$4,523 MKD 237.0K

-73.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.5 MKD 4,063

$77.5 MKD 4,064

-0.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.48 MKD 2,488

$39.27 MKD 2,058

20.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.8 MKD 3,973

$102 MKD 5,354

-25.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 MKD 5,842

$111 MKD 5,820

0.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 MKD 14.9K

$435 MKD 22.8K

-34.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$195 MKD 10.2K

$308 MKD 16.1K

-36.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$557 MKD 29.2K

$622 MKD 32.6K

-10.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 MKD 16.1K

$463 MKD 24.3K

-33.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,587 MKD 83.2K

$2,867 MKD 150.2K

-44.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,232 MKD 64.5K

$1,823 MKD 95.5K

-32.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$473 MKD 24.8K

$888 MKD 46.6K

-46.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

4.54

56.39%

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

Last update for Kocani: April 20, 2026

Last update for Skopje: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $285 in Kocani and $435 in Skopje. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Skopje pays 88% 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 $34 in Skopje for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $186 vs $213 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 Skopje: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kocani and Skopje differ by about 28% in total monthly costs ($865 vs $1,112 including rent). Kocani is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Skopje earns 88% 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 $435 in Skopje. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kocani runs roughly 41% less than in Skopje. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $219 in Kocani versus $323 in Skopje. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $865 in Kocani versus $1,112 in Skopje, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kocani but tight or insufficient in Skopje. The gap between the two cities makes Kocani the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Expats usually find Kocani gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Skopje. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.