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: $871 in Kocani versus $1,143 in Skopje.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,344 in Kocani versus $1,720 in Skopje.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,817 in Kocani versus $2,296 in Skopje.

Living in Kocani costs roughly 24% less than in Skopje, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kocani 36% lower, Skopje 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.52 MKD 510

$9.35 MKD 501

1.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.59 MKD 1,905

$35.06 MKD 1,876

1.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.58 MKD 352

$6.78 MKD 363

-2.95%

Cappuccino

$1.15 MKD 61.3

$2.18 MKD 117

-47.25%

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

$1.51 MKD 80.9

$1.90 MKD 102

-20.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MKD 61.4

$1.36 MKD 73.0

-15.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.75 MKD 147

$2.76 MKD 148

-0.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 MKD 178

$3.35 MKD 179

-0.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 MKD 68.7

$1.26 MKD 67.6

1.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 MKD 33.68

$0.81 MKD 43.51

-22.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MKD 92.0

$1.89 MKD 101

-8.99%

Eggs

$1.87 MKD 100.0

$2.52 MKD 135

-25.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.60 MKD 353

$8.49 MKD 455

-22.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.59 MKD 246

$7.38 MKD 395

-37.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.26 MKD 442

$15.17 MKD 812

-45.55%

Apples (1kg)

$1.28 MKD 68.6

$1.47 MKD 78.6

-12.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 MKD 75.8

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 MKD 69.0

$1.35 MKD 72.0

-4.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 MKD 97.8

$2.10 MKD 113

-12.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 MKD 38.63

$0.85 MKD 45.57

-15.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.86 MKD 46.04

$0.81 MKD 43.29

6.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 MKD 29.38

$0.64 MKD 34.15

-14.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 MKD 26.40

$0.61 MKD 32.76

-19.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.63 MKD 194

$3.47 MKD 185

4.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.72 MKD 199

$7.33 MKD 392

-49.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 MKD 45.62

$1.06 MKD 56.5

-19.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 MKD 58.9

$1.52 MKD 81.5

-27.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MKD 39.67

$0.77 MKD 41.14

-3.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.81 MKD 1,275

$28.58 MKD 1,529

-16.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 MKD 61.1

$1.15 MKD 61.4

-0.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 MKD 34.05

$0.62 MKD 33.44

3.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 MKD 177

$7.97 MKD 426

-58.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 MKD 79.1

$1.59 MKD 84.9

-6.92%

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

$36.0K MKD 1.9M

$36.7K MKD 2.0M

-1.86%

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

$28.4K MKD 1.5M

-0.26%

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

$165 MKD 8,819

$160 MKD 8,556

3.07%

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

$18.04 MKD 965

$18.86 MKD 1,009

-4.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.29 MKD 818

$19.61 MKD 1,050

-22.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.84 MKD 901

$36.62 MKD 1,960

-54.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.87 MKD 1,064

$17.67 MKD 946

12.45%

Cinema Ticket

$7.73 MKD 414

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

$364 MKD 19.5K

-0.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,677 MKD 303.8K

$5,701 MKD 305.1K

-0.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.6 MKD 3,509

$88.4 MKD 4,732

-25.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.79 MKD 2,076

$38.29 MKD 2,049

1.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.5 MKD 5,005

$107 MKD 5,727

-12.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 MKD 5,552

$119 MKD 6,347

-12.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$278 MKD 14.9K

$439 MKD 23.5K

-36.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 MKD 10.4K

$332 MKD 17.8K

-41.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$543 MKD 29.0K

$763 MKD 40.8K

-28.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$321 MKD 17.2K

$522 MKD 27.9K

-38.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,617 MKD 86.5K

$2,748 MKD 147.1K

-41.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,019 MKD 54.5K

$1,838 MKD 98.4K

-44.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$465 MKD 24.9K

$920 MKD 49.2K

-49.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.23

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

Last update for Kocani: September 12, 2026

Last update for Skopje: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $278 in Kocani and $439 in Skopje. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Skopje pays 98% 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: $36.00 in Kocani vs $35.00 in Skopje. Groceries flip the comparison at $156 vs $215, 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 Skopje: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kocani and Skopje differ by about 31% in total monthly costs ($871 vs $1,143 including rent). Kocani is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 98% lower in Skopje. 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: $278 in Kocani versus $439 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 20% less than in Skopje. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $364 in Kocani versus $364 in Skopje. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $871 in Kocani versus $1,143 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 31% less than in Skopje. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.