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: $857 in Kocani versus $1,105 in Skopje.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,277 in Kocani versus $1,631 in Skopje.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,697 in Kocani versus $2,156 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 36% lower, Skopje 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.68 MKD 302

$7.49 MKD 397

-24.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.13 MKD 1,492

$34.48 MKD 1,830

-18.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.11 MKD 271

$6.75 MKD 358

-24.30%

Cappuccino

$1.15 MKD 61.3

$2.30 MKD 122

-50.00%

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

$1.48 MKD 78.7

$2.01 MKD 106

-26.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MKD 60.9

$1.29 MKD 68.3

-10.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 MKD 121

$2.60 MKD 138

-12.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 MKD 145

$3.30 MKD 175

-17.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MKD 68.3

$1.34 MKD 71.0

-3.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 MKD 28.91

$0.77 MKD 41.09

-29.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 MKD 81.6

$1.68 MKD 89.2

-8.33%

Eggs

$1.92 MKD 102

$2.19 MKD 116

-12.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MKD 535

$9.35 MKD 496

7.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.74 MKD 304

$7.76 MKD 412

-26.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.64 MKD 724

$13.48 MKD 715

1.19%

Apples (1kg)

$0.71 MKD 37.93

$1.07 MKD 56.7

-33.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MKD 72.8

$1.42 MKD 75.3

-3.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 MKD 69.7

$1.38 MKD 73.2

-5.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 MKD 81.9

$2.08 MKD 110

-25.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 MKD 51.6

$0.88 MKD 46.94

10.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MKD 71.0

$0.93 MKD 49.41

44.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 MKD 28.68

$0.69 MKD 36.58

-21.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MKD 27.76

$0.56 MKD 29.71

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 MKD 157

$3.10 MKD 164

-4.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.78 MKD 200

$7.29 MKD 387

-48.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 MKD 52.6

$1.11 MKD 59.0

-10.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 MKD 96.2

$1.52 MKD 80.6

19.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MKD 36.50

$0.78 MKD 41.46

-11.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.43 MKD 1,084

$28.09 MKD 1,491

-27.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MKD 61.0

$0.96 MKD 51.1

19.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 25.79

$0.50 MKD 26.27

-2.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 MKD 200

$7.68 MKD 407

-50.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MKD 76.6

$1.49 MKD 78.8

-3.36%

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

$32.2K MKD 1.7M

$33.4K MKD 1.8M

-3.50%

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

$33.6K MKD 1.8M

$29.1K MKD 1.5M

15.49%

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

$143 MKD 7,565

$159 MKD 8,449

-10.46%

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

$17.50 MKD 928

$18.34 MKD 973

-4.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.76 MKD 836

$19.12 MKD 1,015

-17.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.37 MKD 1,081

$39.05 MKD 2,072

-47.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.56 MKD 932

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MKD 255

$6.47 MKD 343

-25.66%

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

$216 MKD 11.5K

$321 MKD 17.0K

-32.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,201 MKD 63.7K

$4,590 MKD 243.5K

-73.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 MKD 4,097

$78.4 MKD 4,161

-1.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.07 MKD 2,497

$39.02 MKD 2,070

20.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 MKD 4,004

$100 MKD 5,328

-24.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 MKD 5,911

$113 MKD 5,970

-0.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 MKD 14.9K

$429 MKD 22.7K

-34.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$195 MKD 10.3K

$313 MKD 16.6K

-37.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$563 MKD 29.9K

$645 MKD 34.2K

-12.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 MKD 16.7K

$455 MKD 24.1K

-30.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,512 MKD 80.2K

$2,768 MKD 146.9K

-45.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,239 MKD 65.7K

$1,796 MKD 95.3K

-31.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$461 MKD 24.5K

$880 MKD 46.7K

-47.58%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Skopje: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $282 in Kocani and $429 in Skopje. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Skopje pays 91% 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 $34.00 in Skopje for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $187 vs $211 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 29% in total monthly costs ($857 vs $1,105 including rent). Kocani is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Skopje earns 91% 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: $282 in Kocani versus $429 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 37% less than in Skopje. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $216 in Kocani versus $321 in Skopje. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $857 in Kocani versus $1,105 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 29% less than in Skopje. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.