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: $849 in Kocani versus $1,094 in Skopje.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,281 in Kocani versus $1,636 in Skopje.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,713 in Kocani versus $2,178 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

$5.48 MKD 293

$7.42 MKD 397

-26.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.76 MKD 1,484

$33.79 MKD 1,806

-17.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.96 MKD 265

$6.65 MKD 355

-25.41%

Cappuccino

$1.12 MKD 59.8

$2.24 MKD 119

-50.00%

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

$1.52 MKD 81.2

$2.04 MKD 109

-25.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MKD 61.4

$1.29 MKD 69.1

-10.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 MKD 123

$2.60 MKD 139

-11.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 MKD 144

$3.43 MKD 183

-21.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 MKD 65.8

$1.27 MKD 68.1

-3.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 MKD 30.49

$0.84 MKD 44.80

-32.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 MKD 78.6

$1.69 MKD 90.5

-13.02%

Eggs

$1.90 MKD 101

$2.17 MKD 116

-12.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.32 MKD 552

$9.26 MKD 495

11.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.55 MKD 297

$8.00 MKD 428

-30.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.30 MKD 711

$13.41 MKD 717

-0.82%

Apples (1kg)

$0.76 MKD 40.73

$1.02 MKD 54.6

-25.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 MKD 74.8

$1.37 MKD 73.0

2.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 MKD 67.3

$1.37 MKD 73.0

-8.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 MKD 79.1

$2.08 MKD 111

-28.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 MKD 52.5

$0.88 MKD 46.92

11.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 MKD 69.1

$0.97 MKD 51.6

32.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 MKD 31.30

$0.73 MKD 39.00

-19.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MKD 28.16

$0.59 MKD 31.42

-10.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 MKD 158

$3.26 MKD 174

-9.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.64 MKD 194

$7.56 MKD 404

-51.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 MKD 52.4

$1.05 MKD 56.3

-6.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 MKD 95.7

$1.55 MKD 82.9

15.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MKD 37.00

$0.77 MKD 41.13

-10.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.42 MKD 1,091

$28.16 MKD 1,505

-27.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MKD 61.4

$0.98 MKD 52.3

17.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MKD 28.32

$0.53 MKD 28.28

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.78 MKD 202

$7.71 MKD 412

-50.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 MKD 79.6

$1.47 MKD 78.6

1.36%

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

$31.6K MKD 1.7M

$34.2K MKD 1.8M

-7.82%

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

$34.3K MKD 1.8M

$29.4K MKD 1.6M

16.52%

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

$146 MKD 7,778

$160 MKD 8,529

-8.81%

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

$17.45 MKD 933

$17.94 MKD 959

-2.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.29 MKD 817

$19.42 MKD 1,038

-21.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.89 MKD 1,116

$38.64 MKD 2,065

-45.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.95 MKD 959

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MKD 257

$6.44 MKD 344

-25.31%

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

$217 MKD 11.6K

$312 MKD 16.7K

-30.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,203 MKD 64.3K

$4,479 MKD 239.3K

-73.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.3 MKD 4,133

$76.2 MKD 4,071

1.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.39 MKD 2,586

$39.60 MKD 2,116

22.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 MKD 4,075

$100 MKD 5,358

-23.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 MKD 5,917

$111 MKD 5,948

-0.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$279 MKD 14.9K

$422 MKD 22.5K

-33.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$193 MKD 10.3K

$309 MKD 16.5K

-37.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$554 MKD 29.6K

$641 MKD 34.3K

-13.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$304 MKD 16.3K

$467 MKD 25.0K

-34.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,446 MKD 77.3K

$2,687 MKD 143.6K

-46.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,254 MKD 67.0K

$1,745 MKD 93.3K

-28.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$466 MKD 24.9K

$882 MKD 47.1K

-47.12%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Skopje: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $279 in Kocani and $422 in Skopje. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Skopje pays 89% 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 $185 vs $212 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 ($849 vs $1,094 including rent). Kocani is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 89% 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: $279 in Kocani versus $422 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 38% less than in Skopje. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $217 in Kocani versus $312 in Skopje. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $849 in Kocani versus $1,094 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.