Cost of Living Comparison Between Kocani and Sveti Nikole Cost of Living Comparison Between Kocani and Sveti Nikole

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $857 in Kocani versus $870 in Sveti Nikole.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,277 in Kocani versus $1,321 in Sveti Nikole.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,697 in Kocani versus $1,772 in Sveti Nikole.

Living in Kocani costs roughly 2% less than in Sveti Nikole, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kocani 36% lower, Sveti Nikole 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.68 MKD 302

$5.58 MKD 296

1.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.13 MKD 1,492

$28.19 MKD 1,496

-0.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.11 MKD 271

$4.96 MKD 263

3.02%

Cappuccino

$1.15 MKD 61.3

$1.66 MKD 87.9

-30.72%

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

$1.48 MKD 78.7

$1.61 MKD 85.5

-8.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MKD 60.9

$1.23 MKD 65.4

-6.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 MKD 121

$2.21 MKD 117

2.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 MKD 145

$2.67 MKD 142

2.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MKD 68.3

$1.30 MKD 69.0

-0.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 MKD 28.91

$0.72 MKD 38.26

-25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 MKD 81.6

$1.68 MKD 89.2

-8.33%

Eggs

$1.92 MKD 102

$2.11 MKD 112

-9.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MKD 535

$8.58 MKD 455

17.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.74 MKD 304

$6.47 MKD 343

-11.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.64 MKD 724

$13.82 MKD 733

-1.30%

Apples (1kg)

$0.71 MKD 37.93

$1.02 MKD 54.3

-30.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MKD 72.8

$1.39 MKD 73.8

-1.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 MKD 69.7

$1.31 MKD 69.3

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 MKD 81.9

$1.57 MKD 83.3

-1.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 MKD 51.6

$0.89 MKD 47.37

8.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MKD 71.0

$0.93 MKD 49.58

44.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 MKD 28.68

$0.64 MKD 33.99

-15.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MKD 27.76

$0.58 MKD 30.61

-10.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 MKD 157

$3.02 MKD 160

-1.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.78 MKD 200

$6.53 MKD 346

-42.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 MKD 52.6

$0.94 MKD 50.0

5.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 MKD 96.2

$1.46 MKD 77.6

23.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MKD 36.50

$0.65 MKD 34.34

6.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.43 MKD 1,084

$20.02 MKD 1,062

2.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MKD 61.0

$1.27 MKD 67.6

-9.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 25.79

$0.52 MKD 27.64

-5.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.77 MKD 200

$6.69 MKD 355

-43.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MKD 76.6

$1.43 MKD 75.7

0.70%

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

$32.2K MKD 1.7M

$31.9K MKD 1.7M

1.10%

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

$33.6K MKD 1.8M

$29.4K MKD 1.6M

14.27%

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

$143 MKD 7,565

$145 MKD 7,688

-1.59%

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

$17.50 MKD 928

$17.51 MKD 929

-0.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.76 MKD 836

$15.52 MKD 823

1.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.37 MKD 1,081

$26.81 MKD 1,422

-24.02%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MKD 255

$4.82 MKD 256

-0.21%

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

$216 MKD 11.5K

$222 MKD 11.8K

-2.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,201 MKD 63.7K

$1,180 MKD 62.6K

1.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 MKD 4,097

$76.3 MKD 4,046

1.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.07 MKD 2,497

$38.98 MKD 2,069

20.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 MKD 4,004

$76.3 MKD 4,046

-1.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 MKD 5,911

$112 MKD 5,952

-0.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 MKD 14.9K

$284 MKD 15.1K

-0.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$195 MKD 10.3K

0.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$563 MKD 29.9K

$573 MKD 30.4K

-1.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 MKD 16.7K

$309 MKD 16.4K

1.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,512 MKD 80.2K

$1,656 MKD 87.9K

-8.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,239 MKD 65.7K

$1,311 MKD 69.6K

-5.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$461 MKD 24.5K

$567 MKD 30.1K

-18.56%

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 Sveti Nikole: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $282 in Kocani and $284 in Sveti Nikole. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sveti Nikole pays 23% 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 Sveti Nikole for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $187 vs $196 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 Sveti Nikole: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kocani and Sveti Nikole differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($857 vs $870 including rent). Kocani is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Sveti Nikole earns 23% 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 $284 in Sveti Nikole. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kocani runs roughly 2% less than in Sveti Nikole. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $216 in Kocani versus $222 in Sveti Nikole. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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 Sveti Nikole 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 2% less than in Sveti Nikole. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.