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: $871 in Kocani versus $878 in Sveti Nikole.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,344 in Kocani versus $1,333 in Sveti Nikole.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,817 in Kocani versus $1,788 in Sveti Nikole.

Living in Kocani costs roughly 1% less than in Sveti Nikole, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.52 MKD 510

$9.35 MKD 500

1.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.59 MKD 1,905

$34.11 MKD 1,825

4.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.58 MKD 352

$5.58 MKD 298

17.92%

Cappuccino

$1.15 MKD 61.3

$1.70 MKD 91.2

-32.35%

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

$1.51 MKD 80.9

$1.37 MKD 73.5

10.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MKD 61.4

$1.05 MKD 56.1

9.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.75 MKD 147

$1.61 MKD 86.4

70.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 MKD 178

$1.87 MKD 100

77.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 MKD 68.7

$1.38 MKD 73.7

-7.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 MKD 33.68

$0.57 MKD 30.43

10.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MKD 92.0

$1.20 MKD 64.3

43.33%

Eggs

$1.87 MKD 100.0

$2.65 MKD 142

-29.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.60 MKD 353

$9.17 MKD 491

-28.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.59 MKD 246

$4.80 MKD 257

-4.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.26 MKD 442

$12.37 MKD 662

-33.23%

Apples (1kg)

$1.28 MKD 68.6

$1.33 MKD 70.9

-3.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 MKD 75.8

$1.28 MKD 68.6

10.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 MKD 69.0

$1.28 MKD 68.4

0.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 MKD 97.8

$1.76 MKD 94.3

3.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 MKD 38.63

$0.70 MKD 37.72

2.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.86 MKD 46.04

$1.15 MKD 61.4

-25.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 MKD 29.38

$0.83 MKD 44.30

-33.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 MKD 26.40

$0.43 MKD 23.24

13.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.63 MKD 194

$3.13 MKD 167

15.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.72 MKD 199

$6.55 MKD 350

-43.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 MKD 45.62

$1.05 MKD 56.3

-19.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 MKD 58.9

$1.51 MKD 81.1

-27.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MKD 39.67

$0.77 MKD 40.99

-3.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.81 MKD 1,275

$23.09 MKD 1,236

3.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 MKD 61.1

$1.46 MKD 78.4

-21.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 MKD 34.05

$1.06 MKD 56.8

-39.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 MKD 177

$3.69 MKD 197

-10.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 MKD 79.1

$1.50 MKD 80.4

-1.33%

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

$36.0K MKD 1.9M

$40.3K MKD 2.2M

-10.84%

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

$28.4K MKD 1.5M

$28.6K MKD 1.5M

-0.95%

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

$165 MKD 8,819

$141 MKD 7,541

16.96%

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

$18.04 MKD 965

$15.64 MKD 837

15.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.29 MKD 818

$12.08 MKD 646

26.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.84 MKD 901

$22.83 MKD 1,222

-26.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.87 MKD 1,064

$19.30 MKD 1,033

2.95%

Cinema Ticket

$7.73 MKD 414

$5.19 MKD 278

48.94%

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

$364 MKD 19.5K

$311 MKD 16.6K

16.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,677 MKD 303.8K

$4,453 MKD 238.3K

27.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.6 MKD 3,509

$73.7 MKD 3,943

-11.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.79 MKD 2,076

$32.73 MKD 1,752

18.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.5 MKD 5,005

$84.6 MKD 4,528

10.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 MKD 5,552

$88.6 MKD 4,742

17.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$278 MKD 14.9K

$257 MKD 13.8K

8.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 MKD 10.4K

$199 MKD 10.6K

-2.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$543 MKD 29.0K

$433 MKD 23.2K

25.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$321 MKD 17.2K

$338 MKD 18.1K

-4.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,617 MKD 86.5K

$1,542 MKD 82.5K

4.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,019 MKD 54.5K

$1,157 MKD 61.9K

-11.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$465 MKD 24.9K

$556 MKD 29.8K

-16.46%

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 Sveti Nikole: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $278 in Kocani and $257 in Sveti Nikole. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sveti Nikole pays 20% 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 $34.00 in Sveti Nikole. Groceries flip the comparison at $156 vs $186, 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 Sveti Nikole: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kocani and Sveti Nikole differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($871 vs $878 including rent). Kocani is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 20% lower in Sveti Nikole. 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 $257 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 3% less than in Sveti Nikole. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $364 in Kocani versus $311 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 1% less than in Sveti Nikole. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.