Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kocani Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kocani

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,270 in Phuket versus $865 in Kocani.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,304 in Phuket versus $1,276 in Kocani.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,339 in Phuket versus $1,687 in Kocani.

Living in Phuket is roughly 47% more expensive than Kocani, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Kocani 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿150

$5.57 MKD 292

-16.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.44 ฿1,496

$28.51 MKD 1,494

62.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿280

$5.13 MKD 269

69.20%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ฿95.0

$1.16 MKD 61.0

154.31%

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

$0.70 ฿22.52

$1.52 MKD 79.5

-53.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿12.70

$1.11 MKD 58.2

-64.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿81.6

$2.29 MKD 120

10.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿122

$2.79 MKD 146

35.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ฿71.5

$1.28 MKD 67.1

73.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ฿57.8

$0.55 MKD 28.62

227.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ฿70.4

$1.53 MKD 80.1

43.14%

Eggs

$2.31 ฿74.5

$1.91 MKD 100

20.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.34 ฿623

$10.33 MKD 541

87.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 ฿121

$5.71 MKD 299

-33.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 ฿426

$13.30 MKD 697

-0.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 ฿107

$0.77 MKD 40.61

332.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.1

$1.43 MKD 75.0

15.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ฿73.7

$1.27 MKD 66.4

80.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.1

$1.47 MKD 76.9

35.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.24

$0.98 MKD 51.1

56.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 ฿48.77

$1.35 MKD 70.6

11.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.12

$0.57 MKD 29.88

80.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.57

$0.52 MKD 27.48

-1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿142

$3.05 MKD 160

44.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 ฿625

$3.79 MKD 199

412.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.0

$0.93 MKD 48.55

93.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿86.4

$1.85 MKD 97.0

44.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ฿46.11

$0.68 MKD 35.51

110.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿377

$20.01 MKD 1,049

-41.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿97.9

$1.15 MKD 60.2

164.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.37

$0.50 MKD 26.01

108.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.68 ฿441

$3.73 MKD 195

266.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ฿41.85

$1.50 MKD 78.5

-13.33%

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

$27.9K ฿898.9K

$31.6K MKD 1.7M

-11.79%

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

$33.0K ฿1.1M

$33.6K MKD 1.8M

-1.60%

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

$123 ฿3,962

$143 MKD 7,514

-14.23%

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

$13.82 ฿445

$17.16 MKD 899

-19.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.86 ฿608

$15.81 MKD 828

19.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 ฿1,970

$20.42 MKD 1,070

199.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 ฿541

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿286

$4.82 MKD 253

84.02%

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

$696 ฿22.4K

$219 MKD 11.5K

218.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K ฿517.4K

$1,217 MKD 63.8K

1219.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,910

$77.5 MKD 4,063

-23.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 ฿1,123

$47.48 MKD 2,488

-26.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,646

$75.8 MKD 3,973

49.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 ฿2,740

$111 MKD 5,842

-23.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 ฿19.8K

$285 MKD 14.9K

116.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.4K

$195 MKD 10.2K

129.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿67.2K

$557 MKD 29.2K

274.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿48.2K

$307 MKD 16.1K

387.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,734 ฿120.3K

$1,587 MKD 83.2K

135.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,662 ฿85.8K

$1,232 MKD 64.5K

116.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$534 ฿17.2K

$473 MKD 24.8K

12.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

7.1

-24.93%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Last update for Kocani: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $615 in Phuket and $285 in Kocani. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 13% 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: $46 in Phuket vs $29 in Kocani for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $186 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

Phuket vs Kocani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Kocani differ by about 47% in total monthly costs ($1,270 vs $865 including rent). Kocani is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Phuket pays 13% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $615 in Phuket versus $285 in Kocani. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kocani runs roughly 71% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $696 in Phuket versus $219 in Kocani. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $865 in Kocani versus $1,270 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kocani but tight or insufficient in Phuket. 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.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Kocani 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 47% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.