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: $1,264 in Phuket versus $849 in Kocani.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,281 in Kocani.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,713 in Kocani.

Living in Phuket is roughly 49% more expensive than in Kocani, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Kocani 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$5.48 MKD 293

-18.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$27.76 MKD 1,484

64.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$4.96 MKD 265

76.61%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$1.12 MKD 59.8

165.18%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$1.52 MKD 81.2

-54.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$1.15 MKD 61.4

-66.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.30 MKD 123

10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$2.69 MKD 144

39.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.23 MKD 65.8

74.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.57 MKD 30.49

219.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.47 MKD 78.6

48.30%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$1.90 MKD 101

18.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$10.32 MKD 552

93.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$5.55 MKD 297

-34.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$13.30 MKD 711

1.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$0.76 MKD 40.73

326.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.40 MKD 74.8

17.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.26 MKD 67.3

84.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.48 MKD 79.1

39.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.98 MKD 52.5

58.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.29 MKD 69.1

13.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.59 MKD 31.30

66.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.53 MKD 28.16

-9.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$2.96 MKD 158

46.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$3.64 MKD 194

410.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$0.98 MKD 52.4

89.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$1.79 MKD 95.7

48.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.69 MKD 37.00

105.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$20.42 MKD 1,091

-43.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.15 MKD 61.4

175.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.53 MKD 28.32

94.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$3.78 MKD 202

267.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.49 MKD 79.6

-10.07%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$31.6K MKD 1.7M

-11.94%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$34.3K MKD 1.8M

-2.72%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$146 MKD 7,778

-15.45%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$17.45 MKD 933

-21.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$15.29 MKD 817

19.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$20.89 MKD 1,116

190.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$4.81 MKD 257

84.41%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$217 MKD 11.6K

216.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$1,203 MKD 64.3K

1212.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$77.3 MKD 4,133

-23.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$48.39 MKD 2,586

-28.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$76.3 MKD 4,075

51.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$111 MKD 5,917

-24.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$279 MKD 14.9K

122.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$193 MKD 10.3K

130.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$554 MKD 29.6K

267.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$304 MKD 16.3K

391.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$1,446 MKD 77.3K

138.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$1,254 MKD 67.0K

101.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$466 MKD 24.9K

5.82%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kocani: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $279 in Kocani. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 6% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $28.00 in Kocani for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $185 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 49% in total monthly costs ($1,264 vs $849 including rent). Kocani is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 6% higher in Phuket, 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: $621 in Phuket versus $279 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 76% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $217 in Kocani. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $849 in Kocani versus $1,264 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 49% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.