Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Kocani Cost of Living Comparison Between Skopje and Kocani

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,143 in Skopje versus $871 in Kocani.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,720 in Skopje versus $1,344 in Kocani.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,296 in Skopje versus $1,817 in Kocani.

Living in Skopje is roughly 31% more expensive than in Kocani, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Skopje 16% lower, Kocani 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.35 MKD 501

$9.52 MKD 510

-1.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.06 MKD 1,876

$35.59 MKD 1,905

-1.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.78 MKD 363

$6.58 MKD 352

3.04%

Cappuccino

$2.18 MKD 117

$1.15 MKD 61.3

89.57%

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

$1.90 MKD 102

$1.51 MKD 80.9

25.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 MKD 73.0

$1.15 MKD 61.4

18.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 MKD 148

$2.75 MKD 147

0.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 MKD 179

$3.32 MKD 178

0.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 MKD 67.6

$1.28 MKD 68.7

-1.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 MKD 43.51

$0.63 MKD 33.68

28.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MKD 101

$1.72 MKD 92.0

9.88%

Eggs

$2.52 MKD 135

$1.87 MKD 100.0

34.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MKD 455

$6.60 MKD 353

28.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.38 MKD 395

$4.59 MKD 246

60.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.17 MKD 812

$8.26 MKD 442

83.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.47 MKD 78.6

$1.28 MKD 68.6

14.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 MKD 75.8

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 MKD 72.0

$1.29 MKD 69.0

4.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 MKD 113

$1.83 MKD 97.8

14.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 MKD 45.57

$0.72 MKD 38.63

18.06%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 MKD 43.29

$0.86 MKD 46.04

-5.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 MKD 34.15

$0.55 MKD 29.38

16.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 MKD 32.76

$0.49 MKD 26.40

24.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.47 MKD 185

$3.63 MKD 194

-4.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 MKD 392

$3.72 MKD 199

97.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 MKD 56.5

$0.85 MKD 45.62

24.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MKD 81.5

$1.10 MKD 58.9

38.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MKD 41.14

$0.74 MKD 39.67

4.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.58 MKD 1,529

$23.81 MKD 1,275

20.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MKD 61.4

$1.14 MKD 61.1

0.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 MKD 33.44

$0.64 MKD 34.05

-3.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.97 MKD 426

$3.31 MKD 177

140.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MKD 84.9

$1.48 MKD 79.1

7.43%

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

$36.7K MKD 2.0M

$36.0K MKD 1.9M

1.90%

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

$28.4K MKD 1.5M

0.26%

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

$160 MKD 8,556

$165 MKD 8,819

-2.98%

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

$18.86 MKD 1,009

$18.04 MKD 965

4.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.61 MKD 1,050

$15.29 MKD 818

28.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.62 MKD 1,960

$16.84 MKD 901

117.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.67 MKD 946

$19.87 MKD 1,064

-11.07%

Cinema Ticket

$7.73 MKD 414

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

$364 MKD 19.5K

0.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,701 MKD 305.1K

$5,677 MKD 303.8K

0.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.4 MKD 4,732

$65.6 MKD 3,509

34.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.29 MKD 2,049

$38.79 MKD 2,076

-1.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MKD 5,727

$93.5 MKD 5,005

14.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 MKD 6,347

$104 MKD 5,552

14.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 MKD 23.5K

$278 MKD 14.9K

57.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 MKD 17.8K

$194 MKD 10.4K

71.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$763 MKD 40.8K

$543 MKD 29.0K

40.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$522 MKD 27.9K

$321 MKD 17.2K

62.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,748 MKD 147.1K

$1,617 MKD 86.5K

69.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,838 MKD 98.4K

$1,019 MKD 54.5K

80.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$920 MKD 49.2K

$465 MKD 24.9K

97.94%

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 Skopje: September 14, 2026

Last update for Kocani: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $439 in Skopje and $278 in Kocani. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Skopje pays 98% 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: $35.00 in Skopje vs $36.00 in Kocani. Groceries flip the comparison at $215 vs $156, 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

Skopje vs Kocani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Skopje and Kocani differ by about 31% in total monthly costs ($1,143 vs $871 including rent). Kocani is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 98% higher in Skopje, 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: $439 in Skopje versus $278 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 20% less than in Skopje. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $364 in Skopje versus $364 in Kocani. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $871 in Kocani versus $1,143 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 31% less than in Skopje. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.