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: $1,094 in Skopje versus $849 in Kocani.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,636 in Skopje versus $1,281 in Kocani.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,178 in Skopje versus $1,713 in Kocani.

Living in Skopje is roughly 29% more expensive than in Kocani, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Skopje 18% lower, Kocani 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.42 MKD 397

$5.48 MKD 293

35.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.79 MKD 1,806

$27.76 MKD 1,484

21.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.65 MKD 355

$4.96 MKD 265

34.07%

Cappuccino

$2.24 MKD 119

$1.12 MKD 59.8

100.00%

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

$2.04 MKD 109

$1.52 MKD 81.2

34.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 MKD 69.1

$1.15 MKD 61.4

12.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.60 MKD 139

$2.30 MKD 123

13.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 MKD 183

$2.69 MKD 144

27.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 MKD 68.1

$1.23 MKD 65.8

3.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 MKD 44.80

$0.57 MKD 30.49

47.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MKD 90.5

$1.47 MKD 78.6

14.97%

Eggs

$2.17 MKD 116

$1.90 MKD 101

14.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 MKD 495

$10.32 MKD 552

-10.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.00 MKD 428

$5.55 MKD 297

44.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.41 MKD 717

$13.30 MKD 711

0.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 MKD 54.6

$0.76 MKD 40.73

34.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MKD 73.0

$1.40 MKD 74.8

-2.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 MKD 73.0

$1.26 MKD 67.3

8.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MKD 111

$1.48 MKD 79.1

40.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 MKD 46.92

$0.98 MKD 52.5

-10.20%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 MKD 51.6

$1.29 MKD 69.1

-24.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 MKD 39.00

$0.59 MKD 31.30

23.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MKD 31.42

$0.53 MKD 28.16

11.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.26 MKD 174

$2.96 MKD 158

10.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.56 MKD 404

$3.64 MKD 194

107.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MKD 56.3

$0.98 MKD 52.4

7.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 MKD 82.9

$1.79 MKD 95.7

-13.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MKD 41.13

$0.69 MKD 37.00

11.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.16 MKD 1,505

$20.42 MKD 1,091

37.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MKD 52.3

$1.15 MKD 61.4

-14.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MKD 28.28

$0.53 MKD 28.32

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.71 MKD 412

$3.78 MKD 202

103.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 MKD 78.6

$1.49 MKD 79.6

-1.34%

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

$34.2K MKD 1.8M

$31.6K MKD 1.7M

8.48%

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

$29.4K MKD 1.6M

$34.3K MKD 1.8M

-14.18%

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

$160 MKD 8,529

$146 MKD 7,778

9.66%

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

$17.94 MKD 959

$17.45 MKD 933

2.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.42 MKD 1,038

$15.29 MKD 817

27.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.64 MKD 2,065

$20.89 MKD 1,116

84.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.95 MKD 959

Cinema Ticket

$6.44 MKD 344

$4.81 MKD 257

33.89%

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

$312 MKD 16.7K

$217 MKD 11.6K

43.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,479 MKD 239.3K

$1,203 MKD 64.3K

272.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.2 MKD 4,071

$77.3 MKD 4,133

-1.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.60 MKD 2,116

$48.39 MKD 2,586

-18.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 MKD 5,358

$76.3 MKD 4,075

31.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 MKD 5,948

$111 MKD 5,917

0.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$422 MKD 22.5K

$279 MKD 14.9K

50.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 MKD 16.5K

$193 MKD 10.3K

59.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 MKD 34.3K

$554 MKD 29.6K

15.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$467 MKD 25.0K

$304 MKD 16.3K

53.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,687 MKD 143.6K

$1,446 MKD 77.3K

85.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,745 MKD 93.3K

$1,254 MKD 67.0K

39.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$882 MKD 47.1K

$466 MKD 24.9K

89.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.54

7.1

-36.06%

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

Last update for Skopje: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kocani: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $422 in Skopje and $279 in Kocani. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Skopje pays 89% 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: $34.00 in Skopje vs $28.00 in Kocani for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $212 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

Skopje vs Kocani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Skopje and Kocani differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($1,094 vs $849 including rent). Kocani is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 89% 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: $422 in Skopje 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 38% less than in Skopje. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $312 in Skopje 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 $1,094 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 29% less than in Skopje. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.