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: $1,112 in Skopje versus $865 in Kocani.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,614 in Skopje versus $1,276 in Kocani.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,116 in Skopje versus $1,687 in Kocani.

Living in Skopje is roughly 28% more expensive than Kocani, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Skopje 17% lower, Kocani 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.46 MKD 391

$5.57 MKD 292

33.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.99 MKD 1,782

$28.51 MKD 1,494

19.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.64 MKD 348

$5.13 MKD 269

29.43%

Cappuccino

$2.28 MKD 120

$1.16 MKD 61.0

96.55%

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

$2.00 MKD 105

$1.52 MKD 79.5

31.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 MKD 64.7

$1.11 MKD 58.2

10.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 MKD 141

$2.29 MKD 120

17.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 MKD 172

$2.79 MKD 146

17.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 MKD 67.3

$1.28 MKD 67.1

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 MKD 39.97

$0.55 MKD 28.62

38.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MKD 88.7

$1.53 MKD 80.1

10.46%

Eggs

$2.26 MKD 119

$1.91 MKD 100

18.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.47 MKD 496

$10.33 MKD 541

-8.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.08 MKD 423

$5.71 MKD 299

41.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.54 MKD 710

$13.30 MKD 697

1.80%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 MKD 56.1

$0.77 MKD 40.61

38.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 MKD 70.9

$1.43 MKD 75.0

-5.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 MKD 69.1

$1.27 MKD 66.4

3.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MKD 111

$1.47 MKD 76.9

44.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 MKD 45.64

$0.98 MKD 51.1

-11.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 MKD 51.0

$1.35 MKD 70.6

-28.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 MKD 35.69

$0.57 MKD 29.88

19.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MKD 29.20

$0.52 MKD 27.48

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 MKD 172

$3.05 MKD 160

7.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.81 MKD 409

$3.79 MKD 199

106.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MKD 56.1

$0.93 MKD 48.55

15.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 MKD 77.9

$1.85 MKD 97.0

-19.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 MKD 37.47

$0.68 MKD 35.51

4.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.22 MKD 1,479

$20.01 MKD 1,049

41.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MKD 51.2

$1.15 MKD 60.2

-14.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 25.51

$0.50 MKD 26.01

-2.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.58 MKD 397

$3.73 MKD 195

103.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 MKD 76.4

$1.50 MKD 78.5

-2.67%

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

$33.4K MKD 1.7M

$31.6K MKD 1.7M

5.49%

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

$29.9K MKD 1.6M

$33.6K MKD 1.8M

-11.05%

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

$160 MKD 8,384

$143 MKD 7,514

11.57%

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

$17.86 MKD 936

$17.16 MKD 899

4.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.97 MKD 994

$15.81 MKD 828

19.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.57 MKD 2,074

$20.42 MKD 1,070

93.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.62 MKD 923

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 MKD 347

$4.82 MKD 253

37.34%

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

$323 MKD 16.9K

$219 MKD 11.5K

47.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,523 MKD 237.0K

$1,217 MKD 63.8K

271.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.5 MKD 4,064

$77.5 MKD 4,063

0.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.27 MKD 2,058

$47.48 MKD 2,488

-17.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MKD 5,354

$75.8 MKD 3,973

34.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 MKD 5,820

$111 MKD 5,842

-0.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 MKD 22.8K

$285 MKD 14.9K

52.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$308 MKD 16.1K

$195 MKD 10.2K

57.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$622 MKD 32.6K

$557 MKD 29.2K

11.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$463 MKD 24.3K

$307 MKD 16.1K

50.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,867 MKD 150.2K

$1,587 MKD 83.2K

80.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,823 MKD 95.5K

$1,232 MKD 64.5K

48.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$888 MKD 46.6K

$473 MKD 24.8K

87.74%

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: April 22, 2026

Last update for Kocani: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $435 in Skopje and $285 in Kocani. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Skopje pays 88% 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 in Skopje vs $29 in Kocani for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $213 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

Skopje vs Kocani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Skopje and Kocani differ by about 28% in total monthly costs ($1,112 vs $865 including rent). Kocani is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Skopje pays 88% 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: $435 in Skopje 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 41% less than in Skopje. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $323 in Skopje 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 $1,112 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 28% less than in Skopje. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.