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: $1,105 in Skopje versus $857 in Kocani.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,631 in Skopje versus $1,277 in Kocani.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,156 in Skopje versus $1,697 in Kocani.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.49 MKD 397

$5.68 MKD 302

31.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.48 MKD 1,830

$28.13 MKD 1,492

22.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.75 MKD 358

$5.11 MKD 271

32.09%

Cappuccino

$2.30 MKD 122

$1.15 MKD 61.3

100.00%

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

$2.01 MKD 106

$1.48 MKD 78.7

35.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 MKD 68.3

$1.15 MKD 60.9

12.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.60 MKD 138

$2.27 MKD 121

14.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 MKD 175

$2.73 MKD 145

20.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 MKD 71.0

$1.29 MKD 68.3

3.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 MKD 41.09

$0.54 MKD 28.91

42.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MKD 89.2

$1.54 MKD 81.6

9.09%

Eggs

$2.19 MKD 116

$1.92 MKD 102

14.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.35 MKD 496

$10.08 MKD 535

-7.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.76 MKD 412

$5.74 MKD 304

35.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.48 MKD 715

$13.64 MKD 724

-1.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.07 MKD 56.7

$0.71 MKD 37.93

50.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 MKD 75.3

$1.37 MKD 72.8

3.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 MKD 73.2

$1.31 MKD 69.7

5.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MKD 110

$1.54 MKD 81.9

35.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 MKD 46.94

$0.97 MKD 51.6

-9.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 MKD 49.41

$1.34 MKD 71.0

-30.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 MKD 36.58

$0.54 MKD 28.68

27.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MKD 29.71

$0.52 MKD 27.76

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 MKD 164

$2.96 MKD 157

4.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.29 MKD 387

$3.78 MKD 200

92.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 MKD 59.0

$0.99 MKD 52.6

12.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MKD 80.6

$1.81 MKD 96.2

-16.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 MKD 41.46

$0.69 MKD 36.50

13.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.09 MKD 1,491

$20.43 MKD 1,084

37.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 MKD 51.1

$1.15 MKD 61.0

-16.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MKD 26.27

$0.49 MKD 25.79

2.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.68 MKD 407

$3.77 MKD 200

103.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 MKD 78.8

$1.44 MKD 76.6

3.47%

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

$33.4K MKD 1.8M

$32.2K MKD 1.7M

3.63%

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

$29.1K MKD 1.5M

$33.6K MKD 1.8M

-13.41%

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

$159 MKD 8,449

$143 MKD 7,565

11.69%

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

$18.34 MKD 973

$17.50 MKD 928

4.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.12 MKD 1,015

$15.76 MKD 836

21.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.05 MKD 2,072

$20.37 MKD 1,081

91.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.56 MKD 932

Cinema Ticket

$6.47 MKD 343

$4.81 MKD 255

34.51%

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

$321 MKD 17.0K

$216 MKD 11.5K

48.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,590 MKD 243.5K

$1,201 MKD 63.7K

282.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.4 MKD 4,161

$77.2 MKD 4,097

1.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.02 MKD 2,070

$47.07 MKD 2,497

-17.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 MKD 5,328

$75.5 MKD 4,004

33.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MKD 5,970

$111 MKD 5,911

1.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 MKD 22.7K

$282 MKD 14.9K

52.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 MKD 16.6K

$195 MKD 10.3K

60.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 MKD 34.2K

$563 MKD 29.9K

14.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 MKD 24.1K

$315 MKD 16.7K

44.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,768 MKD 146.9K

$1,512 MKD 80.2K

83.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,796 MKD 95.3K

$1,239 MKD 65.7K

44.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$880 MKD 46.7K

$461 MKD 24.5K

90.76%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Kocani: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $429 in Skopje and $282 in Kocani. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Skopje pays 91% 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 $211 vs $187 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 ($1,105 vs $857 including rent). Kocani is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Skopje pays 91% 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: $429 in Skopje versus $282 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 37% less than in Skopje. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $321 in Skopje versus $216 in Kocani. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $857 in Kocani versus $1,105 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.