Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sofia and Kocani

For one person, living is cheaper in Kocani: $866 a month against $1,600 in Sofia, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

78

Cost of Living Index in Sofia
Learn more

Sofia Living Index
42

Cost of Living Index in Kocani
Learn more

Kocani Living Index

Jump to prices

Sofia

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,600

/mo nomad

Kocani

🇲🇰 North Macedonia

$866

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sofia and in Kocani

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sofia and in Kocani actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,600 in Sofia versus $866 in Kocani.

Sofia $1,600
Kocani $866

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,490 in Sofia versus $1,310 in Kocani.

Sofia $2,490
Kocani $1,310

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,380 in Sofia versus $1,753 in Kocani.

Sofia $3,380
Kocani $1,753

Living in Sofia is roughly 85% more expensive than in Kocani, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sofia is 18% above, Kocani is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.96 BGN 29.51

$9.43 MKD 514

79.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.3 BGN 119

$34.53 MKD 1,884

97.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.62 BGN 20.21

$6.33 MKD 345

83.57%

Cappuccino

$3.43 BGN 5.98

$1.08 MKD 58.8

217.59%

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

$2.34 BGN 4.08

$1.43 MKD 78.1

63.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 BGN 3.19

$1.06 MKD 58.1

72.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.41 BGN 5.93

$2.80 MKD 153

21.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 BGN 7.73

$3.02 MKD 165

47.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 BGN 3.42

$1.22 MKD 66.8

61.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 BGN 2.59

$0.57 MKD 31.35

161.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 BGN 4.05

$1.67 MKD 91.0

39.52%

Eggs

$4.41 BGN 7.68

$1.81 MKD 98.7

143.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.54 BGN 20.08

$6.39 MKD 348

80.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.88 BGN 15.44

$4.29 MKD 234

106.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.51 BGN 30.46

$8.07 MKD 440

116.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 BGN 3.74

$1.24 MKD 67.7

73.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 BGN 3.60

$1.37 MKD 74.7

51.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 BGN 3.37

$1.23 MKD 67.3

56.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.25 BGN 7.39

$1.77 MKD 96.4

140.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 BGN 1.79

$0.70 MKD 38.20

47.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 BGN 1.54

$0.83 MKD 45.16

6.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 BGN 2.07

$0.53 MKD 28.66

124.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 BGN 1.55

$0.46 MKD 25.25

93.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 BGN 7.35

$3.35 MKD 183

26.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.87 BGN 13.69

$3.73 MKD 204

110.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 BGN 2.06

$0.80 MKD 43.41

47.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 BGN 3.29

$1.11 MKD 60.4

70.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 BGN 1.62

$1.40 MKD 76.4

-33.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.30 BGN 49.24

$23.25 MKD 1,268

21.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 BGN 2.93

$1.11 MKD 60.3

51.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 BGN 1.68

$0.57 MKD 31.18

68.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.36 BGN 26.73

$3.13 MKD 171

390.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.77 BGN 3.09

$1.36 MKD 74.1

30.15%

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

$30.5K BGN 53.1K

$35.1K MKD 1.9M

-13.25%

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

$25.1K BGN 43.6K

$27.4K MKD 1.5M

-8.54%

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

$157 BGN 273

$157 MKD 8,580

-0.13%

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

$21.12 BGN 36.74

$17.56 MKD 958

20.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.32 BGN 26.65

$14.78 MKD 806

3.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.39 BGN 80.7

$16.63 MKD 907

178.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.09 BGN 48.87

$17.58 MKD 959

59.78%

Cinema Ticket

$10.04 BGN 17.46

$7.23 MKD 395

38.87%

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

$775 BGN 1,348

$351 MKD 19.2K

120.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K BGN 21.8K

$5,780 MKD 315.3K

116.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.1 BGN 153

$63.5 MKD 3,463

38.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.39 BGN 72.0

$36.70 MKD 2,002

12.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 BGN 186

$92.2 MKD 5,027

15.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 BGN 185

$101 MKD 5,503

5.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$770 BGN 1,340

$273 MKD 14.9K

181.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$602 BGN 1,048

$193 MKD 10.5K

211.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,564 BGN 2,721

$492 MKD 26.8K

218.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,036 BGN 1,803

$301 MKD 16.4K

244.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,567 BGN 7,946

$1,498 MKD 81.7K

204.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,162 BGN 5,502

$1,172 MKD 63.9K

169.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,742 BGN 3,031

$455 MKD 24.8K

282.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.89

4.23

-31.68%

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

Last update for Sofia: October 19, 2026

Last update for Kocani: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Sofia

$602 37.6%

Kocani

$193 22.3% 67.9% $409

Groceries & Markets

Sofia

$291 18.2%

Kocani

$150 17.3% 48.4% $141

Eating Out

Sofia

$254 15.9%

Kocani

$137 15.9% 46% $117

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sofia

$194 12.1%

Kocani

$190 21.9% 2% $3.9

Clothing & Footwear

Sofia

$154 9.6%

Kocani

$132 15.2% 14.4% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Sofia

$66 4.2%

Kocani

$31 3.6% 53.2% $35

Getting Around

Sofia

$39 2.4%

Kocani

$33 3.8% 14.8% $5.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $770 in Sofia and $273 in Kocani. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sofia pays 282% 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: $68.0 in Sofia vs $35.00 in Kocani for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $150 per month, with Kocani cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Sofia

🇲🇰 Kocani

🕒 Local time

00:43 12:43 AM

23:43 11:43 PM

1 h behind Sofia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,286,383 Capital

29,000

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

North Macedonian Denar MKD ден

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

100 MKD = 1.83 USD

100 MKD = 1.63 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MKD, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇬 Bulgarian Lev (лв.)

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

North Macedonian Denar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 54.55 MKD (100 MKD = 1.83 USD). 1 EUR = 61.33 MKD (100 MKD = 1.63 EUR).

USD to BGN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Sofia Kocani 110 km

From you

Sofia
Kocani

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Sofia vs Kocani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sofia and Kocani differ by about 85% in total monthly costs ($1,600 vs $866 including rent). Kocani is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 282% higher in Sofia, 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: $770 in Sofia versus $273 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 22% less than in Sofia. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $775 in Sofia versus $351 in Kocani. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $866 in Kocani versus $1,600 in Sofia, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kocani but tight or insufficient in Sofia. 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, Sofia 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 85% less than in Sofia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.