Cost of Living Comparison Between Sveti Nikole and Kocani Cost of Living Comparison Between Sveti Nikole and Kocani

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $878 in Sveti Nikole versus $871 in Kocani.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,333 in Sveti Nikole versus $1,344 in Kocani.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,788 in Sveti Nikole versus $1,817 in Kocani.

Living in Sveti Nikole is roughly 1% more expensive than in Kocani, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sveti Nikole 36% lower, Kocani 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.35 MKD 500

$9.52 MKD 510

-1.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.11 MKD 1,825

$35.59 MKD 1,905

-4.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.58 MKD 298

$6.58 MKD 352

-15.20%

Cappuccino

$1.70 MKD 91.2

$1.15 MKD 61.3

47.83%

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

$1.37 MKD 73.5

$1.51 MKD 80.9

-9.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 MKD 56.1

$1.15 MKD 61.4

-8.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.61 MKD 86.4

$2.75 MKD 147

-41.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 MKD 100

$3.32 MKD 178

-43.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MKD 73.7

$1.28 MKD 68.7

7.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 MKD 30.43

$0.63 MKD 33.68

-9.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 MKD 64.3

$1.72 MKD 92.0

-30.23%

Eggs

$2.65 MKD 142

$1.87 MKD 100.0

41.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.17 MKD 491

$6.60 MKD 353

38.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.80 MKD 257

$4.59 MKD 246

4.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.37 MKD 662

$8.26 MKD 442

49.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.33 MKD 70.9

$1.28 MKD 68.6

3.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 MKD 68.6

$1.42 MKD 75.8

-9.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 MKD 68.4

$1.29 MKD 69.0

-0.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 MKD 94.3

$1.83 MKD 97.8

-3.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 MKD 37.72

$0.72 MKD 38.63

-2.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 MKD 61.4

$0.86 MKD 46.04

33.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 MKD 44.30

$0.55 MKD 29.38

50.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 MKD 23.24

$0.49 MKD 26.40

-12.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 MKD 167

$3.63 MKD 194

-13.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.55 MKD 350

$3.72 MKD 199

76.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MKD 56.3

$0.85 MKD 45.62

23.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 MKD 81.1

$1.10 MKD 58.9

37.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MKD 40.99

$0.74 MKD 39.67

4.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.09 MKD 1,236

$23.81 MKD 1,275

-3.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 MKD 78.4

$1.14 MKD 61.1

28.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 MKD 56.8

$0.64 MKD 34.05

65.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 MKD 197

$3.31 MKD 177

11.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 MKD 80.4

$1.48 MKD 79.1

1.35%

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

$40.3K MKD 2.2M

$36.0K MKD 1.9M

12.16%

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

$28.6K MKD 1.5M

$28.4K MKD 1.5M

0.96%

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

$141 MKD 7,541

$165 MKD 8,819

-14.50%

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

$15.64 MKD 837

$18.04 MKD 965

-13.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.08 MKD 646

$15.29 MKD 818

-20.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.83 MKD 1,222

$16.84 MKD 901

35.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.30 MKD 1,033

$19.87 MKD 1,064

-2.87%

Cinema Ticket

$5.19 MKD 278

$7.73 MKD 414

-32.86%

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

$311 MKD 16.6K

$364 MKD 19.5K

-14.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,453 MKD 238.3K

$5,677 MKD 303.8K

-21.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.7 MKD 3,943

$65.6 MKD 3,509

12.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.73 MKD 1,752

$38.79 MKD 2,076

-15.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 MKD 4,528

$93.5 MKD 5,005

-9.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.6 MKD 4,742

$104 MKD 5,552

-14.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$257 MKD 13.8K

$278 MKD 14.9K

-7.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$199 MKD 10.6K

$194 MKD 10.4K

2.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 MKD 23.2K

$543 MKD 29.0K

-20.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 MKD 18.1K

$321 MKD 17.2K

5.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,542 MKD 82.5K

$1,617 MKD 86.5K

-4.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,157 MKD 61.9K

$1,019 MKD 54.5K

13.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$556 MKD 29.8K

$465 MKD 24.9K

19.70%

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 Sveti Nikole: September 13, 2026

Last update for Kocani: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $257 in Sveti Nikole and $278 in Kocani. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sveti Nikole pays 20% 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 Sveti Nikole vs $36.00 in Kocani. Groceries flip the comparison at $186 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

Sveti Nikole vs Kocani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sveti Nikole and Kocani differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($878 vs $871 including rent). Kocani is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 20% higher in Sveti Nikole, 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: $257 in Sveti Nikole 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 3% less than in Sveti Nikole. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $311 in Sveti Nikole versus $364 in Kocani. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Kocani gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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, Sveti Nikole 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 1% less than in Sveti Nikole. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.