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: $857 in Sveti Nikole versus $865 in Kocani.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,310 in Sveti Nikole versus $1,276 in Kocani.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,764 in Sveti Nikole versus $1,687 in Kocani.

Living in Sveti Nikole costs roughly 1% less than in Kocani, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sveti Nikole 36% lower, Kocani 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.55 MKD 291

$5.57 MKD 292

-0.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.22 MKD 1,479

$28.51 MKD 1,494

-1.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 MKD 258

$5.13 MKD 269

-3.90%

Cappuccino

$1.73 MKD 90.5

$1.16 MKD 61.0

49.14%

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

$1.64 MKD 86.2

$1.52 MKD 79.5

7.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 MKD 64.7

$1.11 MKD 58.2

10.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 MKD 120

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 MKD 138

$2.79 MKD 146

-5.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 MKD 66.5

$1.28 MKD 67.1

-0.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 MKD 35.81

$0.55 MKD 28.62

23.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 MKD 92.2

$1.53 MKD 80.1

15.03%

Eggs

$2.10 MKD 110

$1.91 MKD 100

9.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.69 MKD 455

$10.33 MKD 541

-15.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.23 MKD 326

$5.71 MKD 299

9.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.38 MKD 701

$13.30 MKD 697

0.60%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 MKD 53.1

$0.77 MKD 40.61

31.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MKD 75.7

$1.43 MKD 75.0

0.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 MKD 66.6

$1.27 MKD 66.4

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 MKD 86.1

$1.47 MKD 76.9

11.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 MKD 45.50

$0.98 MKD 51.1

-11.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 MKD 48.62

$1.35 MKD 70.6

-31.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 MKD 31.67

$0.57 MKD 29.88

5.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MKD 29.38

$0.52 MKD 27.48

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.08 MKD 161

$3.05 MKD 160

0.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.88 MKD 308

$3.79 MKD 199

55.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 MKD 52.8

$0.93 MKD 48.55

8.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 MKD 76.4

$1.85 MKD 97.0

-21.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 MKD 33.12

$0.68 MKD 35.51

-7.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.31 MKD 1,065

$20.01 MKD 1,049

1.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 MKD 66.8

$1.15 MKD 60.2

11.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MKD 27.83

$0.50 MKD 26.01

6.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.44 MKD 337

$3.73 MKD 195

72.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 MKD 76.0

$1.50 MKD 78.5

-3.33%

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

$32.0K MKD 1.7M

$31.6K MKD 1.7M

1.21%

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

$29.6K MKD 1.6M

$33.6K MKD 1.8M

-11.78%

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

$142 MKD 7,457

$143 MKD 7,514

-0.76%

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

$17.96 MKD 941

$17.16 MKD 899

4.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.31 MKD 802

$15.81 MKD 828

-3.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.51 MKD 1,389

$20.42 MKD 1,070

29.82%

Cinema Ticket

$4.84 MKD 254

$4.82 MKD 253

0.41%

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

$217 MKD 11.4K

$219 MKD 11.5K

-1.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,196 MKD 62.7K

$1,217 MKD 63.8K

-1.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MKD 3,976

$77.5 MKD 4,063

-2.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.87 MKD 2,089

$47.48 MKD 2,488

-16.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 MKD 3,853

$75.8 MKD 3,973

-3.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 MKD 5,828

$111 MKD 5,842

-0.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 MKD 14.8K

$285 MKD 14.9K

-0.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$196 MKD 10.3K

$195 MKD 10.2K

0.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$573 MKD 30.0K

$557 MKD 29.2K

2.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 MKD 16.2K

$307 MKD 16.1K

0.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,620 MKD 84.9K

$1,587 MKD 83.2K

2.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,222 MKD 64.0K

$1,232 MKD 64.5K

-0.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$768 MKD 40.3K

$473 MKD 24.8K

62.33%

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 Sveti Nikole: April 21, 2026

Last update for Kocani: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $282 in Sveti Nikole and $285 in Kocani. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sveti Nikole pays 62% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $28 in Sveti Nikole vs $29 in Kocani. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $186, 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 ($857 vs $865 including rent). Sveti Nikole is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Sveti Nikole pays 62% 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: $282 in Sveti Nikole versus $285 in Kocani. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sveti Nikole runs roughly 1% less than in Kocani. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $217 in Sveti Nikole versus $219 in Kocani. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Sveti Nikole 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 Sveti Nikole gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Kocani. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.