Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Kocani Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Kocani

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,199 in Tbilisi versus $865 in Kocani.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,833 in Tbilisi versus $1,276 in Kocani.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,466 in Tbilisi versus $1,687 in Kocani.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 39% more expensive than Kocani, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 11% lower, Kocani 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.86 ₾29.20

$5.57 MKD 292

94.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.33 ₾117

$28.51 MKD 1,494

51.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.25 ₾22.19

$5.13 MKD 269

60.82%

Cappuccino

$3.10 ₾8.33

$1.16 MKD 61.0

167.24%

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

$0.80 ₾2.15

$1.52 MKD 79.5

-47.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.24

$1.11 MKD 58.2

-58.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 ₾5.81

$2.29 MKD 120

-5.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 ₾7.92

$2.79 MKD 146

5.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.19

$1.28 MKD 67.1

50.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 ₾1.81

$0.55 MKD 28.62

21.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 ₾4.91

$1.53 MKD 80.1

18.95%

Eggs

$2.56 ₾6.88

$1.91 MKD 100

34.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.61 ₾20.48

$10.33 MKD 541

-26.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 ₾17.50

$5.71 MKD 299

14.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.67 ₾26.00

$13.30 MKD 697

-27.29%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 ₾3.12

$0.77 MKD 40.61

50.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ₾4.36

$1.43 MKD 75.0

13.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾5.04

$1.27 MKD 66.4

47.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 ₾6.26

$1.47 MKD 76.9

58.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.75

$0.98 MKD 51.1

-33.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₾1.70

$1.35 MKD 70.6

-53.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.17

$0.57 MKD 29.88

107.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.90

$0.52 MKD 27.48

34.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 ₾8.17

$3.05 MKD 160

-0.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.27 ₾19.56

$3.79 MKD 199

91.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₾4.27

$0.93 MKD 48.55

70.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 ₾6.18

$1.85 MKD 97.0

24.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.96

$0.68 MKD 35.51

-47.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.68 ₾39.48

$20.01 MKD 1,049

-26.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾4.03

$1.15 MKD 60.2

30.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 ₾1.87

$0.50 MKD 26.01

40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.35 ₾19.78

$3.73 MKD 195

97.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₾3.05

$1.50 MKD 78.5

-24.67%

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

$18.2K ₾49.0K

$31.6K MKD 1.7M

-42.35%

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

$20.2K ₾54.5K

$33.6K MKD 1.8M

-39.69%

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

$74.0 ₾199

$143 MKD 7,514

-48.42%

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

$11.87 ₾31.93

$17.16 MKD 899

-30.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.55 ₾47.20

$15.81 MKD 828

11.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.3 ₾162

$20.42 MKD 1,070

195.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.69 ₾44.89

Cinema Ticket

$6.73 ₾18.10

$4.82 MKD 253

39.63%

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

$261 ₾703

$219 MKD 11.5K

19.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,146 ₾13.8K

$1,217 MKD 63.8K

322.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.6 ₾209

$77.5 MKD 4,063

0.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.48 ₾117

$47.48 MKD 2,488

-8.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾318

$75.8 MKD 3,973

56.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾298

$111 MKD 5,842

-0.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$703 ₾1,891

$285 MKD 14.9K

147.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$457 ₾1,231

$195 MKD 10.2K

134.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,346 ₾3,621

$557 MKD 29.2K

141.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₾2,120

$307 MKD 16.1K

156.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,560 ₾6,885

$1,587 MKD 83.2K

61.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,443 ₾3,881

$1,232 MKD 64.5K

17.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$648 ₾1,742

$473 MKD 24.8K

36.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

7.1

67.46%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: April 21, 2026

Last update for Kocani: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $703 in Tbilisi and $285 in Kocani. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 37% 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: $43 in Tbilisi vs $29 in Kocani for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 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

Tbilisi vs Kocani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi and Kocani differ by about 39% in total monthly costs ($1,199 vs $865 including rent). Kocani is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Tbilisi pays 37% 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: $703 in Tbilisi 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 36% less than in Tbilisi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $261 in Tbilisi 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 $1,199 in Tbilisi, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kocani but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. 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, Tbilisi 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 39% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.