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: $1,191 in Tbilisi versus $849 in Kocani.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,856 in Tbilisi versus $1,281 in Kocani.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,522 in Tbilisi versus $1,713 in Kocani.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 40% more expensive than in Kocani, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 11% lower, Kocani 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.91 ₾28.56

$5.48 MKD 293

99.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.19 ₾113

$27.76 MKD 1,484

55.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 ₾22.31

$4.96 MKD 265

71.98%

Cappuccino

$2.99 ₾7.81

$1.12 MKD 59.8

166.96%

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

$0.81 ₾2.12

$1.52 MKD 81.2

-46.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₾1.09

$1.15 MKD 61.4

-63.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 ₾5.65

$2.30 MKD 123

-6.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₾7.52

$2.69 MKD 144

7.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ₾5.08

$1.23 MKD 65.8

57.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$0.57 MKD 30.49

19.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.83

$1.47 MKD 78.6

25.85%

Eggs

$2.53 ₾6.62

$1.90 MKD 101

33.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.53 ₾19.69

$10.32 MKD 552

-27.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 ₾16.39

$5.55 MKD 297

12.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.59 ₾25.09

$13.30 MKD 711

-27.89%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 ₾3.04

$0.76 MKD 40.73

52.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.29

$1.40 MKD 74.8

17.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.93

$1.26 MKD 67.3

49.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.84

$1.48 MKD 79.1

50.68%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$0.98 MKD 52.5

-28.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₾1.68

$1.29 MKD 69.1

-50.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.09

$0.59 MKD 31.30

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$0.53 MKD 28.16

32.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 ₾7.78

$2.96 MKD 158

0.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.43 ₾19.45

$3.64 MKD 194

104.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.03

$0.98 MKD 52.4

57.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₾5.98

$1.79 MKD 95.7

27.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.93

$0.69 MKD 37.00

-47.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.73 ₾38.54

$20.42 MKD 1,091

-27.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ₾3.71

$1.15 MKD 61.4

23.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.81

$0.53 MKD 28.32

30.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.27 ₾19.02

$3.78 MKD 202

92.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.86

$1.49 MKD 79.6

-26.85%

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

$18.3K ₾47.9K

$31.6K MKD 1.7M

-41.94%

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

$20.5K ₾53.6K

$34.3K MKD 1.8M

-40.31%

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

$74.4 ₾195

$146 MKD 7,778

-48.91%

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

$11.71 ₾30.63

$17.45 MKD 933

-32.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ₾46.06

$15.29 MKD 817

15.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.3 ₾158

$20.89 MKD 1,116

188.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.29 ₾42.63

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.03

$4.81 MKD 257

35.34%

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

$269 ₾704

$217 MKD 11.6K

23.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,154 ₾13.5K

$1,203 MKD 64.3K

328.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.1 ₾202

$77.3 MKD 4,133

-0.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.48 ₾114

$48.39 MKD 2,586

-10.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾310

$76.3 MKD 4,075

55.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾295

$111 MKD 5,917

1.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 ₾1,856

$279 MKD 14.9K

153.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 ₾1,215

$193 MKD 10.3K

140.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 ₾3,442

$554 MKD 29.6K

137.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$767 ₾2,007

$304 MKD 16.3K

151.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,492 ₾6,522

$1,446 MKD 77.3K

72.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,442 ₾3,773

$1,254 MKD 67.0K

14.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$663 ₾1,735

$466 MKD 24.9K

42.12%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Kocani: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $709 in Tbilisi and $279 in Kocani. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 42% 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: $43.00 in Tbilisi vs $28.00 in Kocani for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 vs $185 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 40% in total monthly costs ($1,191 vs $849 including rent). Kocani is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 42% higher in Tbilisi, 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: $709 in Tbilisi versus $279 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 39% less than in Tbilisi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $269 in Tbilisi versus $217 in Kocani. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $849 in Kocani versus $1,191 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 40% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.