Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Stip Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Stip

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $733 in Colombo versus $791 in Stip.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,166 in Colombo versus $1,157 in Stip.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,598 in Colombo versus $1,523 in Stip.

Living in Colombo costs roughly 7% less than in Stip, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 45% lower, Stip 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.08 LKR 1,302

$5.78 MKD 305

-29.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.75 LKR 7,894

$16.17 MKD 853

53.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 LKR 2,591

$4.96 MKD 262

63.71%

Cappuccino

$2.74 LKR 874

$1.98 MKD 104

38.38%

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

$0.68 LKR 216

$1.82 MKD 95.9

-62.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 129

$1.28 MKD 67.5

-68.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 LKR 726

$2.31 MKD 122

-1.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 LKR 1,047

$2.69 MKD 142

21.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 LKR 559

$1.28 MKD 67.5

36.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 180

$0.72 MKD 37.89

-22.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 261

$1.16 MKD 61.0

-29.31%

Eggs

$2.12 LKR 677

$2.09 MKD 110

1.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.20 LKR 4,529

$10.20 MKD 538

39.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 LKR 1,496

$7.30 MKD 385

-35.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.89 LKR 2,515

$7.36 MKD 388

7.20%

Apples (1kg)

$7.39 LKR 2,355

$0.97 MKD 51.0

661.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 LKR 339

$1.43 MKD 75.4

-25.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.68 LKR 1,812

$1.26 MKD 66.2

350.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 LKR 389

$1.59 MKD 83.6

-23.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 369

$0.97 MKD 51.3

19.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 LKR 447

$1.38 MKD 72.7

1.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 LKR 377

$0.59 MKD 31.00

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 LKR 182

$0.44 MKD 23.25

29.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.90 LKR 3,159

$3.07 MKD 162

222.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.46 LKR 3,974

$7.75 MKD 409

60.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 LKR 649

$0.99 MKD 52.5

106.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 LKR 904

$1.87 MKD 98.8

51.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 LKR 58.7

$0.68 MKD 35.62

-73.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.09 LKR 1,622

$20.40 MKD 1,076

-75.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 123

$1.10 MKD 58.0

-64.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 112

$0.50 MKD 26.25

-30.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 LKR 197

$5.53 MKD 292

-88.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 LKR 381

$1.44 MKD 75.7

-17.36%

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

$27.3K LKR 8.7M

$32.4K MKD 1.7M

-15.77%

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

$34.2K LKR 10.9M

$33.6K MKD 1.8M

1.89%

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

$60.9 LKR 19.4K

$143 MKD 7,529

-57.34%

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

$4.38 LKR 1,398

$9.46 MKD 499

-53.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.01 LKR 4,788

$15.75 MKD 831

-4.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.68 LKR 4,682

$28.10 MKD 1,482

-47.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.46 LKR 2,379

Cinema Ticket

$3.44 LKR 1,096

$4.65 MKD 245

-26.02%

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

$37.27 LKR 11.9K

$223 MKD 11.8K

-83.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$433 LKR 138.0K

$1,202 MKD 63.4K

-63.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.07 LKR 8,951

$37.86 MKD 1,996

-25.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.31 LKR 6,158

$31.53 MKD 1,663

-38.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.5 LKR 22.5K

$75.4 MKD 3,973

-6.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.98 LKR 12.4K

$112 MKD 5,897

-65.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 LKR 117.2K

$207 MKD 10.9K

77.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 LKR 57.0K

$134 MKD 7,044

33.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$970 LKR 309.3K

$337 MKD 17.7K

188.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$364 LKR 116.0K

$205 MKD 10.8K

77.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 LKR 1.1M

$1,237 MKD 65.2K

190.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,225 LKR 390.7K

$1,003 MKD 52.9K

22.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$241 LKR 76.7K

$484 MKD 25.5K

-50.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

7.1

131.69%

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

Last update for Colombo: April 26, 2026

Last update for Stip: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $368 in Colombo and $207 in Stip. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stip pays 101% 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: $25.00 in Colombo vs $16.00 in Stip for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $255 vs $186 per month, with Stip 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

Colombo vs Stip: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Colombo wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Stip. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Colombo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Stip earns 101% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $368 in Colombo versus $207 in Stip. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Stip pay roughly 37% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Colombo – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $16.00 in Stip. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Colombo gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Colombo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $733 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Colombo hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Colombo and Stip 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 Colombo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Stip. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.