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: $805 in Colombo versus $818 in Stip.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,206 in Colombo versus $1,227 in Stip.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,607 in Colombo versus $1,636 in Stip.

Living in Colombo costs roughly 2% less than in Stip, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 41% lower, Stip 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.36 LKR 1,444

$7.59 MKD 403

-42.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.64 LKR 8,489

$23.87 MKD 1,270

7.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.51 LKR 2,486

$6.62 MKD 352

13.44%

Cappuccino

$2.57 LKR 852

$1.86 MKD 99.2

38.17%

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

$0.69 LKR 228

$1.47 MKD 78.0

-53.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 89.7

$1.16 MKD 61.7

-76.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 LKR 739

$1.85 MKD 98.4

20.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 LKR 1,015

$2.83 MKD 150

8.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 LKR 535

$1.26 MKD 67.2

27.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 LKR 189

$0.81 MKD 43.03

-29.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.78 LKR 259

$1.16 MKD 61.8

-32.76%

Eggs

$1.65 LKR 546

$2.58 MKD 137

-36.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.07 LKR 4,327

$8.56 MKD 455

52.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 LKR 1,672

$7.54 MKD 401

-33.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.12 LKR 2,359

$7.47 MKD 397

-4.69%

Apples (1kg)

$6.96 LKR 2,306

$0.91 MKD 48.36

664.84%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 272

$1.39 MKD 74.0

-41.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.31 LKR 1,427

$1.36 MKD 72.2

216.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 LKR 408

$1.65 MKD 87.6

-25.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 LKR 331

$0.89 MKD 47.27

12.36%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 267

$0.81 MKD 42.91

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 LKR 310

$0.54 MKD 28.79

74.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 LKR 152

$0.44 MKD 23.37

4.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.14 LKR 3,357

$3.37 MKD 179

200.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.53 LKR 4,479

$7.53 MKD 400

79.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 LKR 633

$1.09 MKD 58.1

75.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 LKR 944

$1.52 MKD 80.7

87.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 LKR 55.6

$0.64 MKD 33.84

-73.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.05 LKR 2,335

$22.64 MKD 1,204

-68.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 127

$1.11 MKD 59.2

-65.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 LKR 123

$0.64 MKD 34.00

-42.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 LKR 292

$5.69 MKD 303

-84.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 LKR 447

$1.52 MKD 80.9

-11.18%

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

$37.2K LKR 12.3M

$35.9K MKD 1.9M

3.49%

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

$40.9K LKR 13.5M

$28.0K MKD 1.5M

46.07%

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

$55.6 LKR 18.4K

$162 MKD 8,598

-65.64%

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

$4.17 LKR 1,382

$9.28 MKD 493

-55.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.52 LKR 6,793

$16.90 MKD 899

21.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.69 LKR 4,864

$28.33 MKD 1,506

-48.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.82 LKR 1,926

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 LKR 1,503

$6.61 MKD 352

-31.32%

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

$38.14 LKR 12.6K

$362 MKD 19.2K

-89.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,226 LKR 406.0K

$5,660 MKD 301.0K

-78.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.94 LKR 6,601

$37.43 MKD 1,990

-46.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.86 LKR 5,583

$31.64 MKD 1,682

-46.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.6 LKR 26.7K

$105 MKD 5,602

-23.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.33 LKR 14.0K

$115 MKD 6,102

-63.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$601 LKR 198.9K

$205 MKD 10.9K

193.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 LKR 88.7K

$130 MKD 6,931

105.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,486 LKR 491.8K

$340 MKD 18.1K

336.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 LKR 143.0K

$203 MKD 10.8K

112.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,735 LKR 1.2M

$1,222 MKD 65.0K

205.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,192 LKR 394.8K

$1,002 MKD 53.3K

18.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$250 LKR 82.9K

$469 MKD 25.0K

-46.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

4.23

200.00%

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

Last update for Colombo: September 15, 2026

Last update for Stip: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $601 in Colombo and $205 in Stip. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stip pays 88% 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: $26.00 in Colombo vs $24.00 in Stip for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $183 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 2% 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, salaries run 88% lower in Stip. 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: $601 in Colombo versus $205 in Stip. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Stip pay roughly 29% 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 $26.00 versus $24.00 in Stip. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $805 in Colombo versus $818 in Stip, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Colombo but tight or insufficient in Stip. The gap between the two cities makes Colombo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Colombo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $805 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 2% less than in Stip. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.