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: $727 in Colombo versus $771 in Stip.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,162 in Colombo versus $1,127 in Stip.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,596 in Colombo versus $1,484 in Stip.

Living in Colombo costs roughly 6% less than in Stip, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 45% lower, Stip 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.93 LKR 1,318

$5.51 MKD 294

-28.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.88 LKR 8,349

$16.00 MKD 855

55.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.46 LKR 2,839

$5.06 MKD 270

67.19%

Cappuccino

$2.74 LKR 920

$1.99 MKD 106

37.69%

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

$0.75 LKR 250

$1.81 MKD 96.6

-58.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 136

$1.26 MKD 67.5

-68.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 LKR 777

$2.23 MKD 119

4.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 LKR 1,098

$2.64 MKD 141

23.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 LKR 596

$1.35 MKD 71.9

31.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 188

$0.69 MKD 36.73

-18.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 LKR 293

$1.15 MKD 61.4

-24.35%

Eggs

$2.18 LKR 733

$2.02 MKD 108

7.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.99 LKR 4,694

$10.27 MKD 549

36.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 LKR 1,582

$7.25 MKD 388

-35.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.21 LKR 2,755

$7.64 MKD 408

7.46%

Apples (1kg)

$7.43 LKR 2,495

$0.97 MKD 51.9

665.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 LKR 356

$1.43 MKD 76.3

-25.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 LKR 1,923

$1.30 MKD 69.2

340.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 LKR 423

$1.59 MKD 84.9

-20.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 373

$0.96 MKD 51.3

15.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 LKR 476

$1.33 MKD 71.2

6.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 LKR 388

$0.57 MKD 30.61

103.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 187

$0.43 MKD 23.23

30.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.07 LKR 3,381

$2.93 MKD 157

243.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.68 LKR 4,254

$7.44 MKD 398

70.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 LKR 696

$0.95 MKD 50.7

118.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 LKR 997

$1.81 MKD 96.7

64.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 55.2

$0.63 MKD 33.69

-74.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.07 LKR 1,702

$20.35 MKD 1,087

-75.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 140

$1.14 MKD 61.1

-63.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 LKR 109

$0.50 MKD 26.53

-36.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 LKR 194

$5.54 MKD 296

-89.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 404

$1.45 MKD 77.4

-16.55%

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

$26.4K LKR 8.9M

$31.4K MKD 1.7M

-15.92%

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

$35.4K LKR 11.9M

$33.8K MKD 1.8M

4.79%

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

$59.7 LKR 20.0K

$142 MKD 7,600

-58.01%

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

$4.30 LKR 1,441

$9.13 MKD 488

-52.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.04 LKR 5,045

$15.26 MKD 815

-1.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.69 LKR 4,929

$28.65 MKD 1,531

-48.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.27 LKR 2,441

Cinema Ticket

$3.45 LKR 1,157

$4.67 MKD 249

-26.12%

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

$36.16 LKR 12.1K

$219 MKD 11.7K

-83.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$448 LKR 150.2K

$1,198 MKD 64.0K

-62.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.11 LKR 9,097

$38.29 MKD 2,046

-29.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.30 LKR 6,478

$32.50 MKD 1,737

-40.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.6 LKR 23.7K

$75.3 MKD 4,026

-6.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.20 LKR 13.2K

$112 MKD 6,006

-65.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 LKR 123.5K

$203 MKD 10.8K

81.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 LKR 60.1K

$131 MKD 7,007

36.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$940 LKR 315.4K

$332 MKD 17.8K

182.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 LKR 123.8K

$206 MKD 11.0K

78.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,615 LKR 1.2M

$1,214 MKD 64.9K

197.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,180 LKR 395.9K

$1,004 MKD 53.6K

17.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$244 LKR 81.9K

$468 MKD 25.0K

-47.82%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Stip: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $368 in Colombo and $203 in Stip. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stip pays 92% 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 $258 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 6% 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 92% 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: $368 in Colombo versus $203 in Stip. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Stip pay roughly 39% 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 $727 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 6% less than in Stip. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.