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: $725 in Colombo versus $789 in Stip.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,160 in Colombo versus $1,143 in Stip.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,595 in Colombo versus $1,496 in Stip.

Living in Colombo costs roughly 8% less than in Stip, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 46% lower, Stip 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.98 LKR 1,326

$5.75 MKD 305

-30.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.39 LKR 8,469

$15.76 MKD 836

61.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.59 LKR 2,865

$5.13 MKD 272

67.45%

Cappuccino

$2.61 LKR 872

$1.90 MKD 101

37.37%

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

$0.73 LKR 242

$1.82 MKD 96.4

-59.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 126

$1.27 MKD 67.4

-70.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 LKR 769

$2.23 MKD 119

3.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 LKR 1,087

$2.79 MKD 148

16.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 LKR 564

$1.34 MKD 71.0

26.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 186

$0.71 MKD 37.79

-21.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 274

$1.15 MKD 61.2

-28.70%

Eggs

$2.21 LKR 738

$2.01 MKD 107

9.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.16 LKR 4,724

$10.40 MKD 552

36.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.74 LKR 1,581

$7.10 MKD 377

-33.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.28 LKR 2,761

$7.64 MKD 405

8.38%

Apples (1kg)

$7.44 LKR 2,480

$0.98 MKD 52.0

659.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 370

$1.44 MKD 76.2

-22.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.89 LKR 1,966

$1.30 MKD 69.0

353.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 LKR 400

$1.58 MKD 83.8

-24.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 387

$0.97 MKD 51.4

19.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 LKR 452

$1.39 MKD 74.0

-2.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 LKR 396

$0.58 MKD 30.95

105.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 LKR 201

$0.44 MKD 23.15

36.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.17 LKR 3,392

$2.96 MKD 157

243.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.86 LKR 4,290

$7.52 MKD 399

71.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 LKR 703

$1.02 MKD 54.0

106.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 LKR 997

$1.81 MKD 96.2

65.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 LKR 64.5

$0.63 MKD 33.31

-69.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.96 LKR 1,656

$20.24 MKD 1,074

-75.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 129

$1.11 MKD 59.0

-64.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 117

$0.49 MKD 25.90

-28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 LKR 188

$5.54 MKD 294

-89.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 421

$1.45 MKD 76.7

-13.10%

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

$26.8K LKR 9.0M

$31.4K MKD 1.7M

-14.62%

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

$34.7K LKR 11.6M

$33.2K MKD 1.8M

4.48%

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

$60.9 LKR 20.3K

$148 MKD 7,829

-58.70%

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

$4.29 LKR 1,433

$9.59 MKD 509

-55.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.85 LKR 4,954

$15.54 MKD 825

-4.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.58 LKR 4,862

$28.24 MKD 1,498

-48.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.44 LKR 2,482

Cinema Ticket

$3.28 LKR 1,093

$4.76 MKD 252

-31.09%

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

$36.45 LKR 12.2K

$215 MKD 11.4K

-83.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$440 LKR 146.8K

$1,179 MKD 62.6K

-62.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.09 LKR 9,369

$37.02 MKD 1,964

-24.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.63 LKR 6,549

$32.45 MKD 1,722

-39.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.0 LKR 23.3K

$74.2 MKD 3,937

-5.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.80 LKR 12.9K

$114 MKD 6,041

-65.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$366 LKR 122.1K

$208 MKD 11.0K

76.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 LKR 58.1K

$133 MKD 7,053

30.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$937 LKR 312.5K

$335 MKD 17.8K

179.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 LKR 122.1K

$204 MKD 10.8K

79.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,583 LKR 1.2M

$1,208 MKD 64.1K

196.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,157 LKR 385.9K

$985 MKD 52.3K

17.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$240 LKR 80.0K

$469 MKD 24.9K

-48.86%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Stip: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $366 in Colombo and $208 in Stip. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stip pays 96% 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 $259 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 9% 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 96% 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: $366 in Colombo versus $208 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 $725 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 9% less than in Stip. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.