Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Strumica Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Strumica

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $727 in Colombo versus $864 in Strumica.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,162 in Colombo versus $1,243 in Strumica.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,596 in Colombo versus $1,621 in Strumica.

Living in Colombo costs roughly 16% less than in Strumica, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 45% lower, Strumica 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.93 LKR 1,316

$3.65 MKD 196

7.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.88 LKR 8,337

$28.65 MKD 1,541

-13.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.46 LKR 2,834

$5.03 MKD 270

68.19%

Cappuccino

$2.74 LKR 919

$1.73 MKD 92.9

58.38%

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

$0.75 LKR 250

$1.52 MKD 81.6

-50.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 135

$1.16 MKD 62.4

-65.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 LKR 776

$1.86 MKD 100

24.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 LKR 1,097

$2.24 MKD 120

45.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 LKR 595

$1.36 MKD 73.0

30.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 188

$0.72 MKD 38.77

-22.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 LKR 293

$1.78 MKD 96.0

-51.12%

Eggs

$2.18 LKR 731

$2.08 MKD 112

4.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.99 LKR 4,687

$10.35 MKD 557

35.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 LKR 1,579

$6.19 MKD 333

-23.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.21 LKR 2,751

$10.37 MKD 557

-20.83%

Apples (1kg)

$7.43 LKR 2,491

$0.65 MKD 34.91

1043.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 LKR 355

$1.39 MKD 74.7

-23.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 LKR 1,920

$1.21 MKD 65.1

373.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 LKR 423

$1.63 MKD 87.8

-22.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 372

$0.87 MKD 46.93

27.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 LKR 475

$0.88 MKD 47.10

61.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 LKR 388

$0.57 MKD 30.74

103.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 187

$0.56 MKD 30.15

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.07 LKR 3,376

$2.79 MKD 150

260.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.68 LKR 4,248

$5.43 MKD 292

133.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 LKR 695

$0.96 MKD 51.6

116.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 LKR 995

$1.21 MKD 65.0

145.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 55.1

$0.76 MKD 41.06

-78.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.07 LKR 1,700

$20.46 MKD 1,100

-75.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 140

$1.12 MKD 60.0

-62.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 LKR 109

$0.49 MKD 26.53

-34.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 LKR 194

$6.47 MKD 348

-91.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 404

$1.43 MKD 76.9

-15.38%

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

$26.4K LKR 8.8M

$31.5K MKD 1.7M

-16.21%

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

$35.4K LKR 11.9M

$33.5K MKD 1.8M

5.48%

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

$59.7 LKR 20.0K

$146 MKD 7,841

-59.05%

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

$4.30 LKR 1,439

$13.21 MKD 711

-67.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.04 LKR 5,038

$15.52 MKD 835

-3.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.69 LKR 4,921

$20.37 MKD 1,095

-27.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.27 LKR 2,437

Cinema Ticket

$3.45 LKR 1,155

$4.63 MKD 249

-25.49%

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

$36.16 LKR 12.1K

$215 MKD 11.6K

-83.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$448 LKR 150.0K

$1,201 MKD 64.6K

-62.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.11 LKR 9,084

$76.3 MKD 4,105

-64.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.30 LKR 6,468

$47.06 MKD 2,531

-58.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.6 LKR 23.7K

$75.7 MKD 4,072

-6.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.20 LKR 13.1K

$95.2 MKD 5,121

-58.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 LKR 123.3K

$323 MKD 17.4K

13.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 LKR 60.1K

$239 MKD 12.8K

-24.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$940 LKR 315.0K

$511 MKD 27.5K

84.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 LKR 123.7K

$304 MKD 16.3K

21.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,615 LKR 1.2M

$1,474 MKD 79.2K

145.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,180 LKR 395.3K

$996 MKD 53.6K

18.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$244 LKR 81.8K

$652 MKD 35.1K

-62.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

311.25%

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

Last update for Colombo: July 28, 2026

Last update for Strumica: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $368 in Colombo and $323 in Strumica. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Strumica pays 167% 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 $29.00 in Strumica. Groceries flip the comparison at $258 vs $185, with Strumica cheaper for home cooking.

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 Strumica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Colombo wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Strumica. 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 167% lower in Strumica. 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 $323 in Strumica. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Strumica 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 $29.00 in Strumica. 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 Strumica 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 19% less than in Strumica. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.