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: $733 in Colombo versus $889 in Strumica.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,166 in Colombo versus $1,282 in Strumica.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,598 in Colombo versus $1,674 in Strumica.

Living in Colombo costs roughly 18% less than in Strumica, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 45% lower, Strumica 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.08 LKR 1,301

$3.65 MKD 192

11.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.75 LKR 7,886

$28.37 MKD 1,490

-12.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 LKR 2,589

$4.99 MKD 262

62.73%

Cappuccino

$2.74 LKR 873

$1.66 MKD 87.3

65.06%

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

$0.68 LKR 216

$1.52 MKD 79.9

-55.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 128

$1.15 MKD 60.5

-65.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 LKR 725

$1.91 MKD 101

19.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 LKR 1,046

$2.21 MKD 116

48.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 LKR 559

$1.34 MKD 70.2

30.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 180

$0.73 MKD 38.17

-23.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 260

$1.79 MKD 93.8

-54.19%

Eggs

$2.12 LKR 677

$2.04 MKD 107

3.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.20 LKR 4,525

$10.14 MKD 533

40.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 LKR 1,495

$6.27 MKD 329

-25.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.89 LKR 2,513

$10.53 MKD 553

-25.07%

Apples (1kg)

$7.39 LKR 2,353

$0.64 MKD 33.50

1054.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 LKR 338

$1.45 MKD 76.2

-26.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.68 LKR 1,810

$1.20 MKD 62.9

373.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 LKR 389

$1.65 MKD 86.4

-26.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 369

$0.94 MKD 49.51

23.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 LKR 447

$0.89 MKD 46.53

57.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 LKR 377

$0.57 MKD 30.07

107.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 LKR 182

$0.57 MKD 29.89

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.90 LKR 3,156

$2.76 MKD 145

258.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.46 LKR 3,970

$5.56 MKD 292

124.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 LKR 648

$0.91 MKD 47.92

124.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 LKR 903

$1.20 MKD 63.1

135.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 LKR 58.6

$0.73 MKD 38.24

-75.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.09 LKR 1,621

$19.98 MKD 1,049

-74.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 123

$1.16 MKD 60.8

-66.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 112

$0.49 MKD 25.54

-28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 LKR 197

$6.69 MKD 351

-90.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 LKR 380

$1.43 MKD 74.9

-16.78%

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

$27.3K LKR 8.7M

$31.9K MKD 1.7M

-14.48%

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

$34.2K LKR 10.9M

$33.4K MKD 1.8M

2.21%

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

$60.9 LKR 19.4K

$146 MKD 7,672

-58.30%

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

$4.38 LKR 1,397

$13.29 MKD 698

-67.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.01 LKR 4,783

$15.59 MKD 819

-3.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.68 LKR 4,678

$20.90 MKD 1,098

-29.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.46 LKR 2,376

Cinema Ticket

$3.44 LKR 1,095

$4.74 MKD 249

-27.43%

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

$37.27 LKR 11.9K

$219 MKD 11.5K

-82.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$433 LKR 137.9K

$1,195 MKD 62.8K

-63.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.07 LKR 8,943

$77.7 MKD 4,083

-63.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.31 LKR 6,152

$47.91 MKD 2,516

-59.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.5 LKR 22.5K

$74.4 MKD 3,906

-5.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.98 LKR 12.4K

$93.1 MKD 4,891

-58.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 LKR 117.1K

$320 MKD 16.8K

14.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 LKR 57.0K

$244 MKD 12.8K

-26.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$970 LKR 309.0K

$496 MKD 26.0K

95.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$364 LKR 115.9K

$305 MKD 16.0K

19.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 LKR 1.1M

$1,546 MKD 81.2K

132.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,225 LKR 390.3K

$1,009 MKD 53.0K

21.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$241 LKR 76.6K

$659 MKD 34.6K

-63.50%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Strumica: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $368 in Colombo and $320 in Strumica. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Strumica pays 174% 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 $28.00 in Strumica. Groceries flip the comparison at $255 vs $186, 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 21% 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, Strumica earns 174% 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 $320 in Strumica. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Strumica 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 $28.00 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 $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 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 21% less than in Strumica. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.