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: $789 in Colombo versus $910 in Strumica.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,200 in Colombo versus $1,275 in Strumica.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,610 in Colombo versus $1,640 in Strumica.

Living in Colombo costs roughly 13% less than in Strumica, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 43% lower, Strumica 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.38 LKR 1,440

$3.68 MKD 194

19.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.76 LKR 8,464

$23.33 MKD 1,233

10.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.60 LKR 2,499

$3.84 MKD 203

97.92%

Cappuccino

$2.45 LKR 804

$1.60 MKD 84.4

53.13%

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

$0.74 LKR 243

$1.43 MKD 75.6

-48.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 81.4

$1.21 MKD 63.9

-79.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 LKR 737

$1.95 MKD 103

14.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 LKR 979

$2.05 MKD 109

45.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 LKR 520

$1.29 MKD 67.9

22.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 172

$0.82 MKD 43.56

-36.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 267

$1.81 MKD 95.9

-55.25%

Eggs

$1.64 LKR 539

$2.31 MKD 122

-29.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.18 LKR 4,332

$8.61 MKD 455

53.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.06 LKR 1,663

$6.32 MKD 334

-19.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.14 LKR 2,347

$10.37 MKD 548

-31.15%

Apples (1kg)

$6.69 LKR 2,198

$0.69 MKD 36.57

869.57%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 288

$1.48 MKD 78.2

-40.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.35 LKR 1,429

$1.25 MKD 66.2

248.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.29 LKR 425

$2.14 MKD 113

-39.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 LKR 330

$0.87 MKD 45.71

14.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 263

$0.84 MKD 44.32

-4.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 LKR 310

$0.65 MKD 34.12

44.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 162

$0.62 MKD 32.97

-20.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.36 LKR 3,403

$2.80 MKD 148

270.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.67 LKR 4,492

$5.75 MKD 304

137.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 LKR 646

$0.94 MKD 49.52

108.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 LKR 948

$1.25 MKD 66.2

131.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 LKR 57.2

$0.78 MKD 41.44

-78.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.29 LKR 2,397

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 127

$1.11 MKD 58.5

-64.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 LKR 127

$0.65 MKD 34.15

-40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 LKR 312

$8.07 MKD 426

-88.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 LKR 439

$1.60 MKD 84.3

-16.25%

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

$30.0K LKR 9.9M

$36.6K MKD 1.9M

-18.09%

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

$42.5K LKR 14.0M

$28.6K MKD 1.5M

48.44%

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

$55.4 LKR 18.2K

$154 MKD 8,154

-64.14%

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

$4.06 LKR 1,333

$13.20 MKD 697

-69.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.56 LKR 6,755

$18.60 MKD 983

10.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.69 LKR 4,827

$20.43 MKD 1,079

-28.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.92 LKR 1,947

Cinema Ticket

$4.43 LKR 1,456

$7.07 MKD 374

-37.34%

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

$38.87 LKR 12.8K

$383 MKD 20.2K

-89.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,212 LKR 398.2K

$5,508 MKD 291.0K

-78.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.17 LKR 6,626

$91.7 MKD 4,842

-77.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.47 LKR 5,411

$39.33 MKD 2,078

-58.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.9 LKR 26.6K

$110 MKD 5,810

-26.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.13 LKR 14.2K

$95.1 MKD 5,024

-54.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$554 LKR 182.2K

$323 MKD 17.0K

71.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$251 LKR 82.3K

$239 MKD 12.7K

4.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 LKR 519.5K

$506 MKD 26.7K

212.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 LKR 134.7K

$296 MKD 15.6K

38.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,725 LKR 1.2M

$1,535 MKD 81.1K

142.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 LKR 397.9K

$1,008 MKD 53.3K

20.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$252 LKR 82.7K

$653 MKD 34.5K

-61.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

217.25%

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

Last update for Colombo: September 7, 2026

Last update for Strumica: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $554 in Colombo and $323 in Strumica. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Strumica pays 160% 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 $23.00 in Strumica for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $187 per month, with Strumica 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 Strumica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Colombo wins on cost – living expenses run 15% 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 160% 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: $554 in Colombo versus $323 in Strumica. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $38.87 in Colombo versus $383 in Strumica. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Colombo – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $23.00 in Strumica. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $789 in Colombo versus $910 in Strumica, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Colombo but tight or insufficient in Strumica. 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 $789 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 15% less than in Strumica. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.