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: $725 in Colombo versus $875 in Strumica.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,160 in Colombo versus $1,251 in Strumica.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,595 in Colombo versus $1,627 in Strumica.

Living in Colombo costs roughly 17% less than in Strumica, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 46% lower, Strumica 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.98 LKR 1,326

$3.71 MKD 197

7.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.39 LKR 8,469

$28.68 MKD 1,522

-11.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.59 LKR 2,865

$4.97 MKD 264

72.84%

Cappuccino

$2.61 LKR 872

$1.67 MKD 88.8

56.29%

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

$0.73 LKR 242

$1.46 MKD 77.2

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 126

$1.12 MKD 59.3

-66.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 LKR 769

$1.84 MKD 97.6

25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 LKR 1,087

$2.18 MKD 116

49.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 LKR 564

$1.33 MKD 70.6

27.07%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 186

$0.72 MKD 38.31

-22.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 274

$1.77 MKD 93.9

-53.67%

Eggs

$2.21 LKR 738

$2.08 MKD 111

6.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.16 LKR 4,724

$10.36 MKD 550

36.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.74 LKR 1,581

$6.37 MKD 338

-25.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.28 LKR 2,761

$10.38 MKD 551

-20.23%

Apples (1kg)

$7.44 LKR 2,480

$0.68 MKD 36.07

994.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 370

$1.37 MKD 72.7

-18.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.89 LKR 1,966

$1.23 MKD 65.3

378.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 LKR 400

$1.61 MKD 85.5

-25.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 387

$0.92 MKD 48.86

26.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 LKR 452

$0.84 MKD 44.56

61.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 LKR 396

$0.58 MKD 30.84

105.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 LKR 201

$0.54 MKD 28.60

11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.17 LKR 3,392

$2.78 MKD 148

265.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.86 LKR 4,290

$5.51 MKD 293

133.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 LKR 703

$0.98 MKD 52.0

115.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 LKR 997

$1.20 MKD 63.9

149.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 LKR 64.5

$0.73 MKD 38.56

-73.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.96 LKR 1,656

$20.59 MKD 1,092

-75.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 129

$1.10 MKD 58.3

-64.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 117

$0.49 MKD 26.24

-28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 LKR 188

$6.75 MKD 358

-91.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 421

$1.50 MKD 79.5

-16.00%

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

$26.8K LKR 9.0M

$31.5K MKD 1.7M

-14.78%

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

$34.7K LKR 11.6M

$33.3K MKD 1.8M

4.09%

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

$60.9 LKR 20.3K

$143 MKD 7,586

-57.38%

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

$4.29 LKR 1,433

$13.40 MKD 711

-67.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.85 LKR 4,954

$15.59 MKD 827

-4.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.58 LKR 4,862

$20.32 MKD 1,078

-28.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.44 LKR 2,482

Cinema Ticket

$3.28 LKR 1,093

$4.68 MKD 248

-29.91%

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

$36.45 LKR 12.2K

$223 MKD 11.8K

-83.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$440 LKR 146.8K

$1,207 MKD 64.1K

-63.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.09 LKR 9,369

$76.1 MKD 4,036

-63.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.63 LKR 6,549

$48.25 MKD 2,560

-59.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.0 LKR 23.3K

$73.9 MKD 3,922

-5.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.80 LKR 12.9K

$93.0 MKD 4,935

-58.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$366 LKR 122.1K

$324 MKD 17.2K

13.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 LKR 58.1K

$244 MKD 13.0K

-28.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$937 LKR 312.5K

$511 MKD 27.1K

83.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 LKR 122.1K

$300 MKD 15.9K

21.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,583 LKR 1.2M

$1,478 MKD 78.4K

142.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,157 LKR 385.9K

$1,004 MKD 53.3K

15.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$240 LKR 80.0K

$664 MKD 35.3K

-63.89%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Strumica: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $366 in Colombo and $324 in Strumica. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Strumica pays 177% 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 $259 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 177% 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 $324 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 $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 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.