Cost of Living Comparison Between Stip and Colombo Cost of Living Comparison Between Stip and Colombo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $771 in Stip versus $727 in Colombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,127 in Stip versus $1,162 in Colombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,484 in Stip versus $1,596 in Colombo.

Living in Stip is roughly 6% more expensive than in Colombo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Stip 42% lower, Colombo 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.51 MKD 294

$3.93 LKR 1,318

40.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.00 MKD 855

$24.88 LKR 8,349

-35.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 MKD 270

$8.46 LKR 2,839

-40.19%

Cappuccino

$1.99 MKD 106

$2.74 LKR 920

-27.37%

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

$1.81 MKD 96.6

$0.75 LKR 250

141.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 MKD 67.5

$0.40 LKR 136

215.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 MKD 119

$2.32 LKR 777

-3.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 MKD 141

$3.27 LKR 1,098

-19.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 MKD 71.9

$1.78 LKR 596

-24.16%

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 MKD 36.73

$0.56 LKR 188

23.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 MKD 61.4

$0.87 LKR 293

32.18%

Eggs

$2.02 MKD 108

$2.18 LKR 733

-7.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.27 MKD 549

$13.99 LKR 4,694

-26.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.25 MKD 388

$4.71 LKR 1,582

53.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 MKD 408

$8.21 LKR 2,755

-6.94%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 MKD 51.9

$7.43 LKR 2,495

-86.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MKD 76.3

$1.06 LKR 356

34.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 MKD 69.2

$5.73 LKR 1,923

-77.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 MKD 84.9

$1.26 LKR 423

26.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 MKD 51.3

$1.11 LKR 373

-13.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MKD 71.2

$1.42 LKR 476

-6.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 MKD 30.61

$1.16 LKR 388

-50.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 MKD 23.23

$0.56 LKR 187

-23.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 MKD 157

$10.07 LKR 3,381

-70.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.44 MKD 398

$12.68 LKR 4,254

-41.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 MKD 50.7

$2.08 LKR 696

-54.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 MKD 96.7

$2.97 LKR 997

-39.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 MKD 33.69

$0.16 LKR 55.2

293.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.35 MKD 1,087

$5.07 LKR 1,702

301.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 MKD 61.1

$0.42 LKR 140

171.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MKD 26.53

$0.32 LKR 109

56.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.54 MKD 296

$0.58 LKR 194

855.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 MKD 77.4

$1.21 LKR 404

19.83%

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

$31.4K MKD 1.7M

$26.4K LKR 8.9M

18.93%

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

$33.8K MKD 1.8M

$35.4K LKR 11.9M

-4.57%

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

$142 MKD 7,600

$59.7 LKR 20.0K

138.14%

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

$9.13 MKD 488

$4.30 LKR 1,441

112.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.26 MKD 815

$15.04 LKR 5,045

1.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.65 MKD 1,531

$14.69 LKR 4,929

95.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.27 LKR 2,441

Cinema Ticket

$4.67 MKD 249

$3.45 LKR 1,157

35.36%

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

$219 MKD 11.7K

$36.16 LKR 12.1K

506.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,198 MKD 64.0K

$448 LKR 150.2K

167.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.29 MKD 2,046

$27.11 LKR 9,097

41.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.50 MKD 1,737

$19.30 LKR 6,478

68.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.3 MKD 4,026

$70.6 LKR 23.7K

6.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 MKD 6,006

$39.20 LKR 13.2K

186.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$203 MKD 10.8K

$368 LKR 123.5K

-44.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$131 MKD 7,007

$179 LKR 60.1K

-26.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$332 MKD 17.8K

$940 LKR 315.4K

-64.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$206 MKD 11.0K

$369 LKR 123.8K

-44.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,214 MKD 64.9K

$3,615 LKR 1.2M

-66.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,004 MKD 53.6K

$1,180 LKR 395.9K

-14.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$468 MKD 25.0K

$244 LKR 81.9K

91.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

16.45

-56.84%

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

Last update for Stip: July 26, 2026

Last update for Colombo: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $203 in Stip and $368 in Colombo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stip pays 92% 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: $16.00 in Stip vs $25.00 in Colombo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $186 vs $258 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

Stip vs Colombo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Colombo wins on cost – living expenses run 6% 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.

Average pay runs 92% higher in Stip, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $203 in Stip versus $368 in Colombo. 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 $727 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Colombo hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Stip and Colombo 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 6% less than in Stip. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.