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: $789 in Stip versus $725 in Colombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,143 in Stip versus $1,160 in Colombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,496 in Stip versus $1,595 in Colombo.

Living in Stip is roughly 9% more expensive than Colombo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Stip 41% lower, Colombo 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.75 MKD 305

$3.98 LKR 1,326

44.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.76 MKD 836

$25.39 LKR 8,469

-37.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.13 MKD 272

$8.59 LKR 2,865

-40.28%

Cappuccino

$1.90 MKD 101

$2.61 LKR 872

-27.20%

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

$1.82 MKD 96.4

$0.73 LKR 242

149.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 MKD 67.4

$0.38 LKR 126

234.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 MKD 119

$2.30 LKR 769

-3.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 MKD 148

$3.26 LKR 1,087

-14.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 MKD 71.0

$1.69 LKR 564

-20.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 MKD 37.79

$0.56 LKR 186

26.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 MKD 61.2

$0.82 LKR 274

40.24%

Eggs

$2.01 MKD 107

$2.21 LKR 738

-9.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.40 MKD 552

$14.16 LKR 4,724

-26.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.10 MKD 377

$4.74 LKR 1,581

49.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.64 MKD 405

$8.28 LKR 2,761

-7.73%

Apples (1kg)

$0.98 MKD 52.0

$7.44 LKR 2,480

-86.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MKD 76.2

$1.11 LKR 370

29.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 MKD 69.0

$5.89 LKR 1,966

-77.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 MKD 83.8

$1.20 LKR 400

31.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 MKD 51.4

$1.16 LKR 387

-16.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 MKD 74.0

$1.36 LKR 452

2.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 MKD 30.95

$1.19 LKR 396

-51.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 MKD 23.15

$0.60 LKR 201

-26.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 MKD 157

$10.17 LKR 3,392

-70.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.52 MKD 399

$12.86 LKR 4,290

-41.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 MKD 54.0

$2.11 LKR 703

-51.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 MKD 96.2

$2.99 LKR 997

-39.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 MKD 33.31

$0.19 LKR 64.5

231.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.24 MKD 1,074

$4.96 LKR 1,656

308.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 MKD 59.0

$0.39 LKR 129

184.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 25.90

$0.35 LKR 117

40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.54 MKD 294

$0.56 LKR 188

889.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 MKD 76.7

$1.26 LKR 421

15.08%

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

$31.4K MKD 1.7M

$26.8K LKR 9.0M

17.12%

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

$33.2K MKD 1.8M

$34.7K LKR 11.6M

-4.29%

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

$148 MKD 7,829

$60.9 LKR 20.3K

142.15%

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

$9.59 MKD 509

$4.29 LKR 1,433

123.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.54 MKD 825

$14.85 LKR 4,954

4.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.24 MKD 1,498

$14.58 LKR 4,862

93.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.44 LKR 2,482

Cinema Ticket

$4.76 MKD 252

$3.28 LKR 1,093

45.12%

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

$215 MKD 11.4K

$36.45 LKR 12.2K

490.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,179 MKD 62.6K

$440 LKR 146.8K

167.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.02 MKD 1,964

$28.09 LKR 9,369

31.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.45 MKD 1,722

$19.63 LKR 6,549

65.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 MKD 3,937

$70.0 LKR 23.3K

6.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 MKD 6,041

$38.80 LKR 12.9K

193.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$208 MKD 11.0K

$366 LKR 122.1K

-43.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$133 MKD 7,053

$174 LKR 58.1K

-23.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$335 MKD 17.8K

$937 LKR 312.5K

-64.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$204 MKD 10.8K

$366 LKR 122.1K

-44.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,208 MKD 64.1K

$3,583 LKR 1.2M

-66.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$985 MKD 52.3K

$1,157 LKR 385.9K

-14.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$469 MKD 24.9K

$240 LKR 80.0K

95.55%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Colombo: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $208 in Stip and $366 in Colombo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stip pays 96% 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 $259 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 9% 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.

Stip pays 96% more on average, 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: $208 in Stip versus $366 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 $725 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 9% less than in Stip. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.