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: $791 in Stip versus $733 in Colombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,157 in Stip versus $1,166 in Colombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,523 in Stip versus $1,598 in Colombo.

Living in Stip is roughly 8% more expensive than Colombo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Stip 41% lower, Colombo 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.78 MKD 304

$4.08 LKR 1,301

41.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.17 MKD 849

$24.75 LKR 7,886

-34.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.96 MKD 261

$8.12 LKR 2,589

-38.92%

Cappuccino

$1.98 MKD 104

$2.74 LKR 873

-27.74%

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

$1.82 MKD 95.6

$0.68 LKR 216

167.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 MKD 67.2

$0.40 LKR 128

220.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 MKD 121

$2.28 LKR 725

1.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 MKD 141

$3.28 LKR 1,046

-17.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 MKD 67.2

$1.75 LKR 559

-26.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 MKD 37.73

$0.56 LKR 180

28.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 MKD 60.7

$0.82 LKR 260

41.46%

Eggs

$2.09 MKD 110

$2.12 LKR 677

-1.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MKD 536

$14.20 LKR 4,525

-28.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.30 MKD 383

$4.69 LKR 1,495

55.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.36 MKD 386

$7.89 LKR 2,513

-6.72%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 MKD 50.8

$7.39 LKR 2,353

-86.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MKD 75.1

$1.06 LKR 338

34.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 MKD 65.9

$5.68 LKR 1,810

-77.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 MKD 83.3

$1.22 LKR 389

30.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 MKD 51.1

$1.16 LKR 369

-16.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 MKD 72.4

$1.40 LKR 447

-1.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 MKD 30.88

$1.18 LKR 377

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 MKD 23.16

$0.57 LKR 182

-22.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 MKD 161

$9.90 LKR 3,156

-68.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.75 MKD 407

$12.46 LKR 3,970

-37.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 MKD 52.3

$2.04 LKR 648

-51.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 MKD 98.4

$2.83 LKR 903

-33.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MKD 35.48

$0.18 LKR 58.6

277.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.40 MKD 1,071

$5.09 LKR 1,621

300.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 MKD 57.8

$0.39 LKR 123

182.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 MKD 26.15

$0.35 LKR 112

42.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.53 MKD 290

$0.62 LKR 197

791.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MKD 75.4

$1.19 LKR 380

21.01%

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

$32.4K MKD 1.7M

$27.3K LKR 8.7M

18.72%

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

$33.6K MKD 1.8M

$34.2K LKR 10.9M

-1.85%

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

$143 MKD 7,499

$60.9 LKR 19.4K

134.43%

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

$9.46 MKD 497

$4.38 LKR 1,397

115.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.75 MKD 827

$15.01 LKR 4,783

4.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.10 MKD 1,476

$14.68 LKR 4,678

91.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.46 LKR 2,376

Cinema Ticket

$4.65 MKD 244

$3.44 LKR 1,095

35.17%

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

$223 MKD 11.7K

$37.27 LKR 11.9K

498.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,202 MKD 63.1K

$433 LKR 137.9K

177.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.86 MKD 1,988

$28.07 LKR 8,943

34.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.53 MKD 1,656

$19.31 LKR 6,152

63.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.4 MKD 3,957

$70.5 LKR 22.5K

6.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 MKD 5,873

$38.98 LKR 12.4K

186.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$207 MKD 10.9K

$368 LKR 117.1K

-43.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$134 MKD 7,016

$179 LKR 57.0K

-25.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$337 MKD 17.7K

$970 LKR 309.0K

-65.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$205 MKD 10.8K

$364 LKR 115.9K

-43.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,237 MKD 65.0K

$3,591 LKR 1.1M

-65.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,003 MKD 52.7K

$1,225 LKR 390.3K

-18.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$484 MKD 25.4K

$241 LKR 76.6K

101.26%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Colombo: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $207 in Stip and $368 in Colombo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stip pays 101% 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 $255 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 8% 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 101% 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: $207 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 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 $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 $733 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 8% less than in Stip. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.