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: $818 in Stip versus $805 in Colombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,227 in Stip versus $1,206 in Colombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,636 in Stip versus $1,607 in Colombo.

Living in Stip is roughly 2% more expensive than in Colombo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Stip 40% lower, Colombo 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.59 MKD 403

$4.36 LKR 1,444

74.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.87 MKD 1,270

$25.64 LKR 8,489

-6.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.62 MKD 352

$7.51 LKR 2,486

-11.85%

Cappuccino

$1.86 MKD 99.2

$2.57 LKR 852

-27.63%

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

$1.47 MKD 78.0

$0.69 LKR 228

113.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MKD 61.7

$0.27 LKR 89.7

329.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 MKD 98.4

$2.23 LKR 739

-17.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 MKD 150

$3.07 LKR 1,015

-7.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 MKD 67.2

$1.61 LKR 535

-21.74%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 MKD 43.03

$0.57 LKR 189

42.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 MKD 61.8

$0.78 LKR 259

48.72%

Eggs

$2.58 MKD 137

$1.65 LKR 546

56.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.56 MKD 455

$13.07 LKR 4,327

-34.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.54 MKD 401

$5.05 LKR 1,672

49.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.47 MKD 397

$7.12 LKR 2,359

4.92%

Apples (1kg)

$0.91 MKD 48.36

$6.96 LKR 2,306

-86.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MKD 74.0

$0.82 LKR 272

69.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 MKD 72.2

$4.31 LKR 1,427

-68.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 MKD 87.6

$1.23 LKR 408

34.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 MKD 47.27

$1.00 LKR 331

-11.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 MKD 42.91

$0.81 LKR 267

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 MKD 28.79

$0.94 LKR 310

-42.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 MKD 23.37

$0.46 LKR 152

-4.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.37 MKD 179

$10.14 LKR 3,357

-66.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.53 MKD 400

$13.53 LKR 4,479

-44.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MKD 58.1

$1.91 LKR 633

-42.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 MKD 80.7

$2.85 LKR 944

-46.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 MKD 33.84

$0.17 LKR 55.6

276.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.64 MKD 1,204

$7.05 LKR 2,335

221.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 MKD 59.2

$0.38 LKR 127

192.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 MKD 34.00

$0.37 LKR 123

72.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 MKD 303

$0.88 LKR 292

546.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MKD 80.9

$1.35 LKR 447

12.59%

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

$35.9K MKD 1.9M

$37.2K LKR 12.3M

-3.37%

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

$28.0K MKD 1.5M

$40.9K LKR 13.5M

-31.54%

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

$162 MKD 8,598

$55.6 LKR 18.4K

191.00%

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

$9.28 MKD 493

$4.17 LKR 1,382

122.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.90 MKD 899

$20.52 LKR 6,793

-17.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.33 MKD 1,506

$14.69 LKR 4,864

92.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.82 LKR 1,926

Cinema Ticket

$6.61 MKD 352

$4.54 LKR 1,503

45.59%

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

$362 MKD 19.2K

$38.14 LKR 12.6K

848.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,660 MKD 301.0K

$1,226 LKR 406.0K

361.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.43 MKD 1,990

$19.94 LKR 6,601

87.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.64 MKD 1,682

$16.86 LKR 5,583

87.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MKD 5,602

$80.6 LKR 26.7K

30.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 MKD 6,102

$42.33 LKR 14.0K

171.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$205 MKD 10.9K

$601 LKR 198.9K

-65.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$130 MKD 6,931

$268 LKR 88.7K

-51.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$340 MKD 18.1K

$1,486 LKR 491.8K

-77.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$203 MKD 10.8K

$432 LKR 143.0K

-52.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,222 MKD 65.0K

$3,735 LKR 1.2M

-67.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,002 MKD 53.3K

$1,192 LKR 394.8K

-15.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$469 MKD 25.0K

$250 LKR 82.9K

87.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.23

12.69

-66.67%

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

Last update for Stip: September 15, 2026

Last update for Colombo: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $205 in Stip and $601 in Colombo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Stip pays 88% 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: $24.00 in Stip vs $26.00 in Colombo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $237 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 2% 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 88% 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: $205 in Stip versus $601 in Colombo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Stip pay roughly 29% 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 $26.00 versus $24.00 in Stip. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $805 in Colombo versus $818 in Stip, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Colombo but tight or insufficient in Stip. 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 $805 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 2% less than in Stip. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.