Cost of Living Comparison Between Strumica and Colombo Cost of Living Comparison Between Strumica and Colombo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $889 in Strumica versus $733 in Colombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,282 in Strumica versus $1,166 in Colombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,674 in Strumica versus $1,598 in Colombo.

Living in Strumica is roughly 21% more expensive than Colombo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Strumica 34% lower, Colombo 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.65 MKD 192

$4.08 LKR 1,301

-10.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.37 MKD 1,490

$24.75 LKR 7,886

14.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.99 MKD 262

$8.12 LKR 2,589

-38.55%

Cappuccino

$1.66 MKD 87.3

$2.74 LKR 873

-39.42%

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

$1.52 MKD 79.9

$0.68 LKR 216

123.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MKD 60.5

$0.40 LKR 128

187.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 MKD 101

$2.28 LKR 725

-16.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 MKD 116

$3.28 LKR 1,046

-32.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 MKD 70.2

$1.75 LKR 559

-23.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 MKD 38.17

$0.56 LKR 180

30.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 MKD 93.8

$0.82 LKR 260

118.29%

Eggs

$2.04 MKD 107

$2.12 LKR 677

-3.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.14 MKD 533

$14.20 LKR 4,525

-28.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.27 MKD 329

$4.69 LKR 1,495

33.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.53 MKD 553

$7.89 LKR 2,513

33.46%

Apples (1kg)

$0.64 MKD 33.50

$7.39 LKR 2,353

-91.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MKD 76.2

$1.06 LKR 338

36.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 MKD 62.9

$5.68 LKR 1,810

-78.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 MKD 86.4

$1.22 LKR 389

35.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 MKD 49.51

$1.16 LKR 369

-18.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 MKD 46.53

$1.40 LKR 447

-36.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 MKD 30.07

$1.18 LKR 377

-51.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MKD 29.89

$0.57 LKR 182

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.76 MKD 145

$9.90 LKR 3,156

-72.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.56 MKD 292

$12.46 LKR 3,970

-55.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 MKD 47.92

$2.04 LKR 648

-55.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 MKD 63.1

$2.83 LKR 903

-57.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MKD 38.24

$0.18 LKR 58.6

305.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.98 MKD 1,049

$5.09 LKR 1,621

292.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MKD 60.8

$0.39 LKR 123

197.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 25.54

$0.35 LKR 112

40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 MKD 351

$0.62 LKR 197

979.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 MKD 74.9

$1.19 LKR 380

20.17%

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

$31.9K MKD 1.7M

$27.3K LKR 8.7M

16.93%

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

$33.4K MKD 1.8M

$34.2K LKR 10.9M

-2.16%

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

$146 MKD 7,672

$60.9 LKR 19.4K

139.83%

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

$13.29 MKD 698

$4.38 LKR 1,397

203.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.59 MKD 819

$15.01 LKR 4,783

3.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.90 MKD 1,098

$14.68 LKR 4,678

42.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.46 LKR 2,376

Cinema Ticket

$4.74 MKD 249

$3.44 LKR 1,095

37.79%

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

$219 MKD 11.5K

$37.27 LKR 11.9K

487.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,195 MKD 62.8K

$433 LKR 137.9K

176.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 MKD 4,083

$28.07 LKR 8,943

176.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.91 MKD 2,516

$19.31 LKR 6,152

148.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.4 MKD 3,906

$70.5 LKR 22.5K

5.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 MKD 4,891

$38.98 LKR 12.4K

138.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$320 MKD 16.8K

$368 LKR 117.1K

-12.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$244 MKD 12.8K

$179 LKR 57.0K

36.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$496 MKD 26.0K

$970 LKR 309.0K

-48.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 MKD 16.0K

$364 LKR 115.9K

-16.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,546 MKD 81.2K

$3,591 LKR 1.1M

-56.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,009 MKD 53.0K

$1,225 LKR 390.3K

-17.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$659 MKD 34.6K

$241 LKR 76.6K

174.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

-75.68%

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

Last update for Strumica: April 28, 2026

Last update for Colombo: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $320 in Strumica and $368 in Colombo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Strumica pays 174% 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: $28.00 in Strumica vs $25.00 in Colombo. Groceries flip the comparison at $186 vs $255, 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

Strumica vs Colombo: 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.

Strumica pays 174% 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: $320 in Strumica versus $368 in Colombo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Strumica 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 $28.00 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 $733 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Colombo hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Strumica 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 21% less than in Strumica. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.