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: $864 in Strumica versus $727 in Colombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,243 in Strumica versus $1,162 in Colombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,621 in Strumica versus $1,596 in Colombo.

Living in Strumica is roughly 19% more expensive than in Colombo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Strumica 35% lower, Colombo 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.65 MKD 196

$3.93 LKR 1,316

-7.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.65 MKD 1,541

$24.88 LKR 8,337

15.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.03 MKD 270

$8.46 LKR 2,834

-40.54%

Cappuccino

$1.73 MKD 92.9

$2.74 LKR 919

-36.86%

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

$1.52 MKD 81.6

$0.75 LKR 250

102.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MKD 62.4

$0.40 LKR 135

190.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 MKD 100

$2.32 LKR 776

-19.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 MKD 120

$3.27 LKR 1,097

-31.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 MKD 73.0

$1.78 LKR 595

-23.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 MKD 38.77

$0.56 LKR 188

28.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 MKD 96.0

$0.87 LKR 293

104.60%

Eggs

$2.08 MKD 112

$2.18 LKR 731

-4.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.35 MKD 557

$13.99 LKR 4,687

-26.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 MKD 333

$4.71 LKR 1,579

31.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.37 MKD 557

$8.21 LKR 2,751

26.31%

Apples (1kg)

$0.65 MKD 34.91

$7.43 LKR 2,491

-91.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MKD 74.7

$1.06 LKR 355

31.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 MKD 65.1

$5.73 LKR 1,920

-78.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 MKD 87.8

$1.26 LKR 423

29.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 MKD 46.93

$1.11 LKR 372

-21.62%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 MKD 47.10

$1.42 LKR 475

-38.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 MKD 30.74

$1.16 LKR 388

-50.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MKD 30.15

$0.56 LKR 187

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.79 MKD 150

$10.07 LKR 3,376

-72.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.43 MKD 292

$12.68 LKR 4,248

-57.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 MKD 51.6

$2.08 LKR 695

-53.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 MKD 65.0

$2.97 LKR 995

-59.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MKD 41.06

$0.16 LKR 55.1

375.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.46 MKD 1,100

$5.07 LKR 1,700

303.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 MKD 60.0

$0.42 LKR 140

166.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 26.53

$0.32 LKR 109

53.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.47 MKD 348

$0.58 LKR 194

1015.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 MKD 76.9

$1.21 LKR 404

18.18%

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

$31.5K MKD 1.7M

$26.4K LKR 8.8M

19.35%

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

$33.5K MKD 1.8M

$35.4K LKR 11.9M

-5.19%

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

$146 MKD 7,841

$59.7 LKR 20.0K

144.19%

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

$13.21 MKD 711

$4.30 LKR 1,439

207.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.52 MKD 835

$15.04 LKR 5,038

3.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.37 MKD 1,095

$14.69 LKR 4,921

38.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.27 LKR 2,437

Cinema Ticket

$4.63 MKD 249

$3.45 LKR 1,155

34.20%

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

$215 MKD 11.6K

$36.16 LKR 12.1K

495.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,201 MKD 64.6K

$448 LKR 150.0K

168.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.3 MKD 4,105

$27.11 LKR 9,084

181.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.06 MKD 2,531

$19.30 LKR 6,468

143.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.7 MKD 4,072

$70.6 LKR 23.7K

7.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.2 MKD 5,121

$39.20 LKR 13.1K

142.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$323 MKD 17.4K

$368 LKR 123.3K

-12.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 MKD 12.8K

$179 LKR 60.1K

33.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 MKD 27.5K

$940 LKR 315.0K

-45.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$304 MKD 16.3K

$369 LKR 123.7K

-17.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,474 MKD 79.2K

$3,615 LKR 1.2M

-59.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$996 MKD 53.6K

$1,180 LKR 395.3K

-15.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 MKD 35.1K

$244 LKR 81.8K

167.17%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Colombo: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $323 in Strumica and $368 in Colombo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Strumica pays 167% 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: $29.00 in Strumica vs $25.00 in Colombo. Groceries flip the comparison at $185 vs $258, 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 19% 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.

Average pay runs 167% higher in Strumica, 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: $323 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 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 $29.00 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 $727 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 19% less than in Strumica. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.