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: $875 in Strumica versus $725 in Colombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,251 in Strumica versus $1,160 in Colombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,627 in Strumica versus $1,595 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 35% lower, Colombo 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.71 MKD 197

$3.98 LKR 1,326

-6.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.68 MKD 1,522

$25.39 LKR 8,469

12.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 MKD 264

$8.59 LKR 2,865

-42.14%

Cappuccino

$1.67 MKD 88.8

$2.61 LKR 872

-36.02%

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

$1.46 MKD 77.2

$0.73 LKR 242

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MKD 59.3

$0.38 LKR 126

194.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 MKD 97.6

$2.30 LKR 769

-20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 MKD 116

$3.26 LKR 1,087

-33.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 MKD 70.6

$1.69 LKR 564

-21.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 MKD 38.31

$0.56 LKR 186

28.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MKD 93.9

$0.82 LKR 274

115.85%

Eggs

$2.08 MKD 111

$2.21 LKR 738

-5.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.36 MKD 550

$14.16 LKR 4,724

-26.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.37 MKD 338

$4.74 LKR 1,581

34.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.38 MKD 551

$8.28 LKR 2,761

25.36%

Apples (1kg)

$0.68 MKD 36.07

$7.44 LKR 2,480

-90.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MKD 72.7

$1.11 LKR 370

23.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 MKD 65.3

$5.89 LKR 1,966

-79.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 MKD 85.5

$1.20 LKR 400

34.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 MKD 48.86

$1.16 LKR 387

-20.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 MKD 44.56

$1.36 LKR 452

-38.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 MKD 30.84

$1.19 LKR 396

-51.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MKD 28.60

$0.60 LKR 201

-10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.78 MKD 148

$10.17 LKR 3,392

-72.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.51 MKD 293

$12.86 LKR 4,290

-57.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 MKD 52.0

$2.11 LKR 703

-53.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 MKD 63.9

$2.99 LKR 997

-59.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MKD 38.56

$0.19 LKR 64.5

284.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.59 MKD 1,092

$4.96 LKR 1,656

315.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 MKD 58.3

$0.39 LKR 129

182.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MKD 26.24

$0.35 LKR 117

40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 MKD 358

$0.56 LKR 188

1105.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 MKD 79.5

$1.26 LKR 421

19.05%

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

$31.5K MKD 1.7M

$26.8K LKR 9.0M

17.34%

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

$33.3K MKD 1.8M

$34.7K LKR 11.6M

-3.93%

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

$143 MKD 7,586

$60.9 LKR 20.3K

134.63%

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

$13.40 MKD 711

$4.29 LKR 1,433

212.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.59 MKD 827

$14.85 LKR 4,954

4.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.32 MKD 1,078

$14.58 LKR 4,862

39.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.44 LKR 2,482

Cinema Ticket

$4.68 MKD 248

$3.28 LKR 1,093

42.68%

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

$223 MKD 11.8K

$36.45 LKR 12.2K

511.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,207 MKD 64.1K

$440 LKR 146.8K

174.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.1 MKD 4,036

$28.09 LKR 9,369

170.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.25 MKD 2,560

$19.63 LKR 6,549

145.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.9 MKD 3,922

$70.0 LKR 23.3K

5.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.0 MKD 4,935

$38.80 LKR 12.9K

139.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$324 MKD 17.2K

$366 LKR 122.1K

-11.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$244 MKD 13.0K

$174 LKR 58.1K

40.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 MKD 27.1K

$937 LKR 312.5K

-45.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 MKD 15.9K

$366 LKR 122.1K

-18.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,478 MKD 78.4K

$3,583 LKR 1.2M

-58.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,004 MKD 53.3K

$1,157 LKR 385.9K

-13.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MKD 35.3K

$240 LKR 80.0K

176.93%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Colombo: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $324 in Strumica and $366 in Colombo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Strumica pays 177% 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 $186 vs $259, 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 177% 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: $324 in Strumica versus $366 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 $725 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.