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: $910 in Strumica versus $789 in Colombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,275 in Strumica versus $1,200 in Colombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,640 in Strumica versus $1,610 in Colombo.

Living in Strumica is roughly 15% more expensive than in Colombo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Strumica 34% lower, Colombo 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.68 MKD 194

$4.38 LKR 1,440

-15.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.33 MKD 1,233

$25.76 LKR 8,464

-9.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.84 MKD 203

$7.60 LKR 2,499

-49.47%

Cappuccino

$1.60 MKD 84.4

$2.45 LKR 804

-34.69%

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

$1.43 MKD 75.6

$0.74 LKR 243

93.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 MKD 63.9

$0.25 LKR 81.4

384.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 MKD 103

$2.24 LKR 737

-12.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 MKD 109

$2.98 LKR 979

-31.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MKD 67.9

$1.58 LKR 520

-18.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 MKD 43.56

$0.52 LKR 172

57.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 MKD 95.9

$0.81 LKR 267

123.46%

Eggs

$2.31 MKD 122

$1.64 LKR 539

40.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.61 MKD 455

$13.18 LKR 4,332

-34.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.32 MKD 334

$5.06 LKR 1,663

24.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.37 MKD 548

$7.14 LKR 2,347

45.24%

Apples (1kg)

$0.69 MKD 36.57

$6.69 LKR 2,198

-89.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 MKD 78.2

$0.88 LKR 288

68.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 MKD 66.2

$4.35 LKR 1,429

-71.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 MKD 113

$1.29 LKR 425

65.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 MKD 45.71

$1.00 LKR 330

-13.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 MKD 44.32

$0.80 LKR 263

5.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 MKD 34.12

$0.94 LKR 310

-30.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 MKD 32.97

$0.49 LKR 162

26.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.80 MKD 148

$10.36 LKR 3,403

-72.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.75 MKD 304

$13.67 LKR 4,492

-57.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 MKD 49.52

$1.96 LKR 646

-52.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 MKD 66.2

$2.89 LKR 948

-56.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 MKD 41.44

$0.17 LKR 57.2

358.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.29 LKR 2,397

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 MKD 58.5

$0.39 LKR 127

184.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 MKD 34.15

$0.39 LKR 127

66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.07 MKD 426

$0.95 LKR 312

749.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 MKD 84.3

$1.34 LKR 439

19.40%

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

$36.6K MKD 1.9M

$30.0K LKR 9.9M

22.08%

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

$28.6K MKD 1.5M

$42.5K LKR 14.0M

-32.63%

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

$154 MKD 8,154

$55.4 LKR 18.2K

178.84%

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

$13.20 MKD 697

$4.06 LKR 1,333

225.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.60 MKD 983

$20.56 LKR 6,755

-9.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.43 MKD 1,079

$14.69 LKR 4,827

39.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.92 LKR 1,947

Cinema Ticket

$7.07 MKD 374

$4.43 LKR 1,456

59.59%

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

$383 MKD 20.2K

$38.87 LKR 12.8K

884.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,508 MKD 291.0K

$1,212 LKR 398.2K

354.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.7 MKD 4,842

$20.17 LKR 6,626

354.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.33 MKD 2,078

$16.47 LKR 5,411

138.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 MKD 5,810

$80.9 LKR 26.6K

35.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.1 MKD 5,024

$43.13 LKR 14.2K

120.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$323 MKD 17.0K

$554 LKR 182.2K

-41.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 MKD 12.7K

$251 LKR 82.3K

-4.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$506 MKD 26.7K

$1,581 LKR 519.5K

-67.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 MKD 15.6K

$410 LKR 134.7K

-27.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,535 MKD 81.1K

$3,725 LKR 1.2M

-58.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,008 MKD 53.3K

$1,211 LKR 397.9K

-16.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$653 MKD 34.5K

$252 LKR 82.7K

159.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

-68.48%

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

Last update for Strumica: September 6, 2026

Last update for Colombo: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $323 in Strumica and $554 in Colombo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Strumica pays 160% 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: $23.00 in Strumica vs $26.00 in Colombo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $187 vs $237 per month, with Strumica 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

Strumica vs Colombo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Colombo wins on cost – living expenses run 15% 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 160% 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 $554 in Colombo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $383 in Strumica versus $38.87 in Colombo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Colombo – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $23.00 in Strumica. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $789 in Colombo versus $910 in Strumica, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Colombo but tight or insufficient in Strumica. 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 $789 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 15% less than in Strumica. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.