Cost of Living Comparison Between An Najaf and Colombo Cost of Living Comparison Between An Najaf and Colombo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $688 per month in An Najaf vs $718 in Colombo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,013 per month in An Najaf vs $1,153 in Colombo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,338 per month in An Najaf vs $1,588 in Colombo, rent included.

An Najaf is about 4% cheaper than Colombo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both An Najaf and Colombo are more affordable than the global median – An Najaf 49% lower, Colombo 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.06 IQD 5,317

$4.07 LKR 1,366

-0.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.20 IQD 30.4K

$25.28 LKR 8,492

-8.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.88 IQD 6,384

$8.60 LKR 2,891

-43.26%

Cappuccino

$2.75 IQD 3,600

$2.71 LKR 909

1.48%

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

$0.37 IQD 484

$0.69 LKR 232

-46.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 226

$0.40 LKR 136

-57.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 IQD 4,411

$2.27 LKR 764

48.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 IQD 3,739

$3.27 LKR 1,099

-12.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 IQD 1,716

$1.70 LKR 571

-22.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,103

$0.55 LKR 185

52.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 IQD 2,071

$0.88 LKR 295

79.55%

Eggs

$1.78 IQD 2,337

$2.14 LKR 721

-16.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.40 IQD 3,140

$13.88 LKR 4,662

-82.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.81 IQD 6,300

$4.78 LKR 1,606

0.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.78 IQD 14.1K

$8.09 LKR 2,717

33.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 IQD 1,665

$7.65 LKR 2,570

-83.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,528

$1.07 LKR 359

9.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 IQD 1,313

$5.84 LKR 1,963

-82.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 966

$1.25 LKR 421

-40.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 838

$1.14 LKR 384

-43.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 832

$1.36 LKR 458

-52.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 IQD 863

$1.20 LKR 403

-45.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 IQD 518

$0.56 LKR 190

-28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.49 IQD 1,954

$9.99 LKR 3,358

-85.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.54 IQD 17.7K

$12.70 LKR 4,266

6.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 IQD 2,437

$2.09 LKR 702

-11.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 IQD 2,871

$2.90 LKR 974

-24.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 483

$0.16 LKR 54.7

131.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.61 IQD 45.3K

$4.93 LKR 1,657

602.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 IQD 2,575

$0.38 LKR 129

418.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 IQD 1,993

$0.35 LKR 119

334.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.92 IQD 6,448

$0.62 LKR 207

693.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.45 IQD 586

$1.19 LKR 401

-62.18%

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

$11.5K IQD 15.1M

$27.2K LKR 9.1M

-57.66%

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

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

$34.3K LKR 11.5M

-42.51%

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

$58.8 IQD 77.0K

$59.6 LKR 20.0K

-1.38%

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

$23.18 IQD 30.3K

$4.30 LKR 1,444

439.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.93 IQD 45.7K

$15.37 LKR 5,165

127.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.32 IQD 38.4K

$14.83 LKR 4,984

97.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.81 IQD 19.4K

$7.39 LKR 2,484

100.41%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

$3.28 LKR 1,103

137.20%

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

$164 IQD 214.2K

$36.45 LKR 12.2K

348.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$918 IQD 1.2M

$442 LKR 148.5K

107.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.28 IQD 21.3K

$27.73 LKR 9,318

-41.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 IQD 32.7K

$19.12 LKR 6,425

30.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.8 IQD 86.2K

$69.2 LKR 23.2K

-4.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.72 IQD 57.2K

$39.30 LKR 13.2K

11.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$243 IQD 318.4K

$368 LKR 123.6K

-33.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$133 IQD 173.9K

$173 LKR 58.0K

-23.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 IQD 508.7K

$971 LKR 326.1K

-59.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$152 IQD 198.6K

$369 LKR 123.9K

-58.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,274 IQD 1.7M

$3,586 LKR 1.2M

-64.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$479 IQD 627.0K

$1,156 LKR 388.5K

-58.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$736 IQD 964.4K

$251 LKR 84.2K

193.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

16.45

-65.53%

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

Last update for An Najaf: July 12, 2026

Last update for Colombo: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $243 in An Najaf versus $368 in Colombo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 194% higher in An Najaf, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in An Najaf versus $25.00 in Colombo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 vs $258 – making An Najaf the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

An Najaf vs Colombo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Colombo costs about 4% more than An Najaf, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,031 per month in An Najaf and $1,076 in Colombo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in An Najaf, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $688 in An Najaf and $718 in Colombo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 602% less in An Najaf. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $688 in An Najaf and $718 in Colombo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. An Najaf costs $688 versus $718 in Colombo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with An Najaf. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Colombo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.