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 $645 per month in An Najaf vs $789 in Colombo, rent included.

A couple spends around $976 per month in An Najaf vs $1,200 in Colombo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,306 per month in An Najaf vs $1,610 in Colombo, rent included.

An Najaf is about 18% cheaper than Colombo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both An Najaf and Colombo are more affordable than the global median – An Najaf 53% lower, Colombo 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.64 IQD 6,078

$4.38 LKR 1,440

5.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.62 IQD 29.6K

$25.76 LKR 8,464

-12.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.85 IQD 6,350

$7.60 LKR 2,499

-36.18%

Cappuccino

$2.48 IQD 3,251

$2.45 LKR 804

1.22%

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

$0.37 IQD 482

$0.74 LKR 243

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 IQD 343

$0.25 LKR 81.4

4.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.91 IQD 5,120

$2.24 LKR 737

74.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 IQD 2,586

$2.98 LKR 979

-33.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 IQD 1,346

$1.58 LKR 520

-34.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 IQD 1,077

$0.52 LKR 172

57.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 IQD 2,052

$0.81 LKR 267

93.83%

Eggs

$1.65 IQD 2,160

$1.64 LKR 539

0.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.71 IQD 4,853

$13.18 LKR 4,332

-71.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.73 IQD 6,201

$5.06 LKR 1,663

-6.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 IQD 14.1K

$7.14 LKR 2,347

50.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 IQD 1,546

$6.69 LKR 2,198

-82.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 IQD 1,399

$0.88 LKR 288

21.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,324

$4.35 LKR 1,429

-76.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 IQD 963

$1.29 LKR 425

-43.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 850

$1.00 LKR 330

-35.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 835

$0.80 LKR 263

-20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 IQD 875

$0.94 LKR 310

-28.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 IQD 696

$0.49 LKR 162

8.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.69 IQD 2,219

$10.36 LKR 3,403

-83.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.64 IQD 17.9K

$13.67 LKR 4,492

-0.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 IQD 2,924

$1.96 LKR 646

13.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 IQD 2,948

$2.89 LKR 948

-22.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 IQD 428

$0.17 LKR 57.2

94.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.29 LKR 2,397

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 IQD 2,018

$0.39 LKR 127

294.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 IQD 1,951

$0.39 LKR 127

282.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.31 IQD 6,958

$0.95 LKR 312

458.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.45 IQD 588

$1.34 LKR 439

-66.42%

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

$11.8K IQD 15.5M

$30.0K LKR 9.9M

-60.57%

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

$18.0K IQD 23.6M

$42.5K LKR 14.0M

-57.63%

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

$38.16 IQD 50.0K

$55.4 LKR 18.2K

-31.06%

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

$16.66 IQD 21.8K

$4.06 LKR 1,333

310.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.30 IQD 48.8K

$20.56 LKR 6,755

81.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.91 IQD 37.9K

$14.69 LKR 4,827

96.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.92 LKR 1,947

Cinema Ticket

$9.36 IQD 12.3K

$4.43 LKR 1,456

111.29%

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

$168 IQD 219.9K

$38.87 LKR 12.8K

332.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$917 IQD 1.2M

$1,212 LKR 398.2K

-24.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.14 IQD 21.1K

$20.17 LKR 6,626

-19.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.01 IQD 35.4K

$16.47 LKR 5,411

64.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.2 IQD 93.2K

$80.9 LKR 26.6K

-12.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.90 IQD 62.7K

$43.13 LKR 14.2K

11.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$258 IQD 337.8K

$554 LKR 182.2K

-53.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$140 IQD 183.4K

$251 LKR 82.3K

-44.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$335 IQD 438.1K

$1,581 LKR 519.5K

-78.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$204 IQD 266.7K

$410 LKR 134.7K

-50.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,263 IQD 1.7M

$3,725 LKR 1.2M

-66.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$488 IQD 638.5K

$1,211 LKR 397.9K

-59.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$729 IQD 954.1K

$252 LKR 82.7K

189.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

12.69

-67.53%

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

Last update for An Najaf: September 7, 2026

Last update for Colombo: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $258 in An Najaf versus $554 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 190% 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 $26.00 in Colombo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $174 vs $237 – 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 22% 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 $968 per month in An Najaf and $1,184 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 $645 in An Najaf and $789 in Colombo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $168 per month in An Najaf and $38.87 in Colombo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in An Najaf, where all-in costs run around $645, than in Colombo at $789. In An Najaf it covers expenses comfortably, while in Colombo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. An Najaf costs $645 versus $789 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.