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 $673 per month in An Najaf vs $717 in Colombo, rent included.

A couple spends around $993 per month in An Najaf vs $1,166 in Colombo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,313 per month in An Najaf vs $1,615 in Colombo, rent included.

An Najaf is about 6% cheaper than Colombo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both An Najaf and Colombo are more affordable than the global median – An Najaf 50% lower, Colombo 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.17 IQD 5,458

$4.13 LKR 1,369

0.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.52 IQD 29.5K

$25.16 LKR 8,344

-10.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.87 IQD 6,383

$8.20 LKR 2,719

-40.61%

Cappuccino

$2.72 IQD 3,565

$2.66 LKR 882

2.26%

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

$0.37 IQD 481

$0.68 LKR 224

-45.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 232

$0.41 LKR 135

-56.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 IQD 4,562

$2.39 LKR 793

45.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 IQD 3,646

$3.43 LKR 1,136

-18.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 IQD 1,735

$1.73 LKR 574

-23.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 IQD 1,040

$0.53 LKR 175

49.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 IQD 2,107

$0.83 LKR 274

93.98%

Eggs

$1.80 IQD 2,358

$2.23 LKR 739

-19.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.32 IQD 3,042

$14.02 LKR 4,648

-83.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.91 IQD 6,436

$4.65 LKR 1,543

5.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.51 IQD 13.8K

$8.01 LKR 2,657

31.21%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 IQD 1,617

$7.37 LKR 2,444

-83.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,511

$1.12 LKR 371

2.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,386

$5.83 LKR 1,934

-81.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 986

$1.25 LKR 414

-40.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 849

$1.14 LKR 379

-42.98%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 890

$1.42 LKR 470

-52.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 IQD 862

$1.14 LKR 379

-42.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 IQD 521

$0.59 LKR 196

-32.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.50 IQD 1,966

$10.01 LKR 3,321

-85.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.34 IQD 17.5K

$12.73 LKR 4,220

4.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 IQD 2,410

$2.11 LKR 699

-12.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 IQD 2,708

$2.97 LKR 985

-30.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 478

$0.14 LKR 48.01

157.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.76 IQD 44.2K

$5.09 LKR 1,687

563.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 IQD 2,544

$0.38 LKR 128

410.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 IQD 2,012

$0.33 LKR 109

366.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.02 IQD 6,572

$0.60 LKR 199

736.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.44 IQD 579

$1.26 LKR 416

-65.08%

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

$11.6K IQD 15.2M

$26.8K LKR 8.9M

-56.74%

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

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

$35.2K LKR 11.7M

-42.97%

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

$59.9 IQD 78.4K

$60.5 LKR 20.1K

-0.99%

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

$22.72 IQD 29.7K

$4.27 LKR 1,416

432.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.90 IQD 45.7K

$15.34 LKR 5,086

127.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.23 IQD 38.3K

$14.79 LKR 4,903

97.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.76 IQD 19.3K

$7.11 LKR 2,358

107.59%

Cinema Ticket

$7.68 IQD 10.1K

$3.28 LKR 1,086

134.15%

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

$164 IQD 215.1K

$37.28 LKR 12.4K

340.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$923 IQD 1.2M

$444 LKR 147.1K

108.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.28 IQD 21.3K

$27.15 LKR 9,002

-40.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.86 IQD 32.6K

$19.13 LKR 6,344

29.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.8 IQD 84.8K

$70.7 LKR 23.4K

-8.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.67 IQD 55.9K

$38.24 LKR 12.7K

11.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$240 IQD 314.8K

$379 LKR 125.7K

-36.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$134 IQD 175.4K

$178 LKR 59.0K

-24.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 IQD 505.3K

$937 LKR 310.7K

-58.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 IQD 196.5K

$361 LKR 119.6K

-58.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,232 IQD 1.6M

$3,724 LKR 1.2M

-66.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$481 IQD 630.0K

$1,189 LKR 394.1K

-59.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$748 IQD 978.9K

$247 LKR 82.1K

202.09%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Colombo: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $240 in An Najaf versus $379 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 202% 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: $170 vs $257 – 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 7% 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 $1,009 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 $673 in An Najaf and $717 in Colombo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 563% 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 $673 in An Najaf and $717 in Colombo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. An Najaf costs $673 versus $717 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.