Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Irbid Cost of Living Comparison Between Colombo and Irbid

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $727 in Colombo versus $736 in Irbid.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,162 in Colombo versus $1,172 in Irbid.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,596 in Colombo versus $1,608 in Irbid.

Living in Colombo costs roughly 1% less than in Irbid, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 45% lower, Irbid 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.93 LKR 1,318

$4.26 JOD 3.02

-7.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.88 LKR 8,349

$41.51 JOD 29.39

-40.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.46 LKR 2,839

$7.22 JOD 5.11

17.17%

Cappuccino

$2.74 LKR 920

$1.37 JOD 0.97

100.00%

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

$0.75 LKR 250

$0.48 JOD 0.34

56.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 136

$0.33 JOD 0.24

21.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 LKR 777

$4.84 JOD 3.43

-52.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 LKR 1,098

$7.08 JOD 5.01

-53.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 LKR 596

$1.17 JOD 0.83

52.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 188

$0.45 JOD 0.32

24.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 LKR 293

$1.63 JOD 1.16

-46.63%

Eggs

$2.18 LKR 733

$1.79 JOD 1.27

21.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.99 LKR 4,694

$6.54 JOD 4.63

113.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 LKR 1,582

$5.74 JOD 4.06

-17.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.21 LKR 2,755

$11.52 JOD 8.16

-28.73%

Apples (1kg)

$7.43 LKR 2,495

$1.37 JOD 0.97

442.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 LKR 356

$1.58 JOD 1.12

-32.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 LKR 1,923

$1.04 JOD 0.74

450.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 LKR 423

$0.62 JOD 0.44

103.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 373

$0.94 JOD 0.67

18.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 LKR 476

$0.72 JOD 0.51

97.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 LKR 388

$0.66 JOD 0.47

75.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 187

$0.59 JOD 0.42

-5.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.07 LKR 3,381

$3.62 JOD 2.56

178.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.68 LKR 4,254

$7.26 JOD 5.14

74.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 LKR 696

$3.97 JOD 2.81

-47.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 LKR 997

$5.35 JOD 3.79

-44.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 55.2

$0.68 JOD 0.48

-76.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.07 LKR 1,702

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 140

$0.50 JOD 0.36

-16.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 LKR 109

$1.40 JOD 0.99

-77.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 LKR 194

$7.25 JOD 5.13

-92.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 404

$1.47 JOD 1.04

-17.69%

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

$26.4K LKR 8.9M

$24.8K JOD 17.6K

6.39%

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

$35.4K LKR 11.9M

$31.4K JOD 22.2K

12.80%

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

$59.7 LKR 20.0K

$97.1 JOD 68.7

-38.48%

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

$4.30 LKR 1,441

$15.42 JOD 10.92

-72.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.04 LKR 5,045

$31.56 JOD 22.35

-52.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.69 LKR 4,929

$34.93 JOD 24.73

-57.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.27 LKR 2,441

$18.46 JOD 13.07

-60.62%

Cinema Ticket

$3.45 LKR 1,157

$9.68 JOD 6.85

-64.36%

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

$36.16 LKR 12.1K

$93.4 JOD 66.1

-61.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$448 LKR 150.2K

$3,969 JOD 2,810

-88.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.11 LKR 9,097

$44.78 JOD 31.71

-39.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.30 LKR 6,478

$20.78 JOD 14.71

-7.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.6 LKR 23.7K

$69.3 JOD 49.04

1.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.20 LKR 13.2K

$50.2 JOD 35.51

-21.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 LKR 123.5K

$212 JOD 150

73.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 LKR 60.1K

$144 JOD 102

24.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$940 LKR 315.4K

$363 JOD 257

159.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 LKR 123.8K

$286 JOD 202

29.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,615 LKR 1.2M

$513 JOD 363

605.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,180 LKR 395.9K

$494 JOD 350

138.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$244 LKR 81.9K

$545 JOD 386

-55.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

7.27

126.27%

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

Last update for Colombo: July 28, 2026

Last update for Irbid: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $368 in Colombo and $212 in Irbid. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Irbid pays 123% 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: $25.00 in Colombo vs $42.00 in Irbid. Groceries flip the comparison at $258 vs $195, with Irbid 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

Colombo vs Irbid: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Colombo wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Irbid. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Colombo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 123% lower in Irbid. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $368 in Colombo versus $212 in Irbid. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $36.16 in Colombo versus $93.4 in Irbid. 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 $25.00 versus $42.00 in Irbid. 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 $727 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Colombo hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Colombo and Irbid 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 1% less than in Irbid. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.