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: $734 in Colombo versus $725 in Irbid.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,167 in Colombo versus $1,170 in Irbid.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,600 in Colombo versus $1,614 in Irbid.

Living in Colombo is roughly 1% more expensive than Irbid, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colombo 45% lower, Irbid 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.97 LKR 1,321

$4.35 JOD 3.08

-8.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.86 LKR 8,280

$43.07 JOD 30.48

-42.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 LKR 2,706

$7.08 JOD 5.01

14.69%

Cappuccino

$2.62 LKR 874

$1.44 JOD 1.02

81.94%

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

$0.73 LKR 242

$0.51 JOD 0.36

43.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 134

$0.36 JOD 0.26

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 LKR 785

$4.86 JOD 3.44

-51.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 LKR 1,097

$7.10 JOD 5.03

-53.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 LKR 573

$1.13 JOD 0.80

52.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 186

$0.46 JOD 0.33

21.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 LKR 290

$1.57 JOD 1.11

-44.59%

Eggs

$2.20 LKR 732

$1.79 JOD 1.27

22.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.23 LKR 4,739

$6.83 JOD 4.83

108.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.59 LKR 1,527

$5.51 JOD 3.90

-16.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.88 LKR 2,623

$11.41 JOD 8.07

-30.94%

Apples (1kg)

$7.62 LKR 2,538

$1.39 JOD 0.98

448.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 355

$1.57 JOD 1.11

-31.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.74 LKR 1,910

$1.04 JOD 0.74

451.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 LKR 420

$0.62 JOD 0.44

103.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 LKR 381

$0.89 JOD 0.63

28.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 LKR 451

$0.68 JOD 0.48

98.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 LKR 399

$0.60 JOD 0.43

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 LKR 201

$0.58 JOD 0.41

3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.17 LKR 3,387

$3.58 JOD 2.54

184.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.62 LKR 4,204

$7.21 JOD 5.11

75.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 LKR 693

$3.99 JOD 2.82

-47.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 LKR 994

$5.58 JOD 3.95

-46.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.19 LKR 61.7

$0.69 JOD 0.49

-72.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.99 LKR 1,662

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 140

$0.48 JOD 0.34

-12.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 LKR 119

$1.45 JOD 1.02

-75.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 LKR 201

$7.14 JOD 5.05

-91.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 LKR 400

$1.40 JOD 0.99

-14.29%

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

$27.3K LKR 9.1M

$24.9K JOD 17.6K

9.64%

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

$35.2K LKR 11.7M

$31.7K JOD 22.5K

10.75%

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

$60.9 LKR 20.3K

$97.3 JOD 68.8

-37.36%

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

$4.40 LKR 1,467

$15.30 JOD 10.83

-71.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.04 LKR 5,010

$30.56 JOD 21.63

-50.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.47 LKR 4,818

$34.62 JOD 24.50

-58.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.12 LKR 2,370

$18.98 JOD 13.43

-62.49%

Cinema Ticket

$3.39 LKR 1,128

$9.64 JOD 6.82

-64.83%

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

$37.30 LKR 12.4K

$94.1 JOD 66.6

-60.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$435 LKR 145.0K

$4,009 JOD 2,837

-89.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.64 LKR 9,205

$44.07 JOD 31.19

-37.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.42 LKR 6,466

$21.58 JOD 15.27

-10.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.6 LKR 22.9K

$68.4 JOD 48.41

0.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.17 LKR 13.0K

$48.67 JOD 34.44

-19.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$370 LKR 123.1K

$212 JOD 150

74.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 LKR 57.7K

$142 JOD 100

21.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 LKR 318.1K

$360 JOD 255

165.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$363 LKR 120.9K

$290 JOD 205

25.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,656 LKR 1.2M

$525 JOD 372

596.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,151 LKR 383.4K

$507 JOD 359

127.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$248 LKR 82.5K

$558 JOD 395

-55.55%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Irbid: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $370 in Colombo and $212 in Irbid. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Irbid pays 125% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $25.00 in Colombo vs $43.00 in Irbid. Groceries flip the comparison at $258 vs $194, 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

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

On paper, Irbid earns 125% less. 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: $370 in Colombo versus $212 in Irbid. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $37.30 in Colombo versus $94.1 in Irbid. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Irbid – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $25.00 in Colombo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Irbid 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 Irbid delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $725 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Irbid 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 Irbid gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Colombo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.