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: $733 in Colombo versus $727 in Irbid.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,166 in Colombo versus $1,173 in Irbid.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,598 in Colombo versus $1,619 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

$4.08 LKR 1,298

$4.25 JOD 3.01

-4.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.75 LKR 7,869

$42.67 JOD 30.25

-42.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 LKR 2,583

$6.96 JOD 4.93

16.67%

Cappuccino

$2.74 LKR 871

$1.37 JOD 0.97

100.00%

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

$0.68 LKR 216

$0.50 JOD 0.36

36.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 128

$0.37 JOD 0.26

8.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 LKR 724

$5.02 JOD 3.56

-54.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 LKR 1,044

$6.88 JOD 4.88

-52.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 LKR 557

$1.17 JOD 0.83

49.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 179

$0.42 JOD 0.30

33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 260

$1.60 JOD 1.14

-48.75%

Eggs

$2.12 LKR 675

$1.83 JOD 1.30

15.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.20 LKR 4,515

$6.69 JOD 4.74

112.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 LKR 1,491

$5.60 JOD 3.97

-16.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.89 LKR 2,507

$11.67 JOD 8.28

-32.39%

Apples (1kg)

$7.39 LKR 2,348

$1.40 JOD 0.99

427.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 LKR 338

$1.57 JOD 1.11

-32.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.68 LKR 1,806

$1.05 JOD 0.74

440.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 LKR 388

$0.58 JOD 0.41

110.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 368

$0.89 JOD 0.63

30.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 LKR 446

$0.73 JOD 0.52

91.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 LKR 376

$0.65 JOD 0.46

81.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 LKR 181

$0.59 JOD 0.42

-3.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.90 LKR 3,149

$3.51 JOD 2.49

182.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.46 LKR 3,961

$7.09 JOD 5.03

75.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 LKR 647

$3.92 JOD 2.78

-47.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 LKR 901

$5.32 JOD 3.77

-46.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 LKR 58.5

$0.72 JOD 0.51

-75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.09 LKR 1,617

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 123

$0.48 JOD 0.34

-18.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 112

$1.39 JOD 0.99

-74.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 LKR 196

$6.90 JOD 4.90

-91.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 LKR 380

$1.46 JOD 1.04

-18.49%

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

$27.3K LKR 8.7M

$25.1K JOD 17.8K

8.71%

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

$34.2K LKR 10.9M

$31.6K JOD 22.4K

8.35%

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

$60.9 LKR 19.4K

$97.0 JOD 68.8

-37.22%

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

$4.38 LKR 1,394

$15.77 JOD 11.18

-72.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.01 LKR 4,773

$31.05 JOD 22.02

-51.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.68 LKR 4,667

$34.83 JOD 24.70

-57.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.46 LKR 2,371

$19.06 JOD 13.52

-60.86%

Cinema Ticket

$3.44 LKR 1,092

$9.68 JOD 6.87

-64.46%

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

$37.27 LKR 11.8K

$94.2 JOD 66.8

-60.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$433 LKR 137.6K

$4,043 JOD 2,866

-89.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.07 LKR 8,923

$45.04 JOD 31.94

-37.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.31 LKR 6,138

$20.90 JOD 14.82

-7.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.5 LKR 22.4K

$68.0 JOD 48.19

3.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.98 LKR 12.4K

$50.1 JOD 35.51

-22.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 LKR 116.8K

$211 JOD 149

74.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 LKR 56.8K

$145 JOD 103

22.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$970 LKR 308.3K

$363 JOD 257

167.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$364 LKR 115.6K

$281 JOD 199

29.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 LKR 1.1M

$510 JOD 361

604.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,225 LKR 389.4K

$492 JOD 349

148.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$241 LKR 76.5K

$557 JOD 395

-56.82%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Irbid: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $368 in Colombo and $211 in Irbid. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Irbid pays 132% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $25 in Colombo vs $43 in Irbid. Groceries flip the comparison at $255 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

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 132% 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: $368 in Colombo versus $211 in Irbid. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $37.27 in Colombo versus $94.2 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 $727 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.