Lee James, 24, killed Bijan Ebrahimi and set fire to his body in the Brislington area of Bristol in July.
Mr Justice Simon ordered that James must serve a minimum of 18 years in prison.
Bristol Crown Court heard Mr Ebrahimi, who was an Iranian national and in his 40s, died from head injuries.
Stephen Norley, 25, who had admitted assisting an offender, was given a four-year jail term.
He helped James drag Mr Ebrahimi's body from the scene of the attack and obtained white spirit to burn the body. His remains were found 100m from his maisonette in Capgrave Crescent.