Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kandy and Tbilisi

For one person, living is cheaper in Kandy: $513 a month against $1,269 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $9,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

25

Cost of Living Index in Kandy
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Kandy Living Index
61

Cost of Living Index in Tbilisi
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Tbilisi Living Index

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Kandy

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$513

/mo nomad

Tbilisi

🇬🇪 Georgia

$1,269

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kandy and in Tbilisi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kandy and in Tbilisi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $513 in Kandy versus $1,269 in Tbilisi.

Kandy $513
Tbilisi $1,269

Estimated couple costs with rent: $728 in Kandy versus $2,016 in Tbilisi.

Kandy $728
Tbilisi $2,016

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $943 in Kandy versus $2,763 in Tbilisi.

Kandy $943
Tbilisi $2,763

Living in Kandy costs roughly 60% less than in Tbilisi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kandy 62% lower, Tbilisi 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.66 LKR 885

$11.63 ₾30.07

-77.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.01 LKR 4,324

$37.83 ₾97.8

-65.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.00 LKR 1,996

$9.66 ₾24.98

-37.89%

Cappuccino

$1.90 LKR 632

$3.57 ₾9.24

-46.78%

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

$0.52 LKR 174

$1.08 ₾2.78

-51.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 LKR 87.1

$0.56 ₾1.45

-53.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 LKR 620

$2.62 ₾6.78

-29.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 LKR 931

$3.04 ₾7.85

-7.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 LKR 382

$2.17 ₾5.60

-47.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 174

$0.80 ₾2.06

-35.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 LKR 255

$1.74 ₾4.51

-55.75%

Eggs

$1.71 LKR 568

$2.83 ₾7.31

-39.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.14 LKR 1,708

$9.31 ₾24.07

-44.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.25 LKR 1,412

$6.52 ₾16.85

-34.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.87 LKR 2,285

$12.95 ₾33.50

-46.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 LKR 1,043

$1.68 ₾4.34

86.90%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 LKR 280

$1.85 ₾4.79

-54.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 LKR 574

$1.97 ₾5.10

-12.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.29 LKR 429

$2.42 ₾6.25

-46.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 LKR 339

$0.82 ₾2.11

24.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 277

$0.74 ₾1.91

12.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 LKR 144

$1.34 ₾3.47

-67.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 LKR 140

$0.77 ₾2.00

-45.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.02 LKR 2,668

$3.57 ₾9.24

124.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.28 LKR 3,751

$7.67 ₾19.83

47.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 LKR 643

$1.70 ₾4.39

13.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 LKR 691

$2.40 ₾6.21

-13.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 53.3

$0.40 ₾1.05

-60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.38 LKR 1,457

$15.23 ₾39.38

-71.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 136

$1.14 ₾2.95

-64.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 116

$0.78 ₾2.02

-55.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 LKR 156

$11.83 ₾30.58

-96.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 LKR 383

$1.45 ₾3.75

-20.69%

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

$14.0K LKR 4.6M

$24.6K ₾63.6K

-43.14%

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

$36.7K LKR 12.2M

$22.3K ₾57.8K

64.51%

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

$59.0 LKR 19.6K

$88.8 ₾230

-33.55%

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

$3.86 LKR 1,282

$13.12 ₾33.93

-70.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.72 LKR 4,227

$19.67 ₾50.9

-35.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.85 LKR 3,606

$64.1 ₾166

-83.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.80 LKR 2,262

$19.04 ₾49.24

-64.29%

Cinema Ticket

$2.74 LKR 909

$7.12 ₾18.42

-61.52%

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

$21.65 LKR 7,199

$375 ₾971

-94.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$304 LKR 101.0K

$10.5K ₾27.1K

-97.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.28 LKR 6,078

$104 ₾268

-82.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$10.15 LKR 3,375

$39.26 ₾102

-74.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.7 LKR 22.5K

$117 ₾303

-42.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.56 LKR 8,831

$122 ₾315

-78.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$172 LKR 57.2K

$695 ₾1,798

-75.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$113 LKR 37.5K

$451 ₾1,167

-74.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$172 LKR 57.2K

$1,355 ₾3,504

-87.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$93.6 LKR 31.1K

$906 ₾2,343

-89.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$397 LKR 131.9K

$2,295 ₾5,934

-82.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$400 LKR 133.0K

$1,345 ₾3,478

-70.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$262 LKR 86.9K

$664 ₾1,718

-60.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

-4.91%

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

Last update for Kandy: October 25, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Kandy

$166 32.3%

Tbilisi

$234 18.4% 41% $68

Accommodation & Living

Kandy

$113 22%

Tbilisi

$451 35.6% 300% $338

Eating Out

Kandy

$80 15.6%

Tbilisi

$191 15% 138% $110

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Kandy

$76 14.7%

Tbilisi

$122 9.6% 60.9% $46

Clothing & Footwear

Kandy

$55 10.8%

Tbilisi

$172 13.5% 211% $117

Sport & Entertainment

Kandy

$16 3.2%

Tbilisi

$78 6.2% 380% $62

Getting Around

Kandy

$7.2 1.4%

Tbilisi

$22 1.7% 205% $15

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $172 in Kandy and $695 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays about 2.5 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $13 in Kandy vs $38 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $166 vs $234 per month, with Kandy cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Kandy

🇬🇪 Tbilisi

🕒 Local time

22:11 10:11 PM

20:41 8:41 PM

1 h 30 min behind Kandy

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

125,000

1,241,700 Capital

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

Georgian Lari GEL ₾

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR

1 GEL = 0.387 USD

1 GEL = 0.347 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

GEL, USD, EUR to LKR – Sri Lankan Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇱🇰 Sri Lankan Rupee (Rs)

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 332 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD). 1 EUR = 370 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR).

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.387 USD). 1 EUR = 2.88 GEL (1 GEL = 0.347 EUR).

USD to LKR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Kandy Tbilisi 5,200 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Kandy
Tbilisi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Kandy vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kandy is cheaper overall, especially in clothing, eating out, and groceries. The 147% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 61% lower in Kandy. 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: $172 in Kandy versus $695 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $513 per month in Kandy versus $1,269 in Tbilisi – a 147% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kandy runs roughly 71% less than in Tbilisi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

At $513 in Kandy versus $1,269 in Tbilisi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kandy but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Kandy the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kandy is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tbilisi, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Kandy and Tbilisi 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 Kandy gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.