Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Matale and Tbilisi

For one person, living is cheaper in Matale: $226 a month against $1,270 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $12,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Tbilisi
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Tbilisi Living Index

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Matale

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$226

/mo nomad

Tbilisi

🇬🇪 Georgia

$1,270

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Matale 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 Matale and in Tbilisi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $226 per month in Matale vs $1,270 in Tbilisi, rent included.

Matale $226
Tbilisi $1,270

A couple spends around $370 per month in Matale vs $2,008 in Tbilisi, rent included.

Matale $370
Tbilisi $2,008

A family of three spends $513 per month in Matale vs $2,745 in Tbilisi, rent included.

Matale $513
Tbilisi $2,745

Matale is about 82% cheaper than Tbilisi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Matale and Tbilisi are more affordable than the global median – Matale 83% lower, Tbilisi 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.76 LKR 584

$11.51 ₾29.79

-84.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.99 LKR 2,979

$38.27 ₾99.1

-76.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.51 LKR 1,493

$9.80 ₾25.36

-53.98%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ₾9.19

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

$0.49 LKR 162

$1.06 ₾2.74

-53.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 LKR 72.8

$0.62 ₾1.60

-64.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 LKR 787

$2.76 ₾7.16

-13.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 LKR 617

$3.00 ₾7.77

-38.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 LKR 487

$2.16 ₾5.59

-31.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.46 LKR 152

$0.76 ₾1.96

-39.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.63 LKR 208

$1.74 ₾4.51

-63.79%

Eggs

$1.59 LKR 528

$2.79 ₾7.21

-43.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.73 LKR 3,221

$9.20 ₾23.83

5.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.59 LKR 1,189

$6.53 ₾16.89

-45.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.43 LKR 2,461

$12.81 ₾33.17

-42.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 ₾4.31

Banana (1kg)

$0.56 LKR 184

$1.85 ₾4.79

-69.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ₾5.13

Tomato (1kg)

$0.87 LKR 288

$2.51 ₾6.49

-65.34%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 LKR 173

$0.87 ₾2.26

-40.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 LKR 173

$0.73 ₾1.89

-28.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 ₾3.67

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₾1.88

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ₾8.74

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 ₾20.31

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 LKR 539

$1.62 ₾4.19

0.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.15

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ₾0.96

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.52 ₾40.16

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.94

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 LKR 83.1

$0.79 ₾2.05

-68.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.57 ₾29.96

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 LKR 376

$1.50 ₾3.87

-24.00%

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

$24.6K ₾63.7K

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

$22.4K ₾57.9K

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

$88.3 ₾228

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

$3.75 LKR 1,244

$13.08 ₾33.86

-71.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.53 ₾50.6

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.2 ₾166

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.18 ₾49.66

Cinema Ticket

$6.99 ₾18.10

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

$373 ₾966

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.70 LKR 7,851

$103 ₾266

-76.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.48 ₾105

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ₾301

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$10.70 LKR 3,544

$122 ₾316

-91.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$677 ₾1,753

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$43.05 LKR 14.3K

$454 ₾1,176

-90.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,277 ₾3,305

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$61.6 LKR 20.4K

$890 ₾2,304

-93.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,410 ₾6,238

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,418 ₾3,670

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 LKR 54.4K

$703 ₾1,819

-76.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

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

Last update for Matale: October 18, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Matale

–

Tbilisi

$454 35.8%

Groceries & Markets

Matale

–

Tbilisi

$233 18.3%

Eating Out

Matale

–

Tbilisi

$191 15%

Clothing & Footwear

Matale

–

Tbilisi

$172 13.5%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Matale

–

Tbilisi

$121 9.5%

Sport & Entertainment

Matale

–

Tbilisi

$78 6.2%

Getting Around

Matale

–

Tbilisi

$22 1.7%

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 328% higher in Tbilisi, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $9.00 in Matale versus $38.00 in Tbilisi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $116 vs $233 – making Matale the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇱🇰 Matale

🇬🇪 Tbilisi

🕒 Local time

17:06 5:06 PM

15:36 3:36 PM

1 h 30 min behind Matale

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

40,800

1,241,700 Capital

💱 Currency

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

Georgian Lari GEL ₾

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR

1 GEL = 0.386 USD

1 GEL = 0.344 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 20, 2026: 1 USD = 331 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD). 1 EUR = 372 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR).

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.386 USD). 1 EUR = 2.91 GEL (1 GEL = 0.344 EUR).

USD to LKR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Matale Tbilisi 5,180 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Matale
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

Matale vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi costs about 463% more than Matale, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $338 per month in Matale and $1,906 in Tbilisi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $226 in Matale and $1,270 in Tbilisi. That's a gap of about 463%.

Groceries cost about 101% more in Tbilisi, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Matale, where all-in costs run around $226, than in Tbilisi at $1,270. In Matale it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Matale costs $226 versus $1,270 in Tbilisi. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Matale. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tbilisi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.