Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Badulla Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Badulla

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,218 in Tbilisi versus $532 in Badulla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,853 in Tbilisi versus $854 in Badulla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,489 in Tbilisi versus $1,177 in Badulla.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 129% more expensive than Badulla, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 9% lower, Badulla 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.85 ₾28.75

$3.99 LKR 1,330

171.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.17 ₾117

$25.26 LKR 8,427

74.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 ₾21.94

$8.42 LKR 2,810

-1.66%

Cappuccino

$3.02 ₾8.00

$2.73 LKR 909

10.62%

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

$0.76 ₾2.02

$0.73 LKR 245

4.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.22

$0.38 LKR 127

21.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ₾5.93

$2.33 LKR 777

-3.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.95

$3.45 LKR 1,149

-13.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.11

$1.68 LKR 562

14.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 ₾1.91

$0.51 LKR 172

41.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 ₾4.87

$0.73 LKR 243

152.05%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.48

$2.13 LKR 710

15.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₾19.67

$14.30 LKR 4,769

-48.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 ₾17.16

$4.01 LKR 1,337

61.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 ₾25.70

$7.88 LKR 2,627

23.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 ₾3.18

$7.31 LKR 2,437

-83.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₾4.14

$1.12 LKR 373

39.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.75

$5.88 LKR 1,960

-69.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.90

$1.24 LKR 415

79.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.73

$1.11 LKR 370

-41.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 ₾1.79

$1.42 LKR 472

-52.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.16

$1.16 LKR 386

2.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.86

$0.56 LKR 187

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₾7.82

$10.18 LKR 3,397

-71.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 ₾19.41

$12.85 LKR 4,288

-42.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₾4.02

$1.99 LKR 664

-23.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.95

$2.83 LKR 942

-20.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.60 ₾38.68

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.97

$0.39 LKR 130

284.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 ₾1.92

$0.35 LKR 118

108.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾19.74

$0.60 LKR 202

1141.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.01

$1.26 LKR 421

-9.52%

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

$18.5K ₾49.0K

$26.3K LKR 8.8M

-29.53%

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

$20.3K ₾53.6K

$35.2K LKR 11.7M

-42.43%

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

$73.9 ₾196

$60.2 LKR 20.1K

22.66%

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

$11.71 ₾31.01

$4.23 LKR 1,411

176.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.16 ₾48.09

$14.91 LKR 4,974

21.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 ₾163

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.66 ₾44.12

Cinema Ticket

$6.61 ₾17.50

$3.40 LKR 1,136

94.41%

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

$264 ₾700

$36.14 LKR 12.1K

631.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,145 ₾13.6K

$433 LKR 144.3K

1088.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 ₾198

$27.33 LKR 9,116

173.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.98 ₾117

$19.72 LKR 6,579

123.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾312

$69.1 LKR 23.1K

70.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾301

$38.71 LKR 12.9K

193.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 ₾1,833

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₾1,203

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 ₾3,504

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,089

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,431 ₾6,440

$4,516 LKR 1.5M

-46.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 ₾3,818

$734 LKR 244.9K

96.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$645 ₾1,709

$218 LKR 72.8K

195.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

-0.92%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: June 9, 2026

Last update for Badulla: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Tbilisi pays 196% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $44.00 in Tbilisi vs $25.00 in Badulla. Groceries flip the comparison at $204 vs $252, with Tbilisi 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

Tbilisi vs Badulla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Badulla is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 129% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Tbilisi pays 196% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $264 in Tbilisi versus $36.14 in Badulla. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Badulla – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $44.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $532 in Badulla versus $1,218 in Tbilisi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Badulla but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Badulla the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Badulla 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, Tbilisi and Badulla 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 Badulla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 129% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.