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: $1,185 in Tbilisi versus $531 in Badulla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,834 in Tbilisi versus $866 in Badulla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,483 in Tbilisi versus $1,201 in Badulla.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 123% more expensive than Badulla, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 12% lower, Badulla 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.15 ₾30.00

$4.08 LKR 1,300

173.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.13 ₾116

$25.24 LKR 8,050

70.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 ₾22.11

$8.16 LKR 2,602

0.74%

Cappuccino

$3.13 ₾8.42

$2.62 LKR 836

19.47%

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

$0.74 ₾2.00

$0.74 LKR 236

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₾1.22

$0.37 LKR 119

21.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ₾5.74

$2.36 LKR 752

-9.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ₾8.06

$3.33 LKR 1,062

-10.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₾5.09

$1.66 LKR 530

13.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₾1.97

$0.53 LKR 168

37.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.98

$0.69 LKR 220

168.12%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.58

$2.15 LKR 685

13.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.85 ₾21.12

$14.31 LKR 4,563

-45.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ₾16.82

$3.99 LKR 1,271

56.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.77 ₾26.28

$7.86 LKR 2,505

24.30%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 ₾3.26

$7.67 LKR 2,447

-84.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₾4.28

$1.06 LKR 339

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.81

$5.73 LKR 1,829

-68.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 ₾6.25

$1.21 LKR 387

91.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.91

$1.11 LKR 355

-36.04%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.81

$1.43 LKR 455

-53.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.16

$1.20 LKR 383

-1.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₾1.92

$0.61 LKR 193

16.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.85

$9.86 LKR 3,145

-70.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.25 ₾19.50

$12.64 LKR 4,031

-42.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₾4.17

$2.08 LKR 664

-25.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.21

$2.84 LKR 905

-18.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.03

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.81 ₾39.83

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ₾3.98

$0.39 LKR 123

279.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.86

$0.36 LKR 114

91.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾20.05

$0.61 LKR 193

1121.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₾3.10

$1.20 LKR 382

-4.17%

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

$18.0K ₾48.4K

$27.2K LKR 8.7M

-33.77%

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

$19.8K ₾53.4K

$35.0K LKR 11.2M

-43.41%

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

$73.4 ₾198

$60.1 LKR 19.2K

22.18%

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

$11.64 ₾31.32

$4.20 LKR 1,340

177.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.77 ₾47.79

$15.23 LKR 4,857

16.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 ₾163

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 ₾44.21

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.52

$3.25 LKR 1,037

100.31%

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

$263 ₾707

$36.67 LKR 11.7K

616.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,136 ₾13.8K

$441 LKR 140.6K

1064.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾209

$28.02 LKR 8,937

177.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.39 ₾119

$19.70 LKR 6,283

125.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾317

$69.3 LKR 22.1K

69.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾307

$38.65 LKR 12.3K

195.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,865

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,244

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 ₾3,597

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$779 ₾2,096

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,530 ₾6,805

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,430 ₾3,847

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$633 ₾1,702

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Badulla: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $43.00 in Tbilisi vs $25.00 in Badulla. Groceries flip the comparison at $206 vs $253, 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 123% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,777 in Tbilisi and $797 in Badulla to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $263 in Tbilisi versus $36.67 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 $43.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $531 in Badulla versus $1,185 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 123% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.