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: $1,247 in Tbilisi versus $538 in Badulla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,025 in Tbilisi versus $877 in Badulla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,803 in Tbilisi versus $1,217 in Badulla.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 132% more expensive than in Badulla, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 9% lower, Badulla 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.33 ₾29.44

$4.49 LKR 1,484

152.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.71 ₾101

$25.54 LKR 8,445

51.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 ₾24.72

$7.77 LKR 2,570

22.52%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ₾8.85

$2.48 LKR 820

37.50%

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

$1.04 ₾2.71

$0.68 LKR 226

52.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₾1.66

$0.25 LKR 82.4

156.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 ₾6.79

$2.27 LKR 749

14.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ₾8.43

$2.95 LKR 976

9.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₾5.65

$1.58 LKR 524

37.34%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ₾1.92

$0.54 LKR 178

37.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 ₾4.45

$0.67 LKR 222

155.22%

Eggs

$2.83 ₾7.36

$1.63 LKR 539

73.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 ₾23.94

$13.02 LKR 4,306

-29.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 ₾17.55

$3.73 LKR 1,233

81.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.77 ₾33.16

$7.36 LKR 2,434

73.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.26

$6.69 LKR 2,213

-75.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ₾4.60

$0.83 LKR 274

113.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾4.85

$4.22 LKR 1,396

-55.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 ₾6.34

$1.23 LKR 408

98.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.25

$0.99 LKR 326

-12.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$0.80 LKR 265

-18.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 ₾3.63

$0.87 LKR 289

60.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$0.45 LKR 150

64.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 ₾8.86

$10.42 LKR 3,445

-67.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.60 ₾19.75

$13.52 LKR 4,469

-43.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₾4.41

$1.89 LKR 625

-10.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.19

$2.87 LKR 948

-17.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.94

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.24 ₾39.59

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₾3.07

$0.39 LKR 128

202.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ₾1.97

$0.35 LKR 115

117.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.34 ₾29.46

$0.88 LKR 292

1188.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₾3.46

$1.33 LKR 439

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

$24.7K ₾64.2K

$36.6K LKR 12.1M

-32.42%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$40.2K LKR 13.3M

-45.21%

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

$88.9 ₾231

$55.4 LKR 18.3K

60.34%

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

$13.33 ₾34.62

$4.12 LKR 1,361

223.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ₾52.3

$20.83 LKR 6,888

-3.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.7 ₾178

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.09 ₾46.99

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 ₾17.45

$4.32 LKR 1,427

55.56%

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

$374 ₾970

$38.72 LKR 12.8K

864.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.8K

$1,238 LKR 409.3K

764.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₾263

$19.84 LKR 6,561

410.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.33 ₾102

$16.62 LKR 5,494

136.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾305

$78.8 LKR 26.1K

49.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$42.27 LKR 14.0K

189.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 ₾1,772

$75.5 LKR 25.0K

803.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,186

$46.29 LKR 15.3K

886.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 ₾3,384

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 ₾2,336

$90.4 LKR 29.9K

894.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,449 ₾6,363

$4,574 LKR 1.5M

-46.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,452 ₾3,773

$762 LKR 251.9K

90.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 ₾1,694

$228 LKR 75.4K

185.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

12.69

-0.55%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: September 13, 2026

Last update for Badulla: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $682 in Tbilisi and $75.5 in Badulla. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 186% 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: $39.00 in Tbilisi vs $26.00 in Badulla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $227 per month, with Badulla cheaper across the board.

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 Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 132% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 186% higher in Tbilisi, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $682 in Tbilisi versus $75.5 in Badulla. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $374 in Tbilisi versus $38.72 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 $26.00 versus $39.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $538 in Badulla versus $1,247 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 132% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.