Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Bandarawela

For one person, living is cheaper in Bandarawela: $496 a month against $1,269 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $9,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

61

Cost of Living Index in Tbilisi
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Tbilisi Living Index
24

Cost of Living Index in Bandarawela
Learn more

Bandarawela Living Index

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Tbilisi

🇬🇪 Georgia

$1,269

/mo nomad

Bandarawela

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$496

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Bandarawela

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

A single person spends $1,269 per month in Tbilisi vs $496 in Bandarawela, rent included.

Tbilisi $1,269
Bandarawela $496

A couple spends around $2,016 per month in Tbilisi vs $793 in Bandarawela, rent included.

Tbilisi $2,016
Bandarawela $793

A family of three spends $2,763 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,091 in Bandarawela, rent included.

Tbilisi $2,763
Bandarawela $1,091

Tbilisi costs about 156% more than Bandarawela, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Tbilisi and Bandarawela are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 7% lower, Bandarawela 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.63 ₾30.07

$1.40 LKR 465

730.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.83 ₾97.8

$24.56 LKR 8,164

54.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.66 ₾24.98

$7.77 LKR 2,585

24.32%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ₾9.24

$1.53 LKR 507

133.33%

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

$1.08 ₾2.78

$0.63 LKR 208

71.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₾1.45

$0.27 LKR 90.3

107.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 ₾6.78

$2.22 LKR 739

18.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ₾7.85

$2.40 LKR 797

26.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₾5.60

$1.64 LKR 547

32.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 ₾2.06

$0.34 LKR 114

135.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 ₾4.51

$0.62 LKR 205

180.65%

Eggs

$2.83 ₾7.31

$1.08 LKR 357

162.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.31 ₾24.07

$13.51 LKR 4,492

-31.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.52 ₾16.85

$3.70 LKR 1,231

76.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.95 ₾33.50

$7.57 LKR 2,516

71.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 ₾4.34

$6.74 LKR 2,240

-75.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.79

$0.59 LKR 196

213.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 ₾5.10

$4.51 LKR 1,500

-56.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.42 ₾6.25

$1.28 LKR 426

89.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ₾2.11

$0.94 LKR 312

-12.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 ₾1.91

$0.52 LKR 172

42.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ₾3.47

$0.95 LKR 316

41.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₾2.00

$0.45 LKR 150

71.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.57 ₾9.24

$9.60 LKR 3,192

-62.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.67 ₾19.83

$12.90 LKR 4,289

-40.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₾4.39

$1.95 LKR 649

-12.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₾6.21

$2.91 LKR 968

-17.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ₾1.05

$0.14 LKR 46.52

185.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.23 ₾39.38

$1.55 LKR 516

882.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.95

$0.38 LKR 126

200.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ₾2.02

$0.29 LKR 95.7

168.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.83 ₾30.58

$0.47 LKR 155

2417.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ₾3.75

$0.99 LKR 328

46.46%

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

$24.6K ₾63.6K

$43.5K LKR 14.5M

-43.52%

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

$22.3K ₾57.8K

$40.3K LKR 13.4M

-44.53%

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

$88.8 ₾230

$59.9 LKR 19.9K

48.17%

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

$13.12 ₾33.93

$3.29 LKR 1,094

298.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.67 ₾50.9

$5.92 LKR 1,968

232.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.1 ₾166

$6.21 LKR 2,064

931.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 ₾49.24

$4.51 LKR 1,499

322.17%

Cinema Ticket

$7.12 ₾18.42

$2.47 LKR 821

188.26%

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

$375 ₾971

$37.24 LKR 12.4K

908.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ₾27.1K

$1,204 LKR 400.2K

769.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ₾268

$18.29 LKR 6,081

466.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.26 ₾102

$16.75 LKR 5,568

134.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾303

$78.3 LKR 26.0K

49.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾315

$41.03 LKR 13.6K

196.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 ₾1,798

$91.8 LKR 30.5K

657.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 ₾1,167

$45.15 LKR 15.0K

899.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 ₾3,504

$119 LKR 39.7K

1034.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$906 ₾2,343

$61.5 LKR 20.5K

1372.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,295 ₾5,934

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,345 ₾3,478

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 ₾1,718

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: October 27, 2026

Last update for Bandarawela: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Tbilisi

$451 35.6%

Bandarawela

$45 9.1% 90% $406

Groceries & Markets

Tbilisi

$234 18.4%

Bandarawela

$225 45.3% 4% $9.4

Eating Out

Tbilisi

$191 15%

Bandarawela

$72 14.6% 62.1% $118

Clothing & Footwear

Tbilisi

$172 13.5%

Bandarawela

$69 14% 59.6% $102

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tbilisi

$122 9.6%

Bandarawela

$69 14% 43.1% $52

Sport & Entertainment

Tbilisi

$78 6.2%

Bandarawela

$11 2.3% 85.8% $67

Getting Around

Tbilisi

$22 1.7%

Bandarawela

$3.9 0.8% 82.1% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $695 in Tbilisi versus $92 in Bandarawela. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38 in Tbilisi versus $25 in Bandarawela. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $225 – making Bandarawela the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇬🇪 Tbilisi

🇱🇰 Bandarawela

🕒 Local time

02:21 2:21 AM

03:51 3:51 AM

1 h 30 min ahead of Tbilisi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,241,700 Capital

8,000

💱 Currency

Georgian Lari GEL ₾

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1 GEL = 0.387 USD

1 GEL = 0.347 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

LKR, USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇬🇪 Georgian Lari (₾)

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).

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).

USD to GEL in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Tbilisi Bandarawela 5,270 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Tbilisi
Bandarawela

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

Tbilisi vs Bandarawela: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,269 in Tbilisi, $496 in Bandarawela – Bandarawela comes out roughly 61% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,904 per month in Tbilisi and $744 in Bandarawela. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bandarawela, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $92 there versus $695 in Tbilisi.

Kindergarten costs $375 per month in Tbilisi and $37 in Bandarawela. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Tbilisi, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Bandarawela, where all-in costs run around $496, than in Tbilisi at $1,269. In Bandarawela it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bandarawela – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

For expats, Bandarawela is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 61% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.