Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Colombo Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Colombo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,247 in Tbilisi versus $805 in Colombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,025 in Tbilisi versus $1,206 in Colombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,803 in Tbilisi versus $1,607 in Colombo.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 55% more expensive than in Colombo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 9% lower, Colombo 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.33 ₾29.45

$4.36 LKR 1,444

159.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.71 ₾101

$25.64 LKR 8,489

50.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 ₾24.73

$7.51 LKR 2,486

26.76%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ₾8.85

$2.57 LKR 852

32.68%

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

$1.04 ₾2.71

$0.69 LKR 228

50.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₾1.66

$0.27 LKR 89.7

137.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 ₾6.79

$2.23 LKR 739

17.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ₾8.43

$3.07 LKR 1,015

5.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₾5.65

$1.61 LKR 535

34.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ₾1.92

$0.57 LKR 189

29.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 ₾4.45

$0.78 LKR 259

119.23%

Eggs

$2.83 ₾7.36

$1.65 LKR 546

71.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 ₾23.95

$13.07 LKR 4,327

-29.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 ₾17.55

$5.05 LKR 1,672

33.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.77 ₾33.17

$7.12 LKR 2,359

79.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.26

$6.96 LKR 2,306

-76.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ₾4.60

$0.82 LKR 272

115.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾4.85

$4.31 LKR 1,427

-56.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 ₾6.34

$1.23 LKR 408

98.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.25

$1.00 LKR 331

-13.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$0.81 LKR 267

-19.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 ₾3.64

$0.94 LKR 310

48.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$0.46 LKR 152

60.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 ₾8.86

$10.14 LKR 3,357

-66.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.60 ₾19.75

$13.53 LKR 4,479

-43.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₾4.41

$1.91 LKR 633

-10.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.20

$2.85 LKR 944

-16.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.94

$0.17 LKR 55.6

111.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.24 ₾39.60

$7.05 LKR 2,335

116.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₾3.07

$0.38 LKR 127

210.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ₾1.97

$0.37 LKR 123

105.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.34 ₾29.47

$0.88 LKR 292

1188.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₾3.46

$1.35 LKR 447

-1.48%

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

$24.7K ₾64.2K

$37.2K LKR 12.3M

-33.48%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$40.9K LKR 13.5M

-46.11%

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

$88.9 ₾231

$55.6 LKR 18.4K

59.94%

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

$13.33 ₾34.63

$4.17 LKR 1,382

219.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ₾52.3

$20.52 LKR 6,793

-1.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.7 ₾178

$14.69 LKR 4,864

367.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.09 ₾47.01

$5.82 LKR 1,926

210.82%

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 ₾17.46

$4.54 LKR 1,503

48.02%

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

$374 ₾971

$38.14 LKR 12.6K

879.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.8K

$1,226 LKR 406.0K

772.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₾263

$19.94 LKR 6,601

407.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.33 ₾102

$16.86 LKR 5,583

133.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾305

$80.6 LKR 26.7K

45.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$42.33 LKR 14.0K

188.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 ₾1,773

$601 LKR 198.9K

13.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,186

$268 LKR 88.7K

70.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 ₾3,385

$1,486 LKR 491.8K

-12.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 ₾2,337

$432 LKR 143.0K

108.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,449 ₾6,365

$3,735 LKR 1.2M

-34.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,452 ₾3,774

$1,192 LKR 394.8K

21.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 ₾1,695

$250 LKR 82.9K

160.66%

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 Colombo: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $682 in Tbilisi and $601 in Colombo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 161% 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 Colombo. Groceries flip the comparison at $232 vs $237, 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 Colombo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Colombo wins on cost – living expenses run 55% lower than in Tbilisi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Colombo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 161% 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 $601 in Colombo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Tbilisi pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Colombo – 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 $805 in Colombo versus $1,247 in Tbilisi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Colombo but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Colombo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Colombo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $805 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Colombo hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Colombo 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 Colombo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.