Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Dambulla Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Dambulla

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,218 per month in Tbilisi vs $537 in Dambulla, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,853 per month in Tbilisi vs $876 in Dambulla, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,489 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,216 in Dambulla, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 127% more than Dambulla, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tbilisi and Dambulla are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 9% lower, Dambulla 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.85 ₾28.79

$3.90 LKR 1,315

178.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.17 ₾117

$24.89 LKR 8,388

77.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 ₾21.98

$8.24 LKR 2,777

0.49%

Cappuccino

$3.02 ₾8.01

$2.66 LKR 897

13.53%

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

$0.76 ₾2.02

$0.72 LKR 244

5.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.22

$0.41 LKR 138

12.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ₾5.94

$2.38 LKR 801

-5.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.96

$3.27 LKR 1,102

-8.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.12

$1.70 LKR 572

13.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 ₾1.91

$0.53 LKR 178

35.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 ₾4.88

$0.85 LKR 287

116.47%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.49

$2.14 LKR 722

14.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₾19.70

$13.87 LKR 4,676

-46.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 ₾17.19

$4.72 LKR 1,592

37.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 ₾25.74

$8.09 LKR 2,725

19.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 ₾3.19

$7.51 LKR 2,532

-84.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₾4.15

$1.06 LKR 358

47.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.76

$5.69 LKR 1,919

-68.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.91

$1.25 LKR 420

78.40%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.73

$1.10 LKR 371

-40.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 ₾1.80

$1.43 LKR 481

-52.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.16

$1.15 LKR 389

3.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.86

$0.56 LKR 188

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₾7.83

$9.91 LKR 3,339

-70.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 ₾19.44

$12.48 LKR 4,206

-41.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₾4.03

$2.04 LKR 686

-25.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.96

$2.96 LKR 996

-23.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$0.10 LKR 34.62

260.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.60 ₾38.74

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.97

$0.38 LKR 128

294.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 ₾1.93

$0.35 LKR 119

108.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾19.77

$0.61 LKR 207

1121.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.01

$1.22 LKR 410

-6.56%

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

$18.5K ₾49.1K

$26.4K LKR 8.9M

-29.93%

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

$20.3K ₾53.7K

$34.3K LKR 11.6M

-40.92%

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

$73.9 ₾196

$60.4 LKR 20.3K

22.42%

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

$11.71 ₾31.06

$4.35 LKR 1,465

169.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.16 ₾48.16

$14.92 LKR 5,027

21.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 ₾164

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.66 ₾44.18

Cinema Ticket

$6.61 ₾17.53

$3.29 LKR 1,108

100.91%

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

$264 ₾701

$36.67 LKR 12.4K

620.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,145 ₾13.6K

$449 LKR 151.4K

1044.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 ₾199

$27.51 LKR 9,272

172.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.98 ₾117

$19.71 LKR 6,643

123.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾312

$70.7 LKR 23.8K

66.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾302

$39.24 LKR 13.2K

189.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 ₾1,836

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₾1,204

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 ₾3,509

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,092

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,431 ₾6,450

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 ₾3,823

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$645 ₾1,711

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

16.45

-27.72%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: June 9, 2026

Last update for Dambulla: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Tbilisi versus $25.00 in Dambulla. Groceries tell a different story – $204 in Tbilisi vs $255 in Dambulla – so Tbilisi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Dambulla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,218 in Tbilisi, $537 in Dambulla – roughly 127% apart. Tbilisi costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,827 per month in Tbilisi and $806 in Dambulla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Tbilisi and $25.00 in Dambulla. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 25% cheaper in Tbilisi – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Dambulla, where all-in costs run around $537, than in Tbilisi at $1,218. In Dambulla it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Tbilisi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $537 in Dambulla to $1,218 in Tbilisi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Dambulla. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tbilisi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.