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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,187 per month in Tbilisi vs $528 in Dambulla, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,826 per month in Tbilisi vs $866 in Dambulla, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,466 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,204 in Dambulla, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 125% more than Dambulla, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tbilisi and Dambulla are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 11% lower, Dambulla 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.79 ₾28.26

$3.95 LKR 1,328

173.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.24 ₾116

$24.74 LKR 8,315

78.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.40 ₾21.98

$8.48 LKR 2,850

-0.94%

Cappuccino

$2.98 ₾7.80

$2.62 LKR 881

13.74%

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

$0.75 ₾1.97

$0.68 LKR 230

10.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₾1.10

$0.37 LKR 125

13.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ₾5.78

$2.38 LKR 801

-7.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.87

$3.26 LKR 1,097

-7.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ₾5.25

$1.69 LKR 569

18.34%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 ₾1.76

$0.52 LKR 175

28.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.73

$0.87 LKR 292

106.90%

Eggs

$2.59 ₾6.79

$2.12 LKR 713

22.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₾19.45

$13.90 LKR 4,673

-46.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.20 ₾16.24

$4.54 LKR 1,527

36.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.55 ₾25.02

$8.06 LKR 2,709

18.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 ₾3.20

$7.43 LKR 2,497

-83.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₾4.31

$1.11 LKR 374

48.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.91

$5.66 LKR 1,904

-66.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 ₾6.09

$1.20 LKR 402

94.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$1.10 LKR 371

-40.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₾1.69

$1.41 LKR 474

-54.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 ₾3.24

$1.19 LKR 399

4.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ₾1.71

$0.55 LKR 186

18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 ₾8.04

$10.25 LKR 3,445

-70.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.74 ₾20.26

$12.70 LKR 4,268

-39.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 ₾4.18

$1.99 LKR 670

-19.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₾5.86

$2.97 LKR 998

-24.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 ₾0.92

$0.09 LKR 30.78

288.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.73 ₾38.56

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ₾3.71

$0.38 LKR 128

273.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$0.36 LKR 120

94.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.52 ₾19.68

$0.58 LKR 194

1196.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₾3.01

$1.21 LKR 405

-4.96%

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

$18.0K ₾47.2K

$26.3K LKR 8.8M

-31.40%

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

$19.9K ₾52.0K

$34.5K LKR 11.6M

-42.38%

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

$74.2 ₾194

$60.6 LKR 20.4K

22.46%

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

$11.85 ₾31.04

$4.23 LKR 1,422

180.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.14 ₾47.49

$15.24 LKR 5,122

19.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 ₾162

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.91 ₾44.28

Cinema Ticket

$6.53 ₾17.11

$3.28 LKR 1,102

99.09%

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

$264 ₾691

$36.68 LKR 12.3K

619.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,079 ₾13.3K

$434 LKR 145.9K

1070.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 ₾202

$27.45 LKR 9,227

181.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.11 ₾116

$19.61 LKR 6,593

124.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 ₾313

$68.9 LKR 23.1K

73.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾290

$38.68 LKR 13.0K

186.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$707 ₾1,851

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$461 ₾1,206

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,348 ₾3,530

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$783 ₾2,050

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,423 ₾6,345

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,480 ₾3,876

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$662 ₾1,733

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Dambulla: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Tbilisi versus $25.00 in Dambulla. Groceries tell a different story – $205 in Tbilisi vs $254 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: $1,187 in Tbilisi, $528 in Dambulla – roughly 125% apart. Tbilisi costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,780 per month in Tbilisi and $792 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 24% 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 $528, than in Tbilisi at $1,187. 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 $528 in Dambulla to $1,187 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.