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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,199 per month in Tbilisi vs $533 in Dambulla, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,833 per month in Tbilisi vs $863 in Dambulla, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,466 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,193 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

$10.86 ₾29.20

$3.92 LKR 1,240

177.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.33 ₾117

$24.98 LKR 7,906

73.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.25 ₾22.19

$8.53 LKR 2,701

-3.28%

Cappuccino

$3.10 ₾8.33

$2.67 LKR 846

16.10%

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

$0.80 ₾2.15

$0.68 LKR 215

17.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.24

$0.37 LKR 118

24.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 ₾5.81

$2.31 LKR 730

-6.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 ₾7.92

$3.25 LKR 1,030

-9.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.19

$1.70 LKR 539

13.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 ₾1.81

$0.56 LKR 178

19.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 ₾4.91

$0.87 LKR 275

109.20%

Eggs

$2.56 ₾6.88

$2.20 LKR 696

16.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.61 ₾20.48

$14.12 LKR 4,470

-46.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 ₾17.50

$4.79 LKR 1,516

35.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.67 ₾26.00

$8.26 LKR 2,613

17.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 ₾3.12

$7.37 LKR 2,334

-84.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ₾4.36

$1.07 LKR 339

51.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾5.04

$5.82 LKR 1,841

-67.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 ₾6.26

$1.20 LKR 378

94.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.75

$1.10 LKR 349

-40.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₾1.70

$1.43 LKR 452

-55.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.17

$1.20 LKR 381

-1.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.90

$0.56 LKR 179

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 ₾8.17

$10.00 LKR 3,164

-69.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.27 ₾19.56

$12.45 LKR 3,939

-41.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₾4.27

$2.03 LKR 642

-21.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 ₾6.18

$2.98 LKR 942

-22.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.96

$0.10 LKR 32.08

260.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.68 ₾39.48

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾4.03

$0.38 LKR 122

294.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 ₾1.87

$0.33 LKR 104

112.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.35 ₾19.78

$0.60 LKR 191

1125.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₾3.05

$1.20 LKR 381

-5.83%

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

$18.2K ₾49.0K

$26.5K LKR 8.4M

-31.08%

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

$20.2K ₾54.5K

$35.1K LKR 11.1M

-42.30%

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

$74.0 ₾199

$60.8 LKR 19.2K

21.70%

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

$11.87 ₾31.93

$4.27 LKR 1,350

177.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.55 ₾47.20

$14.86 LKR 4,703

18.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.3 ₾162

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.69 ₾44.89

Cinema Ticket

$6.73 ₾18.10

$3.28 LKR 1,037

105.18%

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

$261 ₾703

$37.36 LKR 11.8K

599.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,146 ₾13.8K

$446 LKR 141.2K

1053.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.6 ₾209

$27.46 LKR 8,691

182.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.48 ₾117

$19.70 LKR 6,234

120.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾318

$70.6 LKR 22.3K

67.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾298

$38.78 LKR 12.3K

185.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$703 ₾1,891

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$457 ₾1,231

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,346 ₾3,621

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₾2,120

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,560 ₾6,885

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,443 ₾3,881

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$648 ₾1,742

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Dambulla: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $703 in Tbilisi versus $0 in Dambulla. 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 $43 in Tbilisi versus $25 in Dambulla. Groceries tell a different story – $206 in Tbilisi vs $257 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: $1,199 in Tbilisi, $533 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 $1,799 per month in Tbilisi and $799 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 $43.00 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 $533, than in Tbilisi at $1,199. 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 $533 in Dambulla to $1,199 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.