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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,279 per month in Tbilisi vs $509 in Dambulla, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,011 per month in Tbilisi vs $838 in Dambulla, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,743 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,168 in Dambulla, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 151% more than Dambulla, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tbilisi and Dambulla are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 7% lower, Dambulla 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.43 ₾29.72

$4.37 LKR 1,436

161.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.16 ₾99.2

$25.85 LKR 8,495

47.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.40 ₾24.45

$7.79 LKR 2,561

20.67%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ₾8.78

$2.49 LKR 818

35.74%

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

$1.04 ₾2.70

$0.74 LKR 243

40.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₾1.56

$0.27 LKR 88.8

122.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 ₾7.05

$2.16 LKR 711

25.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ₾7.90

$2.96 LKR 973

2.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 ₾5.90

$1.56 LKR 512

45.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ₾2.04

$0.57 LKR 188

38.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ₾4.21

$0.75 LKR 248

116.00%

Eggs

$2.74 ₾7.13

$1.67 LKR 549

64.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.30 ₾24.19

$13.42 LKR 4,409

-30.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.79 ₾17.65

$5.13 LKR 1,687

32.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.01 ₾33.84

$7.09 LKR 2,329

83.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.27

$6.63 LKR 2,178

-75.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ₾4.77

$0.88 LKR 290

107.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 ₾4.94

$4.38 LKR 1,439

-56.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 ₾6.68

$1.23 LKR 404

108.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 ₾2.19

$1.01 LKR 333

-16.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$0.77 LKR 253

-15.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₾3.54

$0.89 LKR 293

52.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₾2.07

$0.45 LKR 148

77.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ₾8.85

$10.36 LKR 3,404

-67.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.67 ₾19.94

$13.55 LKR 4,451

-43.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₾4.36

$2.00 LKR 656

-16.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.18

$2.78 LKR 913

-14.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ₾1.02

$0.10 LKR 32.56

290.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.55 ₾40.44

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.96

$0.38 LKR 126

200.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$0.35 LKR 116

111.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.32 ₾29.42

$0.88 LKR 289

1186.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 ₾3.60

$1.35 LKR 443

2.22%

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

$24.6K ₾63.9K

$29.9K LKR 9.8M

-17.93%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$42.7K LKR 14.0M

-48.44%

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

$88.7 ₾231

$56.2 LKR 18.5K

58.00%

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

$13.18 ₾34.26

$4.28 LKR 1,408

207.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.68 ₾51.2

$21.00 LKR 6,900

-6.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 ₾177

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.94 ₾46.65

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ₾16.70

$4.45 LKR 1,462

44.27%

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

$372 ₾967

$37.74 LKR 12.4K

885.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K ₾28.1K

$1,221 LKR 401.1K

785.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₾272

$19.87 LKR 6,530

425.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.83 ₾101

$16.88 LKR 5,548

130.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₾299

$80.4 LKR 26.4K

42.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$42.69 LKR 14.0K

186.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 ₾1,770

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,185

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 ₾3,410

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$892 ₾2,321

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,391 ₾6,216

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,425 ₾3,704

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$640 ₾1,663

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 5, 2026

Last update for Dambulla: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Tbilisi versus $26.00 in Dambulla. Groceries tell a different story – $236 in Tbilisi vs $236 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: $1,279 in Tbilisi, $509 in Dambulla – roughly 151% apart. Tbilisi costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,919 per month in Tbilisi and $763 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 $38.00 in Tbilisi and $26.00 in Dambulla. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% 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 $509, than in Tbilisi at $1,279. 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 $509 in Dambulla to $1,279 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.