Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Hikkaduwa Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Hikkaduwa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,191 in Tbilisi versus $600 in Hikkaduwa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,856 in Tbilisi versus $1,137 in Hikkaduwa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,522 in Tbilisi versus $1,674 in Hikkaduwa.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 99% more expensive than in Hikkaduwa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 11% lower, Hikkaduwa 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.91 ₾28.56

$3.92 LKR 1,317

178.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.19 ₾113

$25.14 LKR 8,436

71.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 ₾22.31

$8.41 LKR 2,821

1.43%

Cappuccino

$2.99 ₾7.81

$2.60 LKR 872

15.00%

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

$0.81 ₾2.12

$0.69 LKR 231

17.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₾1.09

$0.34 LKR 115

23.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 ₾5.65

$2.31 LKR 775

-6.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₾7.52

$3.34 LKR 1,120

-13.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ₾5.08

$1.68 LKR 564

15.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$0.52 LKR 176

30.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.83

$0.88 LKR 294

110.23%

Eggs

$2.53 ₾6.62

$2.23 LKR 748

13.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.53 ₾19.69

$14.13 LKR 4,741

-46.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 ₾16.39

$4.77 LKR 1,601

31.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.59 ₾25.09

$8.02 LKR 2,691

19.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 ₾3.04

$7.54 LKR 2,530

-84.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.29

$0.31 LKR 106

429.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.93

$2.63 LKR 881

-28.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.84

$1.03 LKR 344

116.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$1.12 LKR 374

-37.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₾1.68

$0.35 LKR 118

82.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.09

$1.16 LKR 388

1.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$0.55 LKR 186

27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 ₾7.78

$10.16 LKR 3,408

-70.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.43 ₾19.45

$12.80 LKR 4,295

-41.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.03

$2.10 LKR 704

-26.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₾5.98

$2.94 LKR 986

-22.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.93

$0.35 LKR 116

2.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.73 ₾38.54

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ₾3.71

$0.39 LKR 129

264.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.81

$0.33 LKR 111

109.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.27 ₾19.02

$0.58 LKR 193

1153.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.86

$1.26 LKR 424

-13.49%

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

$18.3K ₾47.9K

$26.9K LKR 9.0M

-31.98%

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

$20.5K ₾53.6K

$34.8K LKR 11.7M

-41.22%

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

$74.4 ₾195

$61.2 LKR 20.5K

21.41%

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

$11.71 ₾30.63

$4.37 LKR 1,466

167.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ₾46.06

$14.86 LKR 4,987

18.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.3 ₾158

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.29 ₾42.63

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.03

$3.32 LKR 1,114

96.08%

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

$269 ₾704

$37.10 LKR 12.4K

625.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,154 ₾13.5K

$448 LKR 150.3K

1050.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.1 ₾202

$27.21 LKR 9,132

183.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.48 ₾114

$19.77 LKR 6,632

119.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾310

$68.3 LKR 22.9K

73.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾295

$38.63 LKR 13.0K

191.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 ₾1,856

$170 LKR 57.1K

316.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 ₾1,215

$82.3 LKR 27.6K

464.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 ₾3,442

$1,688 LKR 566.5K

-22.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$767 ₾2,007

$505 LKR 169.4K

51.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,492 ₾6,522

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,442 ₾3,773

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$663 ₾1,735

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 25, 2026

Last update for Hikkaduwa: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $709 in Tbilisi and $170 in Hikkaduwa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Tbilisi vs $25.00 in Hikkaduwa. Groceries flip the comparison at $204 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 Hikkaduwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hikkaduwa is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 99% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,787 in Tbilisi and $900 in Hikkaduwa to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $709 in Tbilisi versus $170 in Hikkaduwa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Tbilisi pay roughly 16% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,191 per month in Tbilisi versus $600 in Hikkaduwa – a 99% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $600 in Hikkaduwa versus $1,191 in Tbilisi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Hikkaduwa but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Hikkaduwa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Hikkaduwa is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tbilisi, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Hikkaduwa 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 Hikkaduwa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 99% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.