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: $1,178 in Tbilisi versus $599 in Hikkaduwa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,848 in Tbilisi versus $1,128 in Hikkaduwa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,518 in Tbilisi versus $1,657 in Hikkaduwa.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 97% more expensive than Hikkaduwa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 12% lower, Hikkaduwa 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.09 ₾29.35

$4.10 LKR 1,365

170.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.24 ₾114

$25.06 LKR 8,344

72.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 ₾22.63

$8.33 LKR 2,773

2.64%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ₾7.86

$2.71 LKR 901

9.59%

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

$0.76 ₾2.01

$0.68 LKR 225

11.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.22

$0.31 LKR 105

48.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ₾5.88

$2.41 LKR 801

-7.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.73

$3.26 LKR 1,084

-10.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 ₾5.21

$1.68 LKR 560

17.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₾1.94

$0.56 LKR 185

30.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 ₾4.81

$0.82 LKR 274

121.95%

Eggs

$2.49 ₾6.60

$2.15 LKR 716

15.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.66 ₾20.27

$13.95 LKR 4,645

-45.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.27 ₾16.59

$4.61 LKR 1,534

36.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.50 ₾25.14

$7.99 LKR 2,662

18.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 ₾3.24

$7.46 LKR 2,485

-83.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.33

$0.34 LKR 114

382.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾4.95

$2.65 LKR 883

-29.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 ₾6.02

$0.98 LKR 326

131.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.77

$1.11 LKR 371

-39.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.79

$0.36 LKR 119

86.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ₾3.23

$1.20 LKR 398

1.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.85

$0.53 LKR 176

32.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.73

$10.08 LKR 3,355

-71.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.72 ₾20.42

$13.00 LKR 4,330

-40.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₾4.09

$2.03 LKR 677

-23.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 ₾5.86

$2.85 LKR 949

-22.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ₾1.02

$0.31 LKR 105

25.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.67 ₾38.81

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 ₾3.82

$0.41 LKR 137

251.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.81

$0.35 LKR 117

97.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 ₾19.52

$0.60 LKR 201

1128.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.03

$1.26 LKR 421

-9.52%

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

$18.2K ₾48.1K

$26.6K LKR 8.9M

-31.70%

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

$20.4K ₾54.1K

$34.2K LKR 11.4M

-40.31%

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

$73.6 ₾195

$60.3 LKR 20.1K

22.10%

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

$11.64 ₾30.80

$4.35 LKR 1,449

167.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.63 ₾46.65

$14.97 LKR 4,986

17.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.4 ₾162

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.85 ₾44.59

Cinema Ticket

$6.69 ₾17.71

$3.34 LKR 1,112

100.30%

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

$264 ₾699

$36.36 LKR 12.1K

626.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,169 ₾13.7K

$441 LKR 146.9K

1071.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.1 ₾199

$27.84 LKR 9,270

169.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.26 ₾114

$19.53 LKR 6,505

121.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾311

$70.4 LKR 23.5K

66.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾295

$38.39 LKR 12.8K

190.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$706 ₾1,868

$167 LKR 55.7K

321.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$461 ₾1,221

$84.7 LKR 28.2K

444.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,318 ₾3,488

$1,696 LKR 564.7K

-22.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$781 ₾2,066

$508 LKR 169.3K

53.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,463 ₾6,517

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,409 ₾3,727

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$672 ₾1,779

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 14, 2026

Last update for Hikkaduwa: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $706 in Tbilisi and $167 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 $206 vs $235, 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 97% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,767 in Tbilisi and $899 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: $706 in Tbilisi versus $167 in Hikkaduwa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Tbilisi pay roughly 14% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,178 per month in Tbilisi versus $599 in Hikkaduwa – a 97% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $599 in Hikkaduwa versus $1,178 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 97% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.