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: $1,185 in Tbilisi versus $582 in Hikkaduwa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,834 in Tbilisi versus $1,102 in Hikkaduwa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,483 in Tbilisi versus $1,621 in Hikkaduwa.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 103% more expensive than Hikkaduwa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 12% lower, Hikkaduwa 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.15 ₾30.00

$4.04 LKR 1,287

175.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.13 ₾116

$25.16 LKR 8,024

71.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 ₾22.11

$8.40 LKR 2,680

-2.14%

Cappuccino

$3.13 ₾8.42

$2.65 LKR 844

18.11%

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

$0.74 ₾2.00

$0.70 LKR 222

5.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₾1.22

$0.32 LKR 101

40.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ₾5.74

$2.30 LKR 733

-7.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ₾8.06

$3.26 LKR 1,040

-8.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₾5.09

$1.67 LKR 533

13.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₾1.97

$0.55 LKR 177

32.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.98

$0.81 LKR 257

128.40%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.58

$2.20 LKR 702

11.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.85 ₾21.12

$13.96 LKR 4,453

-43.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ₾16.82

$4.71 LKR 1,502

32.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.77 ₾26.28

$7.95 LKR 2,534

22.89%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 ₾3.26

$7.41 LKR 2,364

-83.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₾4.28

$0.32 LKR 101

396.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.81

$2.76 LKR 880

-35.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 ₾6.25

$1.02 LKR 325

127.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.91

$1.11 LKR 355

-36.04%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.81

$0.36 LKR 115

86.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.16

$1.18 LKR 377

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₾1.92

$0.55 LKR 177

29.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.85

$10.19 LKR 3,249

-71.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.25 ₾19.50

$12.31 LKR 3,927

-41.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₾4.17

$2.10 LKR 670

-26.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.21

$2.99 LKR 955

-22.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.03

$0.32 LKR 102

18.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.81 ₾39.83

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ₾3.98

$0.39 LKR 124

279.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.86

$0.33 LKR 105

109.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾20.05

$0.57 LKR 183

1207.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₾3.10

$1.26 LKR 401

-8.73%

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

$18.0K ₾48.4K

$26.3K LKR 8.4M

-31.50%

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

$19.8K ₾53.4K

$34.2K LKR 10.9M

-41.95%

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

$73.4 ₾198

$59.4 LKR 18.9K

23.64%

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

$11.64 ₾31.32

$4.22 LKR 1,345

175.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.77 ₾47.79

$15.01 LKR 4,788

18.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 ₾163

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 ₾44.21

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.52

$3.40 LKR 1,086

91.47%

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

$263 ₾707

$37.48 LKR 12.0K

600.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,136 ₾13.8K

$448 LKR 142.9K

1046.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾209

$27.91 LKR 8,902

178.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.39 ₾119

$19.04 LKR 6,071

133.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾317

$69.8 LKR 22.2K

68.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾307

$38.27 LKR 12.2K

198.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,865

$170 LKR 54.2K

307.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,244

$82.5 LKR 26.3K

460.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 ₾3,597

$1,663 LKR 530.2K

-19.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$779 ₾2,096

$512 LKR 163.2K

52.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,530 ₾6,805

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,430 ₾3,847

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$633 ₾1,702

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 26, 2026

Last update for Hikkaduwa: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $693 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 $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 103% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,777 in Tbilisi and $874 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: $693 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 14% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,185 per month in Tbilisi versus $582 in Hikkaduwa – a 103% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $582 in Hikkaduwa versus $1,185 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 103% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.