Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Kalutara Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Kalutara

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,178 in Tbilisi versus $539 in Kalutara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,848 in Tbilisi versus $868 in Kalutara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,518 in Tbilisi versus $1,196 in Kalutara.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 118% more expensive than Kalutara, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 12% lower, Kalutara 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.09 ₾29.35

$3.93 LKR 1,308

182.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.24 ₾114

$25.58 LKR 8,517

69.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 ₾22.63

$8.35 LKR 2,780

2.40%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ₾7.86

$2.66 LKR 886

11.65%

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

$0.76 ₾2.01

$0.72 LKR 241

5.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.22

$0.37 LKR 124

24.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ₾5.88

$2.29 LKR 762

-3.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.73

$3.32 LKR 1,107

-12.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 ₾5.21

$1.75 LKR 584

12.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₾1.94

$0.56 LKR 187

30.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 ₾4.81

$0.82 LKR 273

121.95%

Eggs

$2.49 ₾6.60

$2.14 LKR 712

16.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.66 ₾20.27

$14.15 LKR 4,711

-45.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.27 ₾16.59

$4.59 LKR 1,529

36.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.50 ₾25.14

$7.84 LKR 2,612

21.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 ₾3.24

$7.37 LKR 2,455

-83.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.33

$1.11 LKR 370

47.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾4.95

$5.66 LKR 1,885

-66.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 ₾6.02

$1.24 LKR 414

83.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.77

$1.16 LKR 387

-42.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.79

$1.42 LKR 472

-52.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ₾3.23

$1.15 LKR 383

6.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.85

$0.60 LKR 201

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.73

$10.25 LKR 3,413

-71.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.72 ₾20.42

$12.98 LKR 4,322

-40.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₾4.09

$2.11 LKR 702

-26.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 ₾5.86

$2.88 LKR 959

-22.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ₾1.02

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.67 ₾38.81

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 ₾3.82

$0.38 LKR 127

278.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.81

$0.33 LKR 108

109.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 ₾19.52

$0.57 LKR 190

1192.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.03

$1.24 LKR 413

-8.06%

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

$18.2K ₾48.1K

$26.8K LKR 8.9M

-32.35%

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

$20.4K ₾54.1K

$34.6K LKR 11.5M

-40.89%

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

$73.6 ₾195

$59.2 LKR 19.7K

24.39%

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

$11.64 ₾30.80

$4.21 LKR 1,402

176.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.63 ₾46.65

$14.97 LKR 4,985

17.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.4 ₾162

$9.92 LKR 3,303

518.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.85 ₾44.59

Cinema Ticket

$6.69 ₾17.71

$3.32 LKR 1,105

101.51%

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

$264 ₾699

$36.60 LKR 12.2K

621.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,169 ₾13.7K

$442 LKR 147.2K

1069.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.1 ₾199

$27.75 LKR 9,241

170.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.26 ₾114

$19.68 LKR 6,553

119.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾311

$70.2 LKR 23.4K

67.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾295

$38.14 LKR 12.7K

192.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$706 ₾1,868

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$461 ₾1,221

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,318 ₾3,488

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$781 ₾2,066

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 Kalutara: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $43.00 in Tbilisi vs $26.00 in Kalutara. Groceries flip the comparison at $206 vs $257, 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 Kalutara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kalutara wins on cost – living expenses run 118% lower than in Tbilisi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kalutara the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,767 in Tbilisi and $809 in Kalutara 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.

Childcare runs $264 in Tbilisi versus $36.60 in Kalutara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Kalutara – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $43.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $539 in Kalutara versus $1,178 in Tbilisi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kalutara but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Kalutara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kalutara delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $539 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kalutara hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Kalutara 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 Kalutara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 118% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.