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: $1,247 in Tbilisi versus $619 in Kalutara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,025 in Tbilisi versus $899 in Kalutara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,803 in Tbilisi versus $1,179 in Kalutara.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 101% more expensive than in Kalutara, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 9% lower, Kalutara 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.33 ₾29.44

$4.51 LKR 1,492

151.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.71 ₾101

$26.15 LKR 8,646

48.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 ₾24.72

$7.62 LKR 2,519

24.93%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ₾8.85

$2.55 LKR 844

33.73%

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

$1.04 ₾2.71

$0.73 LKR 241

42.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₾1.66

$0.25 LKR 81.8

156.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 ₾6.79

$2.18 LKR 721

19.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ₾8.43

$3.06 LKR 1,013

5.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₾5.65

$1.57 LKR 518

38.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ₾1.92

$0.56 LKR 186

32.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 ₾4.45

$0.75 LKR 246

128.00%

Eggs

$2.83 ₾7.36

$1.59 LKR 525

77.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 ₾23.94

$13.33 LKR 4,409

-30.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 ₾17.55

$5.21 LKR 1,722

29.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.77 ₾33.16

$7.42 LKR 2,455

72.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.26

$6.77 LKR 2,239

-75.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ₾4.60

$0.83 LKR 275

113.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾4.85

$4.25 LKR 1,407

-56.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 ₾6.34

$1.24 LKR 409

96.77%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.25

$1.03 LKR 341

-15.53%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$0.82 LKR 270

-20.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 ₾3.63

$0.88 LKR 289

59.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$0.48 LKR 160

54.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 ₾8.86

$10.41 LKR 3,444

-67.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.60 ₾19.75

$13.62 LKR 4,505

-44.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₾4.41

$1.99 LKR 659

-14.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.19

$2.78 LKR 919

-14.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.94

$0.11 LKR 36.64

227.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.24 ₾39.59

$9.38 LKR 3,100

62.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₾3.07

$0.39 LKR 128

202.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ₾1.97

$0.17 LKR 56.6

347.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.34 ₾29.46

$0.90 LKR 296

1160.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₾3.46

$1.35 LKR 446

-1.48%

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

$24.7K ₾64.2K

$37.7K LKR 12.5M

-34.39%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$40.1K LKR 13.3M

-45.07%

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

$88.9 ₾231

$56.1 LKR 18.5K

58.54%

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

$13.33 ₾34.62

$4.25 LKR 1,406

213.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ₾52.3

$21.24 LKR 7,023

-5.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.7 ₾178

$9.06 LKR 2,994

657.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.09 ₾46.99

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 ₾17.45

$4.30 LKR 1,422

56.28%

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

$374 ₾970

$37.98 LKR 12.6K

883.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.8K

$1,235 LKR 408.3K

766.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₾263

$20.37 LKR 6,735

396.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.33 ₾102

$16.56 LKR 5,475

137.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾305

$80.8 LKR 26.7K

45.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$42.28 LKR 14.0K

189.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 ₾1,772

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,186

$86.1 LKR 28.5K

430.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 ₾3,384

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 ₾2,336

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,449 ₾6,363

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,452 ₾3,773

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 ₾1,694

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 13, 2026

Last update for Kalutara: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $39.00 in Tbilisi vs $26.00 in Kalutara. Groceries flip the comparison at $232 vs $238, 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 101% 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 $1,870 in Tbilisi and $928 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.

A monthly transit pass in Kalutara runs roughly 62% less than in Tbilisi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $374 in Tbilisi versus $37.98 in Kalutara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $619 in Kalutara versus $1,247 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 $619 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 101% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.