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: $1,191 in Tbilisi versus $542 in Kalutara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,856 in Tbilisi versus $867 in Kalutara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,522 in Tbilisi versus $1,192 in Kalutara.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 120% more expensive than in Kalutara, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 11% lower, Kalutara 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.91 ₾28.56

$4.10 LKR 1,376

166.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.19 ₾113

$24.95 LKR 8,374

73.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 ₾22.31

$8.51 LKR 2,855

0.24%

Cappuccino

$2.99 ₾7.81

$2.75 LKR 923

8.73%

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

$0.81 ₾2.12

$0.73 LKR 244

10.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₾1.09

$0.37 LKR 125

13.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 ₾5.65

$2.30 LKR 773

-6.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₾7.52

$3.40 LKR 1,142

-15.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ₾5.08

$1.78 LKR 596

8.99%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$0.53 LKR 177

28.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.83

$0.81 LKR 272

128.40%

Eggs

$2.53 ₾6.62

$2.18 LKR 733

16.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.53 ₾19.69

$13.99 LKR 4,696

-46.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 ₾16.39

$4.53 LKR 1,520

38.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.59 ₾25.09

$7.98 LKR 2,677

20.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 ₾3.04

$7.60 LKR 2,551

-84.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.29

$1.10 LKR 369

49.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.93

$5.94 LKR 1,992

-68.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.84

$1.20 LKR 404

85.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$1.16 LKR 389

-39.66%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₾1.68

$1.41 LKR 475

-54.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.09

$1.14 LKR 384

3.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$0.57 LKR 191

22.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 ₾7.78

$9.87 LKR 3,312

-69.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.43 ₾19.45

$12.79 LKR 4,291

-41.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.03

$2.01 LKR 674

-23.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₾5.98

$2.88 LKR 966

-20.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.73 ₾38.54

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ₾3.71

$0.39 LKR 131

264.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.81

$0.35 LKR 119

97.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.27 ₾19.02

$0.58 LKR 193

1153.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.86

$1.25 LKR 418

-12.80%

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

$18.3K ₾47.9K

$26.3K LKR 8.8M

-30.40%

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

$20.5K ₾53.6K

$34.8K LKR 11.7M

-41.15%

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

$74.4 ₾195

$60.3 LKR 20.2K

23.24%

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

$11.71 ₾30.63

$4.42 LKR 1,482

164.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ₾46.06

$14.93 LKR 5,009

17.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.3 ₾158

$10.13 LKR 3,398

494.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.29 ₾42.63

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.03

$3.41 LKR 1,145

90.91%

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

$269 ₾704

$36.88 LKR 12.4K

629.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,154 ₾13.5K

$449 LKR 150.8K

1047.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.1 ₾202

$27.12 LKR 9,100

184.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.48 ₾114

$19.32 LKR 6,482

125.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾310

$69.7 LKR 23.4K

69.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾295

$39.09 LKR 13.1K

188.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 ₾1,856

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 ₾1,215

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 ₾3,442

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$767 ₾2,007

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 Kalutara: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $43.00 in Tbilisi vs $25.00 in Kalutara. Groceries flip the comparison at $204 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 120% 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 $1,787 in Tbilisi and $812 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 $269 in Tbilisi versus $36.88 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 $25.00 versus $43.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $542 in Kalutara versus $1,191 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 $542 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 120% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.