Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Kandy Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Kandy

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,187 in Tbilisi versus $535 in Kandy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,826 in Tbilisi versus $854 in Kandy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,466 in Tbilisi versus $1,173 in Kandy.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 122% more expensive than in Kandy, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 11% lower, Kandy 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.79 ₾28.26

$2.75 LKR 924

292.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.24 ₾116

$11.88 LKR 3,992

272.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.40 ₾21.98

$6.36 LKR 2,138

32.08%

Cappuccino

$2.98 ₾7.80

$2.63 LKR 885

13.31%

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

$0.75 ₾1.97

$0.60 LKR 201

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₾1.10

$0.32 LKR 109

31.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ₾5.78

$2.13 LKR 716

3.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.87

$3.37 LKR 1,134

-10.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ₾5.25

$1.41 LKR 473

41.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 ₾1.76

$0.52 LKR 173

28.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.73

$0.86 LKR 289

109.30%

Eggs

$2.59 ₾6.79

$2.17 LKR 729

19.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₾19.45

$8.61 LKR 2,894

-13.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.20 ₾16.24

$4.53 LKR 1,524

36.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.55 ₾25.02

$7.97 LKR 2,680

19.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 ₾3.20

$4.48 LKR 1,507

-72.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₾4.31

$0.97 LKR 327

70.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.91

$3.77 LKR 1,266

-50.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 ₾6.09

$1.21 LKR 405

92.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$1.16 LKR 391

-43.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₾1.69

$1.25 LKR 420

-48.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 ₾3.24

$0.78 LKR 262

58.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ₾1.71

$0.56 LKR 188

16.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 ₾8.04

$9.28 LKR 3,119

-66.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.74 ₾20.26

$11.47 LKR 3,854

-32.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 ₾4.18

$2.10 LKR 705

-23.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₾5.86

$2.74 LKR 921

-18.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 ₾0.92

$0.18 LKR 59.6

94.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.73 ₾38.56

$15.28 LKR 5,136

-3.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ₾3.71

$0.39 LKR 130

264.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$0.33 LKR 110

112.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.52 ₾19.68

$0.43 LKR 146

1648.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₾3.01

$1.25 LKR 421

-8.00%

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

$18.0K ₾47.2K

$17.8K LKR 6.0M

1.42%

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

$19.9K ₾52.0K

$21.7K LKR 7.3M

-8.26%

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

$74.2 ₾194

$40.58 LKR 13.6K

82.87%

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

$11.85 ₾31.04

$4.37 LKR 1,470

171.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.14 ₾47.49

$15.38 LKR 5,170

17.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 ₾162

$14.79 LKR 4,970

317.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.91 ₾44.28

$5.71 LKR 1,919

196.15%

Cinema Ticket

$6.53 ₾17.11

$3.42 LKR 1,150

90.94%

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

$264 ₾691

$36.45 LKR 12.3K

623.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,079 ₾13.3K

$324 LKR 108.9K

1467.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 ₾202

$27.66 LKR 9,298

179.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.11 ₾116

$14.38 LKR 4,833

206.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 ₾313

$56.1 LKR 18.8K

113.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾290

$30.16 LKR 10.1K

267.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$707 ₾1,851

$136 LKR 45.9K

418.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$461 ₾1,206

$83.4 LKR 28.0K

452.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,348 ₾3,530

$219 LKR 73.6K

515.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$783 ₾2,050

$161 LKR 54.2K

385.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,423 ₾6,345

$392 LKR 131.9K

517.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,480 ₾3,876

$399 LKR 134.2K

270.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$662 ₾1,733

$261 LKR 87.6K

154.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

-20.73%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Tbilisi: July 21, 2026

Last update for Kandy: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $707 in Tbilisi and $136 in Kandy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 154% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $44.00 in Tbilisi vs $12.00 in Kandy. Groceries flip the comparison at $205 vs $208, 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 Kandy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kandy is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 122% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 154% higher in Tbilisi, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $707 in Tbilisi versus $136 in Kandy. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,187 per month in Tbilisi versus $535 in Kandy – a 122% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kandy runs roughly 4% less than in Tbilisi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $535 in Kandy versus $1,187 in Tbilisi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kandy but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Kandy the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kandy 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 Kandy 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 Kandy gentler on the wallet – expenses run 122% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.