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: $1,199 in Tbilisi versus $549 in Kandy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,833 in Tbilisi versus $862 in Kandy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,466 in Tbilisi versus $1,175 in Kandy.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.86 ₾29.20

$2.77 LKR 877

292.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.33 ₾117

$11.69 LKR 3,700

270.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.25 ₾22.19

$6.60 LKR 2,087

25.00%

Cappuccino

$3.10 ₾8.33

$2.61 LKR 825

18.77%

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

$0.80 ₾2.15

$0.61 LKR 193

31.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.24

$0.30 LKR 94.5

53.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 ₾5.81

$2.12 LKR 670

1.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 ₾7.92

$3.37 LKR 1,067

-12.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.19

$1.45 LKR 458

33.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 ₾1.81

$0.56 LKR 177

19.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 ₾4.91

$0.87 LKR 275

109.20%

Eggs

$2.56 ₾6.88

$2.13 LKR 674

20.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.61 ₾20.48

$8.95 LKR 2,832

-14.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 ₾17.50

$4.77 LKR 1,511

36.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.67 ₾26.00

$8.12 LKR 2,570

19.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 ₾3.12

$4.64 LKR 1,467

-75.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ₾4.36

$1.02 LKR 324

58.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾5.04

$3.63 LKR 1,150

-48.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 ₾6.26

$1.26 LKR 398

84.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.75

$1.14 LKR 362

-42.98%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 ₾1.70

$1.23 LKR 390

-48.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.17

$0.77 LKR 245

53.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.90

$0.56 LKR 177

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 ₾8.17

$9.25 LKR 2,928

-67.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.27 ₾19.56

$12.05 LKR 3,814

-39.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₾4.27

$2.06 LKR 652

-22.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 ₾6.18

$2.71 LKR 858

-15.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.96

$0.17 LKR 55.3

111.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.68 ₾39.48

$15.20 LKR 4,810

-3.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾4.03

$0.42 LKR 132

257.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 ₾1.87

$0.35 LKR 111

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.35 ₾19.78

$0.40 LKR 128

1737.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ₾3.05

$1.21 LKR 384

-6.61%

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

$18.2K ₾49.0K

$17.7K LKR 5.6M

3.15%

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

$20.2K ₾54.5K

$21.2K LKR 6.7M

-4.31%

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

$74.0 ₾199

$40.48 LKR 12.8K

82.71%

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

$11.87 ₾31.93

$4.27 LKR 1,353

177.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.55 ₾47.20

$14.97 LKR 4,737

17.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.3 ₾162

$15.12 LKR 4,784

299.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.69 ₾44.89

$5.82 LKR 1,841

186.77%

Cinema Ticket

$6.73 ₾18.10

$3.40 LKR 1,077

97.94%

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

$261 ₾703

$36.64 LKR 11.6K

612.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,146 ₾13.8K

$321 LKR 101.5K

1505.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.6 ₾209

$27.83 LKR 8,808

178.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.48 ₾117

$14.44 LKR 4,569

201.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾318

$57.1 LKR 18.1K

107.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾298

$29.77 LKR 9,423

272.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$703 ₾1,891

$132 LKR 41.9K

431.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$457 ₾1,231

$85.3 LKR 27.0K

436.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,346 ₾3,621

$221 LKR 69.8K

510.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$788 ₾2,120

$161 LKR 51.0K

389.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,560 ₾6,885

$428 LKR 135.3K

498.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,443 ₾3,881

$417 LKR 132.0K

245.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$648 ₾1,742

$277 LKR 87.6K

133.99%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Kandy: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $703 in Tbilisi and $132 in Kandy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 134% 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: $43 in Tbilisi vs $12 in Kandy. Groceries flip the comparison at $206 vs $213, 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 118% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Tbilisi pays 134% more on average, 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: $703 in Tbilisi versus $132 in Kandy. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,199 per month in Tbilisi versus $549 in Kandy – a 118% 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 $549 in Kandy versus $1,199 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 118% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.