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: $1,218 in Tbilisi versus $551 in Kandy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,853 in Tbilisi versus $860 in Kandy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,489 in Tbilisi versus $1,169 in Kandy.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 121% more expensive than Kandy, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 9% lower, Kandy 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.85 ₾28.79

$2.82 LKR 950

284.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.17 ₾117

$11.83 LKR 3,988

273.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 ₾21.98

$6.58 LKR 2,216

25.84%

Cappuccino

$3.02 ₾8.01

$2.56 LKR 861

17.97%

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

$0.76 ₾2.02

$0.65 LKR 217

16.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.22

$0.33 LKR 110

39.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ₾5.94

$2.15 LKR 726

4.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.96

$3.43 LKR 1,154

-12.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.12

$1.40 LKR 472

37.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 ₾1.91

$0.52 LKR 175

38.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 ₾4.88

$0.85 LKR 287

116.47%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.49

$2.19 LKR 737

11.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₾19.70

$8.48 LKR 2,859

-12.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 ₾17.19

$4.64 LKR 1,565

39.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 ₾25.74

$8.15 LKR 2,746

19.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 ₾3.19

$4.42 LKR 1,491

-72.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₾4.15

$1.02 LKR 345

52.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.76

$3.63 LKR 1,222

-50.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.91

$1.21 LKR 408

84.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.73

$1.16 LKR 390

-43.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 ₾1.80

$1.30 LKR 439

-47.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.16

$0.74 LKR 248

60.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.86

$0.55 LKR 186

27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₾7.83

$9.30 LKR 3,134

-68.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 ₾19.44

$11.32 LKR 3,815

-35.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₾4.03

$1.99 LKR 671

-23.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.96

$2.77 LKR 934

-18.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$0.17 LKR 58.1

111.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.60 ₾38.74

$14.86 LKR 5,009

-1.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.97

$0.39 LKR 130

284.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 ₾1.93

$0.33 LKR 110

121.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾19.77

$0.44 LKR 148

1593.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.01

$1.25 LKR 423

-8.80%

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

$18.5K ₾49.1K

$17.9K LKR 6.0M

3.16%

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

$20.3K ₾53.7K

$21.2K LKR 7.2M

-4.55%

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

$73.9 ₾196

$40.82 LKR 13.8K

80.99%

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

$11.71 ₾31.06

$4.26 LKR 1,437

174.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.16 ₾48.16

$15.41 LKR 5,194

17.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 ₾164

$14.86 LKR 5,006

315.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.66 ₾44.18

$5.62 LKR 1,895

196.44%

Cinema Ticket

$6.61 ₾17.53

$3.33 LKR 1,122

98.50%

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

$264 ₾701

$37.50 LKR 12.6K

604.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,145 ₾13.6K

$328 LKR 110.5K

1468.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 ₾199

$27.01 LKR 9,102

177.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.98 ₾117

$14.32 LKR 4,826

207.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾312

$56.9 LKR 19.2K

106.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾302

$29.20 LKR 9,841

289.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 ₾1,836

$131 LKR 44.3K

427.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₾1,204

$83.3 LKR 28.1K

445.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 ₾3,509

$217 LKR 73.0K

511.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,092

$160 LKR 53.8K

394.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,431 ₾6,450

$401 LKR 135.2K

506.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 ₾3,823

$394 LKR 132.8K

265.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$645 ₾1,711

$260 LKR 87.6K

148.16%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Kandy: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $692 in Tbilisi and $131 in Kandy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 148% 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 $204 vs $207, 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 121% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Tbilisi pays 148% 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: $692 in Tbilisi versus $131 in Kandy. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,218 per month in Tbilisi versus $551 in Kandy – a 121% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kandy runs roughly 2% less than in Tbilisi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $551 in Kandy versus $1,218 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 121% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.