Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Kataragama Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Kataragama

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,191 per month in Tbilisi vs $532 in Kataragama, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,856 per month in Tbilisi vs $853 in Kataragama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,522 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,174 in Kataragama, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 124% more than Kataragama, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tbilisi and Kataragama are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 11% lower, Kataragama 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.91 ₾28.56

$3.98 LKR 1,335

174.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.19 ₾113

$24.92 LKR 8,361

73.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 ₾22.31

$8.13 LKR 2,728

4.92%

Cappuccino

$2.99 ₾7.81

$2.72 LKR 912

9.93%

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

$0.81 ₾2.12

$0.72 LKR 243

12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₾1.09

$0.41 LKR 136

2.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 ₾5.65

$2.27 LKR 762

-4.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₾7.52

$3.44 LKR 1,155

-16.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ₾5.08

$1.70 LKR 571

14.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$0.56 LKR 186

21.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.83

$0.82 LKR 274

125.61%

Eggs

$2.53 ₾6.62

$2.14 LKR 719

18.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.53 ₾19.69

$13.91 LKR 4,667

-45.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 ₾16.39

$4.61 LKR 1,547

35.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.59 ₾25.09

$7.91 LKR 2,655

21.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 ₾3.04

$7.56 LKR 2,537

-84.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.29

$1.07 LKR 358

53.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.93

$5.76 LKR 1,934

-67.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.84

$1.24 LKR 417

79.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$1.12 LKR 374

-37.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₾1.68

$1.36 LKR 457

-52.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.09

$1.15 LKR 387

2.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$0.59 LKR 198

18.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 ₾7.78

$9.97 LKR 3,344

-70.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.43 ₾19.45

$12.70 LKR 4,261

-41.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.03

$2.03 LKR 682

-24.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₾5.98

$2.86 LKR 961

-20.28%

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 130

264.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.81

$0.33 LKR 110

109.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.27 ₾19.02

$0.57 LKR 190

1175.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.86

$1.25 LKR 420

-12.80%

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

$18.3K ₾47.9K

$26.4K LKR 8.9M

-30.71%

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

$20.5K ₾53.6K

$34.3K LKR 11.5M

-40.20%

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

$74.4 ₾195

$61.2 LKR 20.5K

21.51%

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

$11.71 ₾30.63

$4.29 LKR 1,440

172.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ₾46.06

$15.36 LKR 5,155

14.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.3 ₾158

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.29 ₾42.63

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.03

$3.28 LKR 1,101

98.48%

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

$269 ₾704

$36.58 LKR 12.3K

635.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,154 ₾13.5K

$448 LKR 150.5K

1049.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.1 ₾202

$27.70 LKR 9,295

178.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.48 ₾114

$19.53 LKR 6,552

122.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾310

$69.2 LKR 23.2K

71.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾295

$38.10 LKR 12.8K

195.91%

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 Kataragama: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Tbilisi versus $25.00 in Kataragama. Groceries tell a different story – $204 in Tbilisi vs $255 in Kataragama – so Tbilisi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Kataragama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi costs about 124% more than Kataragama, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,787 per month in Tbilisi and $798 in Kataragama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,191 in Tbilisi and $532 in Kataragama. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $269 per month in Tbilisi and $36.58 in Kataragama. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kataragama, where all-in costs run around $532, than in Tbilisi at $1,191. In Kataragama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kataragama costs $532 versus $1,191 in Tbilisi. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kataragama. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tbilisi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.