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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,185 per month in Tbilisi vs $518 in Kataragama, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,834 per month in Tbilisi vs $856 in Kataragama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,483 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,194 in Kataragama, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 129% more than Kataragama, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tbilisi and Kataragama are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 12% lower, Kataragama 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.15 ₾30.00

$3.97 LKR 1,266

180.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.13 ₾116

$25.22 LKR 8,043

71.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 ₾22.11

$8.58 LKR 2,735

-4.20%

Cappuccino

$3.13 ₾8.42

$2.64 LKR 841

18.56%

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

$0.74 ₾2.00

$0.69 LKR 219

7.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₾1.22

$0.37 LKR 119

21.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ₾5.74

$2.38 LKR 758

-10.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ₾8.06

$3.45 LKR 1,100

-13.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₾5.09

$1.69 LKR 539

11.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₾1.97

$0.52 LKR 165

40.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.98

$0.83 LKR 264

122.89%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.58

$2.15 LKR 685

13.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.85 ₾21.12

$14.04 LKR 4,477

-44.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ₾16.82

$4.55 LKR 1,452

37.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.77 ₾26.28

$8.06 LKR 2,571

21.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 ₾3.26

$7.64 LKR 2,436

-84.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₾4.28

$1.06 LKR 339

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.81

$5.74 LKR 1,832

-68.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 ₾6.25

$1.21 LKR 387

91.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.91

$1.11 LKR 353

-36.04%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.81

$1.36 LKR 434

-50.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.16

$1.19 LKR 380

-0.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₾1.92

$0.56 LKR 178

26.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.85

$10.24 LKR 3,266

-71.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.25 ₾19.50

$12.61 LKR 4,023

-42.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₾4.17

$2.06 LKR 657

-24.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.21

$2.84 LKR 907

-18.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.03

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.81 ₾39.83

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ₾3.98

$0.42 LKR 133

252.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.86

$0.33 LKR 105

109.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾20.05

$0.57 LKR 181

1207.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₾3.10

$1.21 LKR 387

-4.96%

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

$18.0K ₾48.4K

$26.8K LKR 8.5M

-32.77%

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

$19.8K ₾53.4K

$34.8K LKR 11.1M

-43.01%

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

$73.4 ₾198

$61.0 LKR 19.4K

20.49%

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

$11.64 ₾31.32

$4.44 LKR 1,414

162.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.77 ₾47.79

$14.86 LKR 4,738

19.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 ₾163

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 ₾44.21

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.52

$3.31 LKR 1,057

96.68%

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

$263 ₾707

$36.74 LKR 11.7K

614.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,136 ₾13.8K

$444 LKR 141.7K

1055.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾209

$27.64 LKR 8,813

181.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.39 ₾119

$19.74 LKR 6,295

124.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾317

$68.6 LKR 21.9K

71.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾307

$38.91 LKR 12.4K

193.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,865

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,244

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 ₾3,597

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$779 ₾2,096

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,530 ₾6,805

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,430 ₾3,847

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$633 ₾1,702

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Kataragama: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Tbilisi versus $25.00 in Kataragama. Groceries tell a different story – $206 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 129% 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 $1,777 per month in Tbilisi and $776 in Kataragama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,185 in Tbilisi and $518 in Kataragama. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $263 per month in Tbilisi and $36.74 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 $518, than in Tbilisi at $1,185. 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 $518 versus $1,185 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.