Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Kurunegala Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Kurunegala

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,191 in Tbilisi versus $447 in Kurunegala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,856 in Tbilisi versus $745 in Kurunegala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,522 in Tbilisi versus $1,043 in Kurunegala.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 167% more expensive than in Kurunegala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 11% lower, Kurunegala 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.91 ₾28.56

$1.91 LKR 641

471.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.19 ₾113

$25.33 LKR 8,500

70.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 ₾22.31

$4.91 LKR 1,648

73.73%

Cappuccino

$2.99 ₾7.81

$2.72 LKR 913

9.93%

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

$0.81 ₾2.12

$0.43 LKR 144

88.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₾1.09

$0.37 LKR 125

13.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 ₾5.65

$1.97 LKR 662

9.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₾7.52

$2.96 LKR 992

-2.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ₾5.08

$1.63 LKR 547

19.02%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$0.48 LKR 161

41.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.83

$0.88 LKR 295

110.23%

Eggs

$2.53 ₾6.62

$2.21 LKR 742

14.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.53 ₾19.69

$13.94 LKR 4,679

-45.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 ₾16.39

$4.74 LKR 1,592

32.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.59 ₾25.09

$7.84 LKR 2,630

22.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 ₾3.04

$7.29 LKR 2,448

-84.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.29

$1.07 LKR 358

53.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.93

$5.69 LKR 1,908

-66.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.84

$1.26 LKR 424

76.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$1.11 LKR 372

-36.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₾1.68

$1.43 LKR 479

-55.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.09

$1.15 LKR 387

2.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$0.56 LKR 189

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 ₾7.78

$10.11 LKR 3,392

-70.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.43 ₾19.45

$12.60 LKR 4,229

-41.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.03

$1.99 LKR 669

-22.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₾5.98

$2.83 LKR 950

-19.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.93

$0.31 LKR 106

16.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.73 ₾38.54

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ₾3.71

$0.38 LKR 129

273.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.81

$0.33 LKR 110

109.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.27 ₾19.02

$0.61 LKR 204

1091.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.86

$1.25 LKR 418

-12.80%

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

$18.3K ₾47.9K

$27.3K LKR 9.1M

-32.80%

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

$20.5K ₾53.6K

$34.1K LKR 11.5M

-40.00%

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

$74.4 ₾195

$26.32 LKR 8,832

182.48%

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

$11.71 ₾30.63

$1.96 LKR 657

497.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ₾46.06

$14.79 LKR 4,962

19.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.3 ₾158

$8.54 LKR 2,867

605.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.29 ₾42.63

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.03

$1.36 LKR 456

378.68%

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

$269 ₾704

$36.93 LKR 12.4K

628.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,154 ₾13.5K

$433 LKR 145.4K

1089.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.1 ₾202

$11.78 LKR 3,952

554.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.48 ₾114

$19.46 LKR 6,530

123.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾310

$43.91 LKR 14.7K

169.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾295

$37.99 LKR 12.7K

196.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 ₾1,856

$102 LKR 34.3K

594.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 ₾1,215

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 ₾3,442

$204 LKR 68.4K

545.25%

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

$149 LKR 50.2K

343.51%

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 Kurunegala: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $709 in Tbilisi and $102 in Kurunegala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 344% 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: $43.00 in Tbilisi vs $25.00 in Kurunegala. Groceries flip the comparison at $204 vs $253, 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 Kurunegala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kurunegala is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 167% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 344% 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: $709 in Tbilisi versus $102 in Kurunegala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $269 in Tbilisi versus $36.93 in Kurunegala. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Kurunegala – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $43.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $447 in Kurunegala versus $1,191 in Tbilisi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kurunegala but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Kurunegala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kurunegala 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 Kurunegala 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 Kurunegala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 167% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.