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: $1,185 in Tbilisi versus $454 in Kurunegala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,834 in Tbilisi versus $756 in Kurunegala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,483 in Tbilisi versus $1,058 in Kurunegala.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 161% more expensive than Kurunegala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 12% lower, Kurunegala 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.15 ₾30.00

$1.89 LKR 603

489.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.13 ₾116

$24.68 LKR 7,870

74.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 ₾22.11

$5.14 LKR 1,639

59.92%

Cappuccino

$3.13 ₾8.42

$2.73 LKR 869

14.65%

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

$0.74 ₾2.00

$0.43 LKR 137

72.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₾1.22

$0.38 LKR 120

18.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ₾5.74

$1.97 LKR 628

8.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ₾8.06

$2.95 LKR 939

1.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₾5.09

$1.62 LKR 518

16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₾1.97

$0.48 LKR 153

52.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.98

$0.87 LKR 277

112.64%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.58

$2.21 LKR 703

10.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.85 ₾21.12

$13.83 LKR 4,411

-43.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ₾16.82

$4.71 LKR 1,501

32.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.77 ₾26.28

$8.01 LKR 2,553

21.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 ₾3.26

$7.69 LKR 2,454

-84.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₾4.28

$1.12 LKR 357

41.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.81

$5.76 LKR 1,836

-68.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 ₾6.25

$1.20 LKR 383

93.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.91

$1.15 LKR 367

-38.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.81

$1.40 LKR 447

-52.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.16

$1.20 LKR 383

-1.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₾1.92

$0.60 LKR 192

18.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.85

$10.22 LKR 3,259

-71.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.25 ₾19.50

$12.52 LKR 3,992

-42.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₾4.17

$2.06 LKR 659

-24.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.21

$2.93 LKR 935

-21.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.03

$0.34 LKR 110

11.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.81 ₾39.83

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ₾3.98

$0.41 LKR 131

260.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.86

$0.33 LKR 104

109.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾20.05

$0.61 LKR 194

1121.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₾3.10

$1.26 LKR 402

-8.73%

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

$18.0K ₾48.4K

$26.3K LKR 8.4M

-31.59%

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

$19.8K ₾53.4K

$34.5K LKR 11.0M

-42.50%

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

$73.4 ₾198

$27.05 LKR 8,627

171.50%

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

$11.64 ₾31.32

$2.05 LKR 653

467.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.77 ₾47.79

$15.27 LKR 4,871

16.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 ₾163

$8.13 LKR 2,592

645.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 ₾44.21

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.52

$1.36 LKR 435

378.68%

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

$263 ₾707

$37.06 LKR 11.8K

608.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,136 ₾13.8K

$438 LKR 139.7K

1072.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾209

$11.87 LKR 3,786

554.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.39 ₾119

$19.73 LKR 6,292

124.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾317

$43.22 LKR 13.8K

172.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾307

$38.08 LKR 12.1K

199.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,865

$102 LKR 32.5K

579.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,244

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 ₾3,597

$203 LKR 64.7K

559.23%

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

$156 LKR 49.7K

305.77%

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 Kurunegala: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $693 in Tbilisi and $102 in Kurunegala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 306% 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 $206 vs $256, 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 161% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Tbilisi pays 306% 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: $693 in Tbilisi versus $102 in Kurunegala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $263 in Tbilisi versus $37.06 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 $454 in Kurunegala versus $1,185 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 161% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.