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: $1,218 in Tbilisi versus $445 in Kurunegala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,853 in Tbilisi versus $745 in Kurunegala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,489 in Tbilisi versus $1,044 in Kurunegala.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 173% more expensive than Kurunegala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 9% lower, Kurunegala 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.85 ₾28.75

$1.97 LKR 658

450.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.17 ₾117

$25.57 LKR 8,530

72.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 ₾21.94

$5.14 LKR 1,713

61.09%

Cappuccino

$3.02 ₾8.00

$2.74 LKR 913

10.22%

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

$0.76 ₾2.02

$0.40 LKR 133

90.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.22

$0.37 LKR 125

24.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ₾5.93

$1.98 LKR 659

13.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.95

$2.90 LKR 969

3.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.11

$1.65 LKR 549

16.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 ₾1.91

$0.51 LKR 171

41.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 ₾4.87

$0.81 LKR 270

127.16%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.48

$2.19 LKR 730

11.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₾19.67

$14.25 LKR 4,752

-47.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 ₾17.16

$4.73 LKR 1,577

37.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 ₾25.70

$8.27 LKR 2,760

17.29%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 ₾3.18

$7.33 LKR 2,445

-83.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₾4.14

$1.07 LKR 355

45.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.75

$5.71 LKR 1,903

-68.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.90

$1.21 LKR 403

84.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.73

$1.16 LKR 386

-43.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 ₾1.79

$1.41 LKR 472

-51.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.16

$1.15 LKR 385

3.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.86

$0.55 LKR 184

27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₾7.82

$10.16 LKR 3,389

-70.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 ₾19.41

$12.66 LKR 4,223

-42.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₾4.02

$2.02 LKR 674

-24.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.95

$2.87 LKR 958

-21.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$0.31 LKR 105

16.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.60 ₾38.68

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.97

$0.41 LKR 138

265.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 ₾1.92

$0.33 LKR 109

121.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾19.74

$0.58 LKR 192

1184.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.01

$1.20 LKR 401

-5.00%

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

$18.5K ₾49.0K

$26.9K LKR 9.0M

-31.18%

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

$20.3K ₾53.6K

$35.1K LKR 11.7M

-42.38%

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

$73.9 ₾196

$26.57 LKR 8,864

178.06%

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

$11.71 ₾31.01

$1.97 LKR 657

494.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.16 ₾48.09

$15.05 LKR 5,021

20.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 ₾163

$8.43 LKR 2,812

632.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.66 ₾44.12

Cinema Ticket

$6.61 ₾17.50

$1.37 LKR 456

382.48%

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

$264 ₾700

$37.39 LKR 12.5K

606.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,145 ₾13.6K

$436 LKR 145.5K

1079.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 ₾198

$11.82 LKR 3,942

533.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.98 ₾117

$19.06 LKR 6,359

130.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾312

$44.04 LKR 14.7K

167.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾301

$39.34 LKR 13.1K

189.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 ₾1,833

$98.7 LKR 32.9K

600.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₾1,203

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 ₾3,504

$199 LKR 66.3K

566.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,089

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,431 ₾6,440

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 ₾3,818

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$645 ₾1,709

$147 LKR 48.9K

339.70%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Kurunegala: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $692 in Tbilisi and $98.7 in Kurunegala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 340% 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 $26.00 in Kurunegala. Groceries flip the comparison at $204 vs $255, 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 173% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Tbilisi pays 340% 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 $98.7 in Kurunegala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $264 in Tbilisi versus $37.39 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 $26.00 versus $44.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $445 in Kurunegala versus $1,218 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 173% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.