Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Matale

For one person, living is cheaper in Matale: $229 a month against $1,242 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $12,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Tbilisi
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Tbilisi Living Index

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Tbilisi

🇬🇪 Georgia

$1,242

/mo nomad

Matale

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$229

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Matale

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tbilisi and in Matale actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,242 per month in Tbilisi vs $229 in Matale, rent included.

Tbilisi $1,242
Matale $229

A couple spends around $1,962 per month in Tbilisi vs $376 in Matale, rent included.

Tbilisi $1,962
Matale $376

A family of three spends $2,682 per month in Tbilisi vs $523 in Matale, rent included.

Tbilisi $2,682
Matale $523

Tbilisi costs about 441% more than Matale, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Tbilisi and Matale are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 7% lower, Matale 83% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.98 ₾28.47

$1.86 LKR 616

490.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.21 ₾99.0

$9.18 LKR 3,038

316.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.58 ₾24.84

$4.49 LKR 1,485

113.36%

Cappuccino

$3.59 ₾9.31

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

$1.03 ₾2.66

$0.45 LKR 150

128.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₾1.64

$0.22 LKR 72.4

186.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.74 ₾7.10

$2.41 LKR 797

13.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 ₾8.22

$1.78 LKR 588

78.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 ₾5.53

$1.48 LKR 490

43.92%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ₾1.91

$0.43 LKR 142

72.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 ₾4.46

$0.66 LKR 219

160.61%

Eggs

$2.78 ₾7.21

$1.64 LKR 543

69.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.48 ₾24.56

$9.84 LKR 3,256

-3.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.45 ₾16.71

$3.64 LKR 1,205

77.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.02 ₾33.76

$7.40 LKR 2,451

75.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.69 ₾4.37

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 ₾4.76

$0.54 LKR 180

240.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ₾4.90

Tomato (1kg)

$2.40 ₾6.22

$0.88 LKR 290

172.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 ₾2.17

$0.56 LKR 186

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 ₾1.75

$0.53 LKR 175

28.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 ₾3.68

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₾2.01

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 ₾9.22

Wine (Bottle)

$7.48 ₾19.39

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 ₾4.44

$1.62 LKR 537

5.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 ₾5.94

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ₾1.04

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.15 ₾39.27

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 ₾3.08

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ₾2.03

$0.25 LKR 82.8

212.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.77 ₾30.51

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ₾3.65

$1.12 LKR 372

25.89%

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

$24.3K ₾62.9K

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

$21.7K ₾56.4K

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

$87.6 ₾227

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

$13.33 ₾34.56

$3.87 LKR 1,281

244.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.51 ₾50.6

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.7 ₾168

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.85 ₾48.87

Cinema Ticket

$6.55 ₾16.97

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

$377 ₾978

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K ₾27.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 ₾265

$24.58 LKR 8,137

315.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.36 ₾105

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾302

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 ₾314

$10.79 LKR 3,571

1022.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$675 ₾1,749

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 ₾1,170

$43.53 LKR 14.4K

936.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,275 ₾3,305

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$883 ₾2,288

$62.6 LKR 20.7K

1309.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,415 ₾6,259

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,404 ₾3,640

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$706 ₾1,830

$160 LKR 52.8K

342.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Tbilisi: October 4, 2026

Last update for Matale: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Tbilisi

$451 35.8%

Matale

–

Groceries & Markets

Tbilisi

$232 18.4%

Matale

–

Eating Out

Tbilisi

$186 14.8%

Matale

–

Clothing & Footwear

Tbilisi

$171 13.6%

Matale

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tbilisi

$120 9.6%

Matale

–

Sport & Entertainment

Tbilisi

$78 6.2%

Matale

–

Getting Around

Tbilisi

$22 1.7%

Matale

–

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 342% higher in Tbilisi, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Tbilisi versus $9.00 in Matale. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $232 vs $117 – making Matale the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇬🇪 Tbilisi

🇱🇰 Matale

🕒 Local time

13:41 1:41 PM

15:11 3:11 PM

1 h 30 min ahead of Tbilisi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,241,700 Capital

40,800

💱 Currency

Georgian Lari GEL ₾

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1 GEL = 0.386 USD

1 GEL = 0.344 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

LKR, USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇬🇪 Georgian Lari (₾)

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.386 USD). 1 EUR = 2.9 GEL (1 GEL = 0.344 EUR).

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 331 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD). 1 EUR = 371 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR).

USD to GEL in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Tbilisi Matale 5,180 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Tbilisi
Matale

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Matale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi costs about 441% more than Matale, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,863 per month in Tbilisi and $344 in Matale. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,242 in Tbilisi and $229 in Matale. That's a gap of about 441%.

Groceries cost about 99% more in Tbilisi, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Matale, where all-in costs run around $229, than in Tbilisi at $1,242. In Matale it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Matale costs $229 versus $1,242 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 Matale. 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.