Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Nuwara Eliya Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Nuwara Eliya

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,218 in Tbilisi versus $538 in Nuwara Eliya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,853 in Tbilisi versus $869 in Nuwara Eliya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,489 in Tbilisi versus $1,200 in Nuwara Eliya.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 127% more expensive than Nuwara Eliya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 9% lower, Nuwara Eliya 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.85 ₾28.75

$4.06 LKR 1,356

167.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.17 ₾117

$25.58 LKR 8,534

72.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 ₾21.94

$8.14 LKR 2,714

1.72%

Cappuccino

$3.02 ₾8.00

$2.71 LKR 903

11.44%

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

$0.76 ₾2.02

$0.74 LKR 249

2.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.22

$0.37 LKR 124

24.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ₾5.93

$2.40 LKR 799

-6.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.95

$3.28 LKR 1,093

-8.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.11

$1.70 LKR 567

13.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 ₾1.91

$0.52 LKR 172

38.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 ₾4.87

$0.87 LKR 289

111.49%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.48

$2.12 LKR 708

15.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₾19.67

$13.87 LKR 4,627

-46.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 ₾17.16

$4.81 LKR 1,603

34.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 ₾25.70

$8.15 LKR 2,718

19.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 ₾3.18

$7.61 LKR 2,539

-84.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₾4.14

$1.11 LKR 369

40.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.75

$5.73 LKR 1,911

-68.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.90

$1.19 LKR 398

87.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.73

$1.11 LKR 371

-41.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 ₾1.79

$1.35 LKR 450

-49.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.16

$1.20 LKR 399

-0.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.86

$0.57 LKR 189

22.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₾7.82

$10.21 LKR 3,406

-71.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 ₾19.41

$12.47 LKR 4,161

-41.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₾4.02

$2.09 LKR 696

-27.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.95

$2.89 LKR 963

-22.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

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

$0.32 LKR 108

128.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾19.74

$0.57 LKR 190

1207.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.01

$1.20 LKR 402

-5.00%

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

$18.5K ₾49.0K

$26.3K LKR 8.8M

-29.70%

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

$20.3K ₾53.6K

$35.1K LKR 11.7M

-42.25%

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

$73.9 ₾196

$59.7 LKR 19.9K

23.79%

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

$11.71 ₾31.01

$4.41 LKR 1,471

165.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.16 ₾48.09

$15.13 LKR 5,046

20.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 ₾163

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.66 ₾44.12

Cinema Ticket

$6.61 ₾17.50

$3.42 LKR 1,141

93.27%

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

$264 ₾700

$37.10 LKR 12.4K

612.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,145 ₾13.6K

$436 LKR 145.4K

1080.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 ₾198

$27.39 LKR 9,138

173.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.98 ₾117

$19.10 LKR 6,373

130.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾312

$70.6 LKR 23.6K

66.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾301

$39.38 LKR 13.1K

188.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 ₾1,833

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₾1,203

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 ₾3,504

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

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 Nuwara Eliya: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $44.00 in Tbilisi vs $26.00 in Nuwara Eliya. Groceries flip the comparison at $204 vs $257, 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 Nuwara Eliya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nuwara Eliya is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 127% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,827 in Tbilisi and $806 in Nuwara Eliya to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $264 in Tbilisi versus $37.10 in Nuwara Eliya. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Nuwara Eliya – 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 $538 in Nuwara Eliya versus $1,218 in Tbilisi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Nuwara Eliya but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Nuwara Eliya the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Nuwara Eliya 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 Nuwara Eliya 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 Nuwara Eliya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 127% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.