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: $1,279 in Tbilisi versus $510 in Nuwara Eliya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,011 in Tbilisi versus $837 in Nuwara Eliya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,743 in Tbilisi versus $1,165 in Nuwara Eliya.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 151% more expensive than in Nuwara Eliya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 7% lower, Nuwara Eliya 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.43 ₾29.72

$4.34 LKR 1,427

163.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.16 ₾99.2

$25.45 LKR 8,362

49.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.40 ₾24.45

$7.82 LKR 2,569

20.20%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ₾8.78

$2.50 LKR 820

35.20%

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

$1.04 ₾2.70

$0.40 LKR 131

160.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₾1.56

$0.25 LKR 81.3

140.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 ₾7.05

$2.19 LKR 719

23.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ₾7.90

$3.09 LKR 1,014

-1.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 ₾5.90

$1.62 LKR 532

40.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ₾2.04

$0.53 LKR 174

49.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ₾4.21

$0.75 LKR 246

116.00%

Eggs

$2.74 ₾7.13

$1.65 LKR 541

66.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.30 ₾24.19

$13.33 LKR 4,380

-30.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.79 ₾17.65

$5.19 LKR 1,704

30.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.01 ₾33.84

$7.18 LKR 2,360

81.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.27

$6.98 LKR 2,293

-76.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ₾4.77

$0.88 LKR 288

107.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 ₾4.94

$4.35 LKR 1,428

-56.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 ₾6.68

$1.24 LKR 409

107.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 ₾2.19

$1.06 LKR 348

-20.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$0.74 LKR 244

-12.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₾3.54

$0.93 LKR 307

46.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₾2.07

$0.45 LKR 148

77.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ₾8.85

$10.49 LKR 3,447

-67.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.67 ₾19.94

$13.75 LKR 4,517

-44.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₾4.36

$1.89 LKR 621

-11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.18

$2.82 LKR 925

-15.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ₾1.02

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.55 ₾40.44

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.96

$0.39 LKR 127

192.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$0.36 LKR 118

105.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.32 ₾29.42

$0.89 LKR 293

1171.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 ₾3.60

$1.33 LKR 436

3.76%

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

$24.6K ₾63.9K

$31.0K LKR 10.2M

-20.80%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$42.4K LKR 13.9M

-48.09%

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

$88.7 ₾231

$54.6 LKR 17.9K

62.63%

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

$13.18 ₾34.26

$4.07 LKR 1,338

223.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.68 ₾51.2

$21.28 LKR 6,994

-7.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 ₾177

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.94 ₾46.65

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ₾16.70

$4.52 LKR 1,486

42.04%

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

$372 ₾967

$38.20 LKR 12.6K

873.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K ₾28.1K

$1,241 LKR 407.7K

771.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₾272

$19.98 LKR 6,564

423.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.83 ₾101

$16.54 LKR 5,435

134.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₾299

$78.9 LKR 25.9K

45.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$42.81 LKR 14.1K

185.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 ₾1,770

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,185

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 ₾3,410

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$892 ₾2,321

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,391 ₾6,216

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,425 ₾3,704

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$640 ₾1,663

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

12.69

-0.55%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: September 5, 2026

Last update for Nuwara Eliya: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $38.00 in Tbilisi vs $25.00 in Nuwara Eliya. Groceries flip the comparison at $236 vs $239, 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 151% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,919 in Tbilisi and $764 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 $372 in Tbilisi versus $38.20 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 $25.00 versus $38.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $510 in Nuwara Eliya versus $1,279 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 151% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.