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: $1,191 in Tbilisi versus $517 in Nuwara Eliya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,856 in Tbilisi versus $844 in Nuwara Eliya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,522 in Tbilisi versus $1,171 in Nuwara Eliya.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 130% more expensive than in Nuwara Eliya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 11% lower, Nuwara Eliya 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.91 ₾28.57

$3.99 LKR 1,337

173.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.19 ₾113

$25.24 LKR 8,457

71.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 ₾22.32

$8.41 LKR 2,819

1.43%

Cappuccino

$2.99 ₾7.82

$2.62 LKR 879

14.12%

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

$0.81 ₾2.12

$0.73 LKR 244

10.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₾1.09

$0.38 LKR 126

10.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 ₾5.66

$2.37 LKR 793

-8.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₾7.53

$3.33 LKR 1,116

-13.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ₾5.08

$1.77 LKR 594

9.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$0.57 LKR 190

19.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.83

$0.87 LKR 293

112.64%

Eggs

$2.53 ₾6.63

$2.14 LKR 718

18.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.53 ₾19.70

$13.97 LKR 4,682

-46.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 ₾16.40

$4.54 LKR 1,521

37.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.59 ₾25.10

$7.84 LKR 2,627

22.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 ₾3.04

$7.37 LKR 2,470

-84.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.29

$1.06 LKR 355

54.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.93

$5.92 LKR 1,984

-68.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.84

$1.26 LKR 423

76.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$1.16 LKR 389

-39.66%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₾1.68

$1.42 LKR 475

-54.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.10

$1.14 LKR 381

3.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$0.60 LKR 201

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 ₾7.79

$9.97 LKR 3,342

-70.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.43 ₾19.46

$12.39 LKR 4,151

-40.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.03

$2.10 LKR 703

-26.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₾5.98

$2.92 LKR 979

-21.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.73 ₾38.56

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ₾3.71

$0.42 LKR 140

238.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.81

$0.33 LKR 110

109.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.27 ₾19.02

$0.57 LKR 192

1175.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.86

$1.20 LKR 403

-9.17%

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

$18.3K ₾48.0K

$27.1K LKR 9.1M

-32.37%

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

$20.5K ₾53.6K

$35.2K LKR 11.8M

-41.79%

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

$74.4 ₾195

$59.1 LKR 19.8K

25.80%

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

$11.71 ₾30.65

$4.22 LKR 1,414

177.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ₾46.08

$15.37 LKR 5,150

14.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.3 ₾158

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.29 ₾42.65

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.03

$3.29 LKR 1,103

97.87%

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

$269 ₾704

$36.10 LKR 12.1K

645.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,154 ₾13.5K

$434 LKR 145.5K

1087.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.1 ₾202

$28.06 LKR 9,402

174.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.48 ₾114

$19.14 LKR 6,413

127.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾310

$68.8 LKR 23.1K

72.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾295

$38.40 LKR 12.9K

193.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 ₾1,857

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 ₾1,216

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 ₾3,444

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$767 ₾2,007

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,492 ₾6,525

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,442 ₾3,775

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$663 ₾1,735

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Nuwara Eliya: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $43.00 in Tbilisi vs $25.00 in Nuwara Eliya. Groceries flip the comparison at $204 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 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 130% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,787 in Tbilisi and $776 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 $269 in Tbilisi versus $36.10 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 $25.00 versus $43.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $517 in Nuwara Eliya versus $1,191 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 130% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.