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: $1,185 in Tbilisi versus $526 in Nuwara Eliya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,834 in Tbilisi versus $853 in Nuwara Eliya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,483 in Tbilisi versus $1,181 in Nuwara Eliya.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 125% more expensive than Nuwara Eliya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 12% lower, Nuwara Eliya 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.15 ₾30.00

$4.06 LKR 1,296

174.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.13 ₾116

$24.68 LKR 7,870

74.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 ₾22.11

$8.20 LKR 2,614

0.24%

Cappuccino

$3.13 ₾8.42

$2.72 LKR 867

15.07%

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

$0.74 ₾2.00

$0.73 LKR 233

1.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₾1.22

$0.37 LKR 120

21.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ₾5.74

$2.32 LKR 739

-8.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ₾8.06

$3.28 LKR 1,046

-8.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₾5.09

$1.73 LKR 550

9.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₾1.97

$0.57 LKR 180

28.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.98

$0.80 LKR 255

131.25%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.58

$2.13 LKR 680

15.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.85 ₾21.12

$14.18 LKR 4,523

-44.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ₾16.82

$4.71 LKR 1,502

32.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.77 ₾26.28

$7.92 LKR 2,524

23.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 ₾3.26

$7.27 LKR 2,318

-83.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₾4.28

$1.07 LKR 342

48.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.81

$5.94 LKR 1,894

-69.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 ₾6.25

$1.26 LKR 402

84.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.91

$1.15 LKR 368

-38.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.81

$1.36 LKR 435

-50.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.16

$1.20 LKR 382

-1.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₾1.92

$0.57 LKR 181

24.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.85

$10.10 LKR 3,222

-71.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.25 ₾19.50

$12.77 LKR 4,071

-43.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₾4.17

$2.10 LKR 668

-26.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.21

$2.95 LKR 942

-21.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.03

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.81 ₾39.83

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ₾3.98

$0.41 LKR 131

260.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.86

$0.35 LKR 112

97.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾20.05

$0.60 LKR 192

1141.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₾3.10

$1.25 LKR 398

-8.00%

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

$18.0K ₾48.4K

$26.4K LKR 8.4M

-31.79%

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

$19.8K ₾53.4K

$34.4K LKR 11.0M

-42.32%

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

$73.4 ₾198

$60.7 LKR 19.4K

20.91%

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

$11.64 ₾31.32

$4.20 LKR 1,340

177.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.77 ₾47.79

$15.41 LKR 4,915

15.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 ₾163

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 ₾44.21

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.52

$3.26 LKR 1,038

99.69%

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

$263 ₾707

$36.58 LKR 11.7K

617.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,136 ₾13.8K

$446 LKR 142.2K

1052.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾209

$28.07 LKR 8,953

176.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.39 ₾119

$19.71 LKR 6,285

125.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾317

$70.1 LKR 22.3K

67.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾307

$38.34 LKR 12.2K

197.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,865

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,244

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 ₾3,597

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$779 ₾2,096

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,530 ₾6,805

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,430 ₾3,847

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$633 ₾1,702

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Nuwara Eliya: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $43.00 in Tbilisi vs $25.00 in Nuwara Eliya. Groceries flip the comparison at $206 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 125% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,777 in Tbilisi and $789 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 $263 in Tbilisi versus $36.58 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 $526 in Nuwara Eliya versus $1,185 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 125% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.