Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Polonnaruwa Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Polonnaruwa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,247 per month in Tbilisi vs $500 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,025 per month in Tbilisi vs $830 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,803 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,161 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 149% more than Polonnaruwa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tbilisi and Polonnaruwa are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 9% lower, Polonnaruwa 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.33 ₾29.44

$4.29 LKR 1,418

164.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.71 ₾101

$25.83 LKR 8,542

49.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 ₾24.72

$7.83 LKR 2,588

21.58%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ₾8.85

$2.47 LKR 816

38.06%

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

$1.04 ₾2.71

$0.73 LKR 241

42.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₾1.66

$0.25 LKR 82.6

156.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 ₾6.79

$2.19 LKR 724

19.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ₾8.43

$3.10 LKR 1,024

4.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₾5.65

$1.56 LKR 516

39.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ₾1.92

$0.53 LKR 175

39.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 ₾4.45

$0.81 LKR 267

111.11%

Eggs

$2.83 ₾7.36

$1.64 LKR 543

72.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 ₾23.94

$13.05 LKR 4,315

-29.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 ₾17.55

$5.12 LKR 1,694

32.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.77 ₾33.16

$7.39 LKR 2,444

72.80%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.26

$6.87 LKR 2,270

-76.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ₾4.60

$0.88 LKR 292

101.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾4.85

$4.20 LKR 1,389

-55.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 ₾6.34

$1.24 LKR 411

96.77%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.25

$1.01 LKR 335

-13.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$0.76 LKR 252

-14.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 ₾3.63

$0.93 LKR 308

50.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$0.48 LKR 160

54.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 ₾8.86

$10.43 LKR 3,447

-67.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.60 ₾19.75

$13.76 LKR 4,550

-44.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₾4.41

$1.91 LKR 630

-10.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.19

$2.83 LKR 937

-15.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.94

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.24 ₾39.59

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₾3.07

$0.41 LKR 137

187.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ₾1.97

$0.38 LKR 126

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.34 ₾29.46

$0.92 LKR 305

1132.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₾3.46

$1.28 LKR 423

3.91%

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

$24.7K ₾64.2K

$31.1K LKR 10.3M

-20.41%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$41.9K LKR 13.9M

-47.49%

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

$88.9 ₾231

$54.5 LKR 18.0K

62.93%

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

$13.33 ₾34.62

$4.09 LKR 1,351

225.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ₾52.3

$21.14 LKR 6,990

-4.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.7 ₾178

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.09 ₾46.99

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 ₾17.45

$4.55 LKR 1,505

47.69%

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

$374 ₾970

$38.55 LKR 12.7K

869.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.8K

$1,217 LKR 402.5K

778.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₾263

$20.29 LKR 6,710

398.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.33 ₾102

$16.85 LKR 5,570

133.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾305

$80.0 LKR 26.5K

46.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$41.76 LKR 13.8K

192.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 ₾1,772

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,186

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 ₾3,384

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 ₾2,336

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,449 ₾6,363

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,452 ₾3,773

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 ₾1,694

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 13, 2026

Last update for Polonnaruwa: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Tbilisi versus $26.00 in Polonnaruwa. Groceries tell a different story – $232 in Tbilisi vs $237 in Polonnaruwa – so Tbilisi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Polonnaruwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi costs about 149% more than Polonnaruwa, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,870 per month in Tbilisi and $750 in Polonnaruwa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,247 in Tbilisi and $500 in Polonnaruwa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $374 per month in Tbilisi and $38.55 in Polonnaruwa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Polonnaruwa, where all-in costs run around $500, than in Tbilisi at $1,247. In Polonnaruwa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Polonnaruwa costs $500 versus $1,247 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 Polonnaruwa. 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.