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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,191 per month in Tbilisi vs $518 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,856 per month in Tbilisi vs $855 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,522 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,192 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 130% more than Polonnaruwa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tbilisi and Polonnaruwa are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 11% lower, Polonnaruwa 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.91 ₾28.55

$3.99 LKR 1,338

173.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.19 ₾113

$25.15 LKR 8,434

71.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 ₾22.30

$8.33 LKR 2,792

2.40%

Cappuccino

$2.99 ₾7.81

$2.67 LKR 895

11.99%

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

$0.81 ₾2.12

$0.68 LKR 227

19.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₾1.09

$0.40 LKR 135

5.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 ₾5.65

$2.29 LKR 768

-5.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₾7.52

$3.37 LKR 1,130

-14.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ₾5.07

$1.72 LKR 576

12.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$0.53 LKR 177

28.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.83

$0.82 LKR 275

125.61%

Eggs

$2.53 ₾6.62

$2.15 LKR 720

17.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.53 ₾19.69

$14.34 LKR 4,807

-47.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 ₾16.39

$4.65 LKR 1,558

34.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.59 ₾25.09

$7.87 LKR 2,638

21.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 ₾3.04

$7.44 LKR 2,495

-84.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.29

$1.07 LKR 360

53.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.93

$5.72 LKR 1,916

-67.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.84

$1.21 LKR 407

84.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$1.16 LKR 390

-39.66%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₾1.68

$1.42 LKR 477

-54.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.09

$1.20 LKR 401

-1.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$0.57 LKR 190

22.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 ₾7.78

$9.98 LKR 3,345

-70.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.43 ₾19.45

$12.40 LKR 4,158

-40.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.03

$2.02 LKR 677

-23.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₾5.98

$2.96 LKR 991

-22.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.73 ₾38.53

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ₾3.71

$0.39 LKR 129

264.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.80

$0.33 LKR 109

109.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.27 ₾19.01

$0.57 LKR 191

1175.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.86

$1.19 LKR 400

-8.40%

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

$18.3K ₾47.9K

$26.5K LKR 8.9M

-30.90%

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

$20.5K ₾53.6K

$35.4K LKR 11.9M

-42.10%

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

$74.4 ₾194

$60.6 LKR 20.3K

22.63%

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

$11.71 ₾30.62

$4.20 LKR 1,409

178.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ₾46.05

$15.37 LKR 5,155

14.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.3 ₾158

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.29 ₾42.62

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.02

$3.37 LKR 1,131

93.18%

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

$269 ₾704

$37.12 LKR 12.4K

624.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,154 ₾13.5K

$436 LKR 146.0K

1083.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.1 ₾202

$27.64 LKR 9,269

178.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.48 ₾114

$19.24 LKR 6,451

125.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾310

$69.2 LKR 23.2K

71.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾295

$38.58 LKR 12.9K

192.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 ₾1,856

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 ₾1,215

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 ₾3,441

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$767 ₾2,006

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,492 ₾6,520

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,442 ₾3,772

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$663 ₾1,734

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 Polonnaruwa: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Tbilisi versus $25.00 in Polonnaruwa. Groceries tell a different story – $204 in Tbilisi vs $255 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 130% 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 $1,787 per month in Tbilisi and $776 in Polonnaruwa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,191 in Tbilisi and $518 in Polonnaruwa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $269 per month in Tbilisi and $37.12 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 $518, than in Tbilisi at $1,191. 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 $518 versus $1,191 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.