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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,185 per month in Tbilisi vs $522 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,834 per month in Tbilisi vs $863 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,483 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,204 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 127% more than Polonnaruwa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tbilisi and Polonnaruwa are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 12% lower, Polonnaruwa 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.15 ₾30.00

$3.95 LKR 1,261

182.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.13 ₾116

$25.04 LKR 7,987

72.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 ₾22.11

$8.26 LKR 2,636

-0.48%

Cappuccino

$3.13 ₾8.42

$2.62 LKR 834

19.47%

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

$0.74 ₾2.00

$0.68 LKR 216

8.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₾1.22

$0.37 LKR 118

21.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ₾5.74

$2.29 LKR 731

-6.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ₾8.06

$3.30 LKR 1,053

-9.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₾5.09

$1.72 LKR 548

9.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₾1.97

$0.56 LKR 179

30.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.98

$0.81 LKR 257

128.40%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.58

$2.18 LKR 697

12.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.85 ₾21.12

$13.95 LKR 4,448

-43.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ₾16.82

$4.53 LKR 1,446

37.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.77 ₾26.28

$7.83 LKR 2,497

24.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 ₾3.26

$7.55 LKR 2,407

-83.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₾4.28

$1.08 LKR 343

47.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.81

$5.95 LKR 1,897

-69.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 ₾6.25

$1.24 LKR 396

87.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.91

$1.14 LKR 365

-37.72%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.81

$1.36 LKR 433

-50.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.16

$1.16 LKR 370

1.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₾1.92

$0.60 LKR 192

18.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.85

$9.98 LKR 3,183

-70.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.25 ₾19.50

$12.50 LKR 3,988

-42.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₾4.17

$2.06 LKR 658

-24.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.21

$2.85 LKR 909

-18.95%

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

$0.39 LKR 124

279.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.86

$0.33 LKR 104

109.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾20.05

$0.60 LKR 192

1141.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₾3.10

$1.24 LKR 396

-7.26%

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

$18.0K ₾48.4K

$26.9K LKR 8.6M

-33.15%

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

$19.8K ₾53.4K

$35.2K LKR 11.2M

-43.58%

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

$73.4 ₾198

$59.5 LKR 19.0K

23.43%

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

$11.64 ₾31.32

$4.42 LKR 1,409

163.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.77 ₾47.79

$15.08 LKR 4,808

17.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 ₾163

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 ₾44.21

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.52

$3.38 LKR 1,078

92.60%

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

$263 ₾707

$36.48 LKR 11.6K

619.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,136 ₾13.8K

$436 LKR 138.9K

1079.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾209

$27.88 LKR 8,892

178.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.39 ₾119

$19.48 LKR 6,214

127.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾317

$68.7 LKR 21.9K

71.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾307

$38.46 LKR 12.3K

196.78%

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 Polonnaruwa: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Tbilisi versus $25.00 in Polonnaruwa. Groceries tell a different story – $206 in Tbilisi vs $256 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 127% 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 $1,777 per month in Tbilisi and $783 in Polonnaruwa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,185 in Tbilisi and $522 in Polonnaruwa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $263 per month in Tbilisi and $36.48 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 $522, than in Tbilisi at $1,185. 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 $522 versus $1,185 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.