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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,218 per month in Tbilisi vs $538 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,853 per month in Tbilisi vs $857 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,489 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,176 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 126% more than Polonnaruwa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tbilisi and Polonnaruwa are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 9% lower, Polonnaruwa 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.85 ₾28.75

$4.00 LKR 1,333

171.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.17 ₾117

$25.54 LKR 8,518

72.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 ₾21.94

$8.60 LKR 2,870

-3.72%

Cappuccino

$3.02 ₾8.00

$2.74 LKR 913

10.22%

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

$0.76 ₾2.02

$0.73 LKR 242

4.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.22

$0.40 LKR 134

15.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ₾5.93

$2.29 LKR 763

-2.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.95

$3.39 LKR 1,130

-11.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.11

$1.79 LKR 597

7.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 ₾1.91

$0.53 LKR 176

35.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 ₾4.87

$0.85 LKR 285

116.47%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.48

$2.19 LKR 732

11.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₾19.67

$13.94 LKR 4,650

-46.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 ₾17.16

$4.65 LKR 1,550

39.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 ₾25.70

$8.10 LKR 2,702

19.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 ₾3.18

$7.54 LKR 2,514

-84.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₾4.14

$1.06 LKR 354

47.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.75

$5.95 LKR 1,985

-69.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.90

$1.24 LKR 415

79.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.73

$1.16 LKR 387

-43.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 ₾1.79

$1.42 LKR 474

-52.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.16

$1.15 LKR 382

3.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.86

$0.57 LKR 190

22.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₾7.82

$10.23 LKR 3,411

-71.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 ₾19.41

$12.46 LKR 4,156

-41.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₾4.02

$2.08 LKR 694

-26.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.95

$2.88 LKR 961

-21.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.60 ₾38.68

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.97

$0.38 LKR 128

294.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 ₾1.92

$0.32 LKR 108

128.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾19.74

$0.57 LKR 190

1207.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.01

$1.26 LKR 421

-9.52%

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

$18.5K ₾49.0K

$27.1K LKR 9.0M

-31.66%

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

$20.3K ₾53.6K

$34.2K LKR 11.4M

-40.81%

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

$73.9 ₾196

$59.4 LKR 19.8K

24.42%

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

$11.71 ₾31.01

$4.43 LKR 1,479

164.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.16 ₾48.09

$15.22 LKR 5,077

19.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 ₾163

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.66 ₾44.12

Cinema Ticket

$6.61 ₾17.50

$3.40 LKR 1,134

94.41%

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

$264 ₾700

$37.28 LKR 12.4K

608.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,145 ₾13.6K

$442 LKR 147.3K

1064.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 ₾198

$27.70 LKR 9,239

170.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.98 ₾117

$19.51 LKR 6,508

125.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾312

$70.2 LKR 23.4K

67.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾301

$38.00 LKR 12.7K

199.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 ₾1,833

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₾1,203

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 ₾3,504

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,089

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,431 ₾6,440

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 ₾3,818

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$645 ₾1,709

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Polonnaruwa: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Tbilisi versus $26.00 in Polonnaruwa. Groceries tell a different story – $204 in Tbilisi vs $258 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 126% 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 $1,827 per month in Tbilisi and $807 in Polonnaruwa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,218 in Tbilisi and $538 in Polonnaruwa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $264 per month in Tbilisi and $37.28 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 $538, than in Tbilisi at $1,218. 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 $538 versus $1,218 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.