Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Ratnapura Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Ratnapura

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,178 per month in Tbilisi vs $528 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,848 per month in Tbilisi vs $837 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,518 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,146 in Ratnapura, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 123% more than Ratnapura, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tbilisi and Ratnapura are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 12% lower, Ratnapura 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.09 ₾29.35

$2.11 LKR 704

425.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.24 ₾114

$9.98 LKR 3,323

333.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 ₾22.63

$6.84 LKR 2,277

25.00%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ₾7.86

$2.32 LKR 773

28.02%

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

$0.76 ₾2.01

$0.86 LKR 288

-11.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.22

$0.48 LKR 161

-4.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ₾5.88

$2.25 LKR 748

-1.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.73

$2.94 LKR 979

-0.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 ₾5.21

$2.06 LKR 687

-4.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₾1.94

$0.80 LKR 268

-8.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 ₾4.81

$0.69 LKR 228

163.77%

Eggs

$2.49 ₾6.60

$1.23 LKR 410

102.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.66 ₾20.27

$16.64 LKR 5,541

-53.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.27 ₾16.59

$7.04 LKR 2,346

-10.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.50 ₾25.14

$17.63 LKR 5,871

-46.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 ₾3.24

$4.65 LKR 1,549

-73.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.33

$0.76 LKR 255

115.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾4.95

$4.67 LKR 1,555

-59.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 ₾6.02

$1.04 LKR 347

118.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.77

$1.13 LKR 376

-40.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.79

$1.57 LKR 523

-57.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ₾3.23

$0.53 LKR 175

130.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.85

$0.52 LKR 173

34.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.73

$14.59 LKR 4,860

-79.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.72 ₾20.42

$12.75 LKR 4,247

-39.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₾4.09

$2.34 LKR 780

-33.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 ₾5.86

$3.16 LKR 1,051

-29.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ₾1.02

$0.38 LKR 127

2.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.67 ₾38.81

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 ₾3.82

$0.39 LKR 128

269.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.81

$0.48 LKR 161

43.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 ₾19.52

$0.32 LKR 106

2203.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.03

$1.04 LKR 345

9.62%

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

$18.2K ₾48.1K

$21.3K LKR 7.1M

-14.91%

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

$20.4K ₾54.1K

$21.9K LKR 7.3M

-6.50%

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

$73.6 ₾195

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

$11.64 ₾30.80

$2.33 LKR 776

399.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.63 ₾46.65

$8.24 LKR 2,744

113.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.4 ₾162

$10.19 LKR 3,394

502.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.85 ₾44.59

Cinema Ticket

$6.69 ₾17.71

$2.72 LKR 907

145.96%

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

$264 ₾699

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,169 ₾13.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.1 ₾199

$11.57 LKR 3,851

549.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.26 ₾114

$8.57 LKR 2,853

404.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾311

$92.6 LKR 30.8K

26.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾295

$29.02 LKR 9,664

284.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$706 ₾1,868

$83.0 LKR 27.7K

749.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$461 ₾1,221

$59.3 LKR 19.8K

677.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,318 ₾3,488

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$781 ₾2,066

$95.1 LKR 31.7K

720.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,463 ₾6,517

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,409 ₾3,727

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$672 ₾1,779

$168 LKR 55.9K

300.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Tbilisi: June 14, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $706 in Tbilisi versus $83.0 in Ratnapura. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 300% higher in Tbilisi, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Tbilisi versus $10.00 in Ratnapura. Groceries tell a different story – $206 in Tbilisi vs $285 in Ratnapura – 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 Ratnapura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tbilisi is pricier by about 123%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,767 per month in Tbilisi and $792 in Ratnapura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ratnapura, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 38% cheaper in Tbilisi – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Tbilisi and $10.00 in Ratnapura. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ratnapura, where all-in costs run around $528, than in Tbilisi at $1,178. In Ratnapura it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ratnapura – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Ratnapura. 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.