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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,185 per month in Tbilisi vs $523 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,834 per month in Tbilisi vs $854 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,483 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,185 in Ratnapura, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.15 ₾30.00

$2.22 LKR 709

402.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.13 ₾116

$10.12 LKR 3,228

326.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 ₾22.11

$6.90 LKR 2,199

19.13%

Cappuccino

$3.13 ₾8.42

$2.32 LKR 739

34.91%

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

$0.74 ₾2.00

$0.80 LKR 255

-7.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₾1.22

$0.51 LKR 164

-11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ₾5.74

$2.12 LKR 677

0.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ₾8.06

$3.04 LKR 970

-1.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₾5.09

$1.96 LKR 624

-3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₾1.97

$0.81 LKR 257

-9.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.98

$0.67 LKR 213

176.12%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.58

$1.18 LKR 376

107.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.85 ₾21.12

$16.59 LKR 5,290

-52.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ₾16.82

$7.00 LKR 2,231

-10.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.77 ₾26.28

$17.62 LKR 5,619

-44.55%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 ₾3.26

$4.60 LKR 1,467

-73.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₾4.28

$0.78 LKR 248

103.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.81

$4.56 LKR 1,455

-60.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 ₾6.25

$1.06 LKR 338

118.87%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.91

$1.11 LKR 353

-36.04%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.81

$1.57 LKR 502

-57.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.16

$0.52 LKR 166

126.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₾1.92

$0.48 LKR 152

47.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.85

$14.35 LKR 4,578

-79.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.25 ₾19.50

$12.91 LKR 4,118

-43.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₾4.17

$2.25 LKR 718

-31.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.21

$3.16 LKR 1,008

-26.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.03

$0.38 LKR 121

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.81 ₾39.83

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ₾3.98

$0.42 LKR 133

252.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.86

$0.48 LKR 155

43.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾20.05

$0.32 LKR 101

2228.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₾3.10

$1.04 LKR 330

10.58%

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

$18.0K ₾48.4K

$21.5K LKR 6.8M

-16.16%

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

$19.8K ₾53.4K

$21.8K LKR 7.0M

-9.16%

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

$73.4 ₾198

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

$11.64 ₾31.32

$2.25 LKR 719

417.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.77 ₾47.79

$7.87 LKR 2,511

125.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 ₾163

$9.92 LKR 3,165

510.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 ₾44.21

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.52

$2.70 LKR 862

141.11%

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

$263 ₾707

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,136 ₾13.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾209

$11.55 LKR 3,682

572.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.39 ₾119

$8.61 LKR 2,747

415.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾317

$93.7 LKR 29.9K

25.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾307

$28.14 LKR 8,973

305.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,865

$85.2 LKR 27.2K

713.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,244

$60.4 LKR 19.3K

665.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 ₾3,597

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$779 ₾2,096

$92.6 LKR 29.5K

741.22%

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

$174 LKR 55.3K

264.48%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $693 in Tbilisi versus $85.2 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 264% 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 $282 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 127%, 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 $1,777 per month in Tbilisi and $784 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 37% 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 $523, than in Tbilisi at $1,185. 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.