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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,191 per month in Tbilisi vs $534 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,856 per month in Tbilisi vs $858 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,522 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,183 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 11% lower, Ratnapura 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.91 ₾28.56

$2.19 LKR 735

398.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.19 ₾113

$10.13 LKR 3,398

326.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 ₾22.31

$6.81 LKR 2,287

25.26%

Cappuccino

$2.99 ₾7.81

$2.37 LKR 797

26.16%

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

$0.81 ₾2.12

$0.87 LKR 291

-6.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₾1.09

$0.49 LKR 164

-14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 ₾5.65

$2.12 LKR 713

1.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₾7.52

$2.94 LKR 988

-2.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ₾5.08

$1.97 LKR 662

-1.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$0.81 LKR 271

-16.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.83

$0.72 LKR 242

156.94%

Eggs

$2.53 ₾6.62

$1.24 LKR 417

104.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.53 ₾19.69

$16.47 LKR 5,527

-54.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 ₾16.39

$6.97 LKR 2,338

-10.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.59 ₾25.09

$17.18 LKR 5,766

-44.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 ₾3.04

$4.66 LKR 1,563

-75.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.29

$0.77 LKR 260

112.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.93

$4.78 LKR 1,603

-60.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.84

$1.06 LKR 355

110.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$1.12 LKR 377

-37.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₾1.68

$1.50 LKR 502

-57.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.09

$0.52 LKR 174

126.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$0.52 LKR 175

34.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 ₾7.78

$14.29 LKR 4,794

-79.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.43 ₾19.45

$12.44 LKR 4,175

-40.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.03

$2.30 LKR 773

-33.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₾5.98

$3.21 LKR 1,077

-28.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.93

$0.41 LKR 138

-12.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.73 ₾38.54

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ₾3.71

$0.41 LKR 139

246.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.81

$0.53 LKR 177

30.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.27 ₾19.02

$0.35 LKR 116

1977.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.86

$1.08 LKR 361

0.93%

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

$18.3K ₾47.9K

$21.8K LKR 7.3M

-15.99%

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

$20.5K ₾53.6K

$21.3K LKR 7.2M

-3.89%

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

$74.4 ₾195

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

$11.71 ₾30.63

$2.26 LKR 757

418.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ₾46.06

$7.88 LKR 2,645

123.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.3 ₾158

$10.10 LKR 3,389

496.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.29 ₾42.63

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.03

$2.71 LKR 910

140.22%

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

$269 ₾704

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,154 ₾13.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.1 ₾202

$11.60 LKR 3,893

564.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.48 ₾114

$8.24 LKR 2,766

427.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾310

$94.1 LKR 31.6K

25.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾295

$28.63 LKR 9,606

293.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 ₾1,856

$82.1 LKR 27.5K

764.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 ₾1,215

$59.3 LKR 19.9K

682.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 ₾3,442

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$767 ₾2,007

$92.4 LKR 31.0K

730.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,492 ₾6,522

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,442 ₾3,773

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$663 ₾1,735

$170 LKR 57.0K

290.48%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $709 in Tbilisi versus $82.1 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 290% 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 – $204 in Tbilisi vs $281 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 $1,787 per month in Tbilisi and $801 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 $534, than in Tbilisi at $1,191. 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.