😐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 – Tbilisi12% lower, Ratnapura61% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Tbilisi
Ratnapura
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.15₾30.00
$2.22LKR 709
402.25%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.13₾116
$10.12LKR 3,228
326.19%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.22₾22.11
$6.90LKR 2,199
19.13%
Cappuccino
$3.13₾8.42
$2.32LKR 739
34.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74₾2.00
$0.80LKR 255
-7.50%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.45₾1.22
$0.51LKR 164
-11.76%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.13₾5.74
$2.12LKR 677
0.47%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.99₾8.06
$3.04LKR 970
-1.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
Ratnapura
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.89₾5.09
$1.96LKR 624
-3.57%
White Bread(500g)
$0.73₾1.97
$0.81LKR 257
-9.88%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.85₾4.98
$0.67LKR 213
176.12%
Eggs
$2.45₾6.58
$1.18LKR 376
107.63%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.85₾21.12
$16.59LKR 5,290
-52.68%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.25₾16.82
$7.00LKR 2,231
-10.71%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.77₾26.28
$17.62LKR 5,619
-44.55%
Apples(1kg)
$1.21₾3.26
$4.60LKR 1,467
-73.70%
Banana(1kg)
$1.59₾4.28
$0.78LKR 248
103.85%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.79₾4.81
$4.56LKR 1,455
-60.75%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.32₾6.25
$1.06LKR 338
118.87%
Potato(1kg)
$0.71₾1.91
$1.11LKR 353
-36.04%
Onion(1kg)
$0.67₾1.81
$1.57LKR 502
-57.32%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.18₾3.16
$0.52LKR 166
126.92%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.71₾1.92
$0.48LKR 152
47.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.92₾7.85
$14.35LKR 4,578
-79.65%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.25₾19.50
$12.91LKR 4,118
-43.84%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.55₾4.17
$2.25LKR 718
-31.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.31₾6.21
$3.16LKR 1,008
-26.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Tbilisi
Ratnapura
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.38₾1.03
$0.38LKR 121
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$14.81₾39.83
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.48₾3.98
$0.42LKR 133
252.38%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.69₾1.86
$0.48LKR 155
43.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.45₾20.05
$0.32LKR 101
2228.13%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.15₾3.10
$1.04LKR 330
10.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.0K₾48.4K
$21.5KLKR 6.8M
-16.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.8K₾53.4K
$21.8KLKR 7.0M
-9.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
Ratnapura
Diferencia
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
$2.25LKR 719
417.33%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.77₾47.79
$7.87LKR 2,511
125.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
Ratnapura
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.6₾163
$9.92LKR 3,165
510.58%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.44₾44.21
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.51₾17.52
$2.70LKR 862
141.11%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tbilisi
Ratnapura
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$263₾707
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,136₾13.8K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
Ratnapura
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$77.7₾209
$11.55LKR 3,682
572.73%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.39₾119
$8.61LKR 2,747
415.56%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$118₾317
$93.7LKR 29.9K
25.57%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$114₾307
$28.14LKR 8,973
305.61%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
Ratnapura
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$693₾1,865
$85.2LKR 27.2K
713.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$462₾1,244
$60.4LKR 19.3K
665.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,337₾3,597
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$779₾2,096
$92.6LKR 29.5K
741.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,530₾6,805
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,430₾3,847
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tbilisi
Ratnapura
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$633₾1,702
$174LKR 55.3K
264.48%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.89
0
-
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Tbilisi: April 26, 2026
Última actualización para 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.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Tbilisi vs Ratnapura: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Ratnapura cheaper than Tbilisi?
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.
What income do you need for each city?
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.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
How do food prices compare in Tbilisi and Ratnapura?
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.
Is eating out cheaper in Tbilisi or Ratnapura?
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.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Tbilisi or Ratnapura?
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.
Is Tbilisi or Ratnapura more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Tbilisi or Ratnapura?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.
Tbilisi vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado