Cost of Living Comparison Between Addis Ababa and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Addis Ababa and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,429 in Addis Ababa versus $1,197 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,079 in Addis Ababa versus $1,868 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,730 in Addis Ababa versus $2,538 in Tbilisi.

Living in Addis Ababa is roughly 19% more expensive than in Tbilisi, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Addis Ababa is 7% above, Tbilisi is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.44 ETB 704

$10.82 ₾28.39

-58.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.55 ETB 5,634

$43.85 ₾115

-18.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.67 ETB 1,058

$8.31 ₾21.80

-19.74%

Cappuccino

$1.30 ETB 206

$2.97 ₾7.78

-56.23%

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

$0.63 ETB 100

$0.77 ₾2.01

-18.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 ETB 68.4

$0.46 ₾1.20

-6.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.97 ETB 154

$2.14 ₾5.63

-54.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 ETB 465

$2.87 ₾7.52

2.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 ETB 231

$1.90 ₾4.99

-23.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 ETB 211

$0.71 ₾1.86

87.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 ETB 341

$1.91 ₾5.00

12.57%

Eggs

$2.40 ETB 380

$2.48 ₾6.52

-3.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.12 ETB 1,128

$7.74 ₾20.29

-8.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.71 ETB 2,173

$6.18 ₾16.21

121.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.07 ETB 2,071

$9.57 ₾25.12

36.57%

Apples (1kg)

$6.66 ETB 1,055

$1.17 ₾3.06

469.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 ETB 165

$1.65 ₾4.34

-36.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ETB 348

$1.85 ₾4.84

18.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 ETB 155

$2.33 ₾6.11

-57.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 ETB 99.9

$0.71 ₾1.85

-11.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.91 ETB 303

$0.67 ₾1.76

185.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ETB 105

$1.19 ₾3.12

-44.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ETB 108

$0.66 ₾1.72

3.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 ETB 629

$2.92 ₾7.65

35.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.68 ETB 901

$7.69 ₾20.18

-26.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 ETB 164

$1.59 ₾4.18

-34.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 ETB 290

$2.31 ₾6.06

-20.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ETB 69.8

$0.38 ₾1.01

15.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.19 ETB 1,932

$14.76 ₾38.72

-17.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 ETB 226

$1.50 ₾3.92

-4.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ETB 46.37

$0.68 ₾1.77

-57.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 ETB 323

$7.26 ₾19.04

-71.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ETB 198

$1.09 ₾2.87

14.68%

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

$55.6K ETB 8.8M

$18.6K ₾48.8K

198.80%

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

$54.3K ETB 8.6M

$20.5K ₾53.7K

165.36%

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

$163 ETB 25.8K

$73.0 ₾192

122.71%

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

$12.23 ETB 1,938

$11.97 ₾31.41

2.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$129 ETB 20.5K

$18.00 ₾47.22

617.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 ETB 11.0K

$61.0 ₾160

13.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.29 ETB 5,752

$16.52 ₾43.34

119.67%

Cinema Ticket

$5.82 ETB 923

$6.70 ₾17.58

-13.13%

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

$80.5 ETB 12.8K

$269 ₾705

-70.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.0K ETB 6.3M

$5,152 ₾13.5K

675.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.75 ETB 7,568

$76.5 ₾201

-37.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.4 ETB 11.8K

$43.41 ₾114

71.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 ETB 14.5K

$120 ₾316

-24.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 ETB 18.4K

$111 ₾290

4.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 ETB 116.0K

$687 ₾1,803

6.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ETB 81.1K

$470 ₾1,234

8.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,816 ETB 287.9K

$1,353 ₾3,550

34.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$885 ETB 140.3K

$789 ₾2,069

12.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,969 ETB 312.1K

$2,468 ₾6,473

-20.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$992 ETB 157.2K

$1,456 ₾3,818

-31.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$200 ETB 31.7K

$659 ₾1,729

-69.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

42.98%

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

Last update for Addis Ababa: July 13, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $732 in Addis Ababa and $687 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 229% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Addis Ababa vs $44.00 in Tbilisi. Groceries flip the comparison at $265 vs $205, with Tbilisi cheaper for home cooking.

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

Addis Ababa vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Addis Ababa and Tbilisi differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($1,429 vs $1,197 including rent). Tbilisi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 229% lower in Tbilisi. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $732 in Addis Ababa versus $687 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,429 per month in Addis Ababa versus $1,197 in Tbilisi – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Tbilisi runs roughly 21% less than in Addis Ababa. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,197 in Tbilisi versus $1,429 in Addis Ababa, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Addis Ababa. The gap between the two cities makes Tbilisi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Addis Ababa and Tbilisi are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Tbilisi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Addis Ababa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.