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: $1,310 in Addis Ababa versus $1,279 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,940 in Addis Ababa versus $2,011 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,571 in Addis Ababa versus $2,743 in Tbilisi.

Living in Addis Ababa is roughly 2% more expensive than in Tbilisi, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Addis Ababa 5% lower, Tbilisi 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.93 ETB 632

$11.43 ₾29.72

-65.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.97 ETB 6,747

$38.16 ₾99.2

9.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.40 ETB 1,028

$9.40 ₾24.45

-31.91%

Cappuccino

$0.96 ETB 155

$3.38 ₾8.78

-71.60%

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

$0.63 ETB 102

$1.04 ₾2.70

-39.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ETB 110

$0.60 ₾1.56

15.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.78 ETB 125

$2.71 ₾7.05

-71.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 ETB 355

$3.04 ₾7.90

-27.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 ETB 169

$2.27 ₾5.90

-53.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 ETB 195

$0.79 ₾2.04

53.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 ETB 337

$1.62 ₾4.21

29.63%

Eggs

$1.74 ETB 279

$2.74 ₾7.13

-36.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.32 ETB 1,177

$9.30 ₾24.19

-21.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.07 ETB 1,618

$6.79 ₾17.65

48.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.13 ETB 1,467

$13.01 ₾33.84

-29.82%

Apples (1kg)

$5.30 ETB 852

$1.64 ₾4.27

223.17%

Banana (1kg)

$0.68 ETB 110

$1.83 ₾4.77

-62.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 ETB 346

$1.90 ₾4.94

13.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.66 ETB 106

$2.57 ₾6.68

-74.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 ETB 79.5

$0.84 ₾2.19

-41.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 ETB 176

$0.65 ₾1.70

69.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ETB 110

$1.36 ₾3.54

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ETB 90.8

$0.80 ₾2.07

-30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.82 ETB 1,256

$3.40 ₾8.85

130.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.52 ETB 887

$7.67 ₾19.94

-28.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ETB 116

$1.68 ₾4.36

-57.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 ETB 195

$2.38 ₾6.18

-49.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ETB 82.5

$0.39 ₾1.02

30.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.23 ETB 3,413

$15.55 ₾40.44

36.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.34 ETB 216

$1.14 ₾2.96

17.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ETB 47.08

$0.74 ₾1.93

-60.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 ETB 323

$11.32 ₾29.42

-82.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 ETB 152

$1.38 ₾3.60

-31.88%

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

$55.7K ETB 9.0M

$24.6K ₾63.9K

126.59%

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

$56.5K ETB 9.1M

$22.0K ₾57.2K

156.98%

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

$204 ETB 32.8K

$88.7 ₾231

129.76%

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

$7.41 ETB 1,191

$13.18 ₾34.26

-43.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$209 ETB 33.6K

$19.68 ₾51.2

963.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.33 ETB 6,965

$68.3 ₾177

-36.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.34 ETB 5,842

$17.94 ₾46.65

102.56%

Cinema Ticket

$3.81 ETB 612

$6.42 ₾16.70

-40.65%

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

$135 ETB 21.6K

$372 ₾967

-63.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.2K ETB 4.9M

$10.8K ₾28.1K

179.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.41 ETB 5,371

$105 ₾272

-68.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.5 ETB 11.3K

$38.83 ₾101

81.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ETB 12.7K

$115 ₾299

-31.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.9 ETB 13.2K

$122 ₾318

-33.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$703 ETB 113.0K

$681 ₾1,770

3.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$396 ETB 63.7K

$456 ₾1,185

-13.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,262 ETB 363.6K

$1,312 ₾3,410

72.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$764 ETB 122.8K

$892 ₾2,321

-14.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ETB 317.5K

$2,391 ₾6,216

-17.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,016 ETB 163.3K

$1,425 ₾3,704

-28.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$201 ETB 32.4K

$640 ₾1,663

-68.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.5

12.62

46.59%

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

Last update for Addis Ababa: September 5, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $703 in Addis Ababa and $681 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 218% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Addis Ababa vs $38.00 in Tbilisi. Groceries flip the comparison at $210 vs $236, with Addis Ababa 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 2% in total monthly costs ($1,310 vs $1,279 including rent). Tbilisi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 218% 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: $703 in Addis Ababa versus $681 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,310 per month in Addis Ababa versus $1,279 in Tbilisi – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Tbilisi runs roughly 37% less than in Addis Ababa. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,279 in Tbilisi versus $1,310 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 2% less than in Addis Ababa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.