Cost of Living Comparison Between Alba Iulia and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Alba Iulia and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $955 in Alba Iulia versus $1,218 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,444 in Alba Iulia versus $1,853 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,933 in Alba Iulia versus $2,489 in Tbilisi.

Living in Alba Iulia costs roughly 22% less than in Tbilisi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Alba Iulia 29% lower, Tbilisi 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.06 RON 40.99

$10.85 ₾28.75

-16.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.65 RON 157

$44.17 ₾117

-21.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.26 RON 28.34

$8.28 ₾21.94

-24.40%

Cappuccino

$2.52 RON 11.40

$3.02 ₾8.00

-16.56%

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

$1.95 RON 8.84

$0.76 ₾2.02

156.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 RON 7.34

$0.46 ₾1.22

252.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 RON 10.04

$2.24 ₾5.93

-0.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 RON 10.30

$3.00 ₾7.95

-24.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 RON 6.32

$1.93 ₾5.11

-27.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 RON 5.65

$0.72 ₾1.91

73.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.10

$1.84 ₾4.87

-14.67%

Eggs

$2.95 RON 13.35

$2.45 ₾6.48

20.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.52 RON 38.53

$7.43 ₾19.67

14.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.71 RON 30.37

$6.48 ₾17.16

3.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 RON 53.9

$9.70 ₾25.70

22.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.59

$1.20 ₾3.18

-15.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 RON 6.68

$1.56 ₾4.14

-5.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 RON 6.32

$1.79 ₾4.75

-21.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 RON 11.31

$2.23 ₾5.90

12.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 RON 3.72

$0.65 ₾1.73

26.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.61 RON 2.74

$0.68 ₾1.79

-10.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 RON 4.00

$1.19 ₾3.16

-26.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 RON 3.04

$0.70 ₾1.86

-4.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.63 RON 25.48

$2.95 ₾7.82

90.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.50 RON 20.36

$7.33 ₾19.41

-38.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 RON 5.13

$1.52 ₾4.02

-25.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 RON 6.34

$2.25 ₾5.95

-37.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 RON 3.75

$0.36 ₾0.95

130.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.29 RON 78.2

$14.60 ₾38.68

18.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 RON 3.30

$1.50 ₾3.97

-51.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 RON 3.17

$0.73 ₾1.92

-4.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.22 RON 23.60

$7.45 ₾19.74

-29.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 RON 7.07

$1.14 ₾3.01

36.84%

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

$28.1K RON 127.2K

$18.5K ₾49.0K

51.95%

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

$28.0K RON 126.6K

$20.3K ₾53.6K

38.14%

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

$139 RON 627

$73.9 ₾196

87.48%

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

$7.83 RON 35.40

$11.71 ₾31.01

-33.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.92 RON 40.36

$18.16 ₾48.09

-50.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.41 RON 147

$61.7 ₾163

-47.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.21 RON 159

$16.66 ₾44.12

111.34%

Cinema Ticket

$5.60 RON 25.33

$6.61 ₾17.50

-15.28%

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

$449 RON 2,031

$264 ₾700

69.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,563 RON 29.7K

$5,145 ₾13.6K

27.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.23 RON 191

$74.9 ₾198

-43.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.21 RON 119

$43.98 ₾117

-40.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 RON 380

$118 ₾312

-28.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.6 RON 310

$114 ₾301

-39.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$316 RON 1,427

$692 ₾1,833

-54.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 RON 1,236

$454 ₾1,203

-39.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$538 RON 2,435

$1,323 ₾3,504

-59.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$455 RON 2,057

$789 ₾2,089

-42.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,723 RON 7,796

$2,431 ₾6,440

-29.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,459 RON 6,601

$1,441 ₾3,818

1.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$962 RON 4,352

$645 ₾1,709

49.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.7

11.89

-35.24%

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

Last update for Alba Iulia: June 7, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $316 in Alba Iulia and $692 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alba Iulia pays 49% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Alba Iulia vs $44.00 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 vs $204 per month, with Alba Iulia cheaper across the board.

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

Alba Iulia vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alba Iulia is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Alba Iulia pays 49% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $316 in Alba Iulia versus $692 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $955 per month in Alba Iulia versus $1,218 in Tbilisi – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Alba Iulia runs roughly 18% less than in Tbilisi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $955 in Alba Iulia versus $1,218 in Tbilisi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Alba Iulia but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Alba Iulia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Alba Iulia is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tbilisi, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Alba Iulia 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 Alba Iulia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.