Cost of Living Comparison Between Ames, IA and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Ames, IA and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,095 in Ames, IA versus $1,197 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,171 in Ames, IA versus $1,868 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,246 in Ames, IA versus $2,538 in Tbilisi.

Living in Ames, IA is roughly 75% more expensive than in Tbilisi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ames, IA is 57% above, Tbilisi is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.67 $17.67

$10.82 ₾28.39

63.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.18 $45.18

$43.85 ₾115

3.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.17 $9.17

$8.31 ₾21.80

10.35%

Cappuccino

$5.29 $5.29

$2.97 ₾7.78

78.11%

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

$2.02 $2.02

$0.77 ₾2.01

162.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$0.46 ₾1.20

289.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.14 ₾5.63

42.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.01 $7.01

$2.87 ₾7.52

144.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.90 ₾4.99

-46.32%

White Bread (500g)

$3.61 $3.61

$0.71 ₾1.86

408.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.91 ₾5.00

59.69%

Eggs

$3.20 $3.20

$2.48 ₾6.52

29.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.55 $9.55

$7.74 ₾20.29

23.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.58 $11.58

$6.18 ₾16.21

87.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.26 $14.26

$9.57 ₾25.12

49.01%

Apples (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$1.17 ₾3.06

324.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.65 ₾4.34

-29.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.65 $5.65

$1.85 ₾4.84

205.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.10 $5.10

$2.33 ₾6.11

118.88%

Potato (1kg)

$3.97 $3.97

$0.71 ₾1.85

459.15%

Onion (1kg)

$3.78 $3.78

$0.67 ₾1.76

464.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.19 ₾3.12

69.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$0.66 ₾1.72

189.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.18 $9.18

$2.92 ₾7.65

214.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.12 $16.12

$7.69 ₾20.18

109.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.59 ₾4.18

6.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 $4.58

$2.31 ₾6.06

98.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.38 ₾1.01

305.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.34 $48.34

$14.76 ₾38.72

227.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.07 $5.07

$1.50 ₾3.92

238.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$0.68 ₾1.77

108.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.06 $49.06

$7.26 ₾19.04

575.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.09 ₾2.87

-20.18%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$18.6K ₾48.8K

36.70%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$20.5K ₾53.7K

23.16%

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

$193 $193

$73.0 ₾192

164.23%

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

$48.88 $48.88

$11.97 ₾31.41

308.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.8 $72.8

$18.00 ₾47.22

304.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.1 $69.1

$61.0 ₾160

13.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.83 $19.83

$16.52 ₾43.34

20.04%

Cinema Ticket

$14.02 $14.02

$6.70 ₾17.58

109.25%

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

$1,458 $1,458

$269 ₾705

442.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.4K $30.4K

$5,152 ₾13.5K

490.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.41 $39.41

$76.5 ₾201

-48.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.67 $42.67

$43.41 ₾114

-1.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.2 $84.2

$120 ₾316

-30.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$111 ₾290

4.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$989 $989

$687 ₾1,803

43.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$814 $814

$470 ₾1,234

73.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,904 $1,904

$1,353 ₾3,550

40.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,667 $1,667

$789 ₾2,069

111.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 $2,363

$2,468 ₾6,473

-4.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,255 $2,255

$1,456 ₾3,818

54.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,584 $3,584

$659 ₾1,729

443.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.02

11.89

-49.37%

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

Last update for Ames, IA: July 11, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $989 in Ames, IA and $687 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ames, IA pays 444% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in Ames, IA vs $44.00 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $381 vs $205 per month, with Tbilisi 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

Ames, IA vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi wins on cost – living expenses run 75% lower than in Ames, IA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tbilisi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 444% higher in Ames, IA, 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: $989 in Ames, IA versus $687 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tbilisi runs roughly 228% less than in Ames, IA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,458 in Ames, IA versus $269 in Tbilisi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,197 in Tbilisi versus $2,095 in Ames, IA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Ames, IA. The gap between the two cities makes Tbilisi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Tbilisi delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,197 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Tbilisi hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ames, IA 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 75% less than in Ames, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.