Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bahir Dar and Tbilisi

For one person, living is cheaper in Bahir Dar: $374 a month against $1,269 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $10,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
Tbilisi, Georgia
Bahir Dar
🇪🇹 Ethiopia
$374
/mo nomad
Tbilisi
🇬🇪 Georgia
$1,269
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bahir Dar and in Tbilisi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bahir Dar and in Tbilisi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $374 per month in Bahir Dar vs $1,269 in Tbilisi, rent included.

  • Bahir Dar $374
  • Tbilisi $1,269

A couple spends around $568 per month in Bahir Dar vs $2,016 in Tbilisi, rent included.

  • Bahir Dar $568
  • Tbilisi $2,016

A family of three spends $763 per month in Bahir Dar vs $2,763 in Tbilisi, rent included.

  • Bahir Dar $763
  • Tbilisi $2,763

Bahir Dar is about 71% cheaper than Tbilisi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Bahir Dar and Tbilisi are more affordable than the global median – Bahir Dar 73% lower, Tbilisi 7% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bahir Dar
Tbilisi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.43 ETB 552
$11.63 ₾30.07
-70.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
-
$37.83 ₾97.8
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
-
$9.66 ₾24.98
-
Cappuccino
$1.02 ETB 164
$3.57 ₾9.24
-71.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.41 ETB 66.7
$1.08 ₾2.78
-62.04%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48 ETB 78.0
$0.56 ₾1.45
-14.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.72 ETB 116
$2.62 ₾6.78
-72.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96 ETB 315
$3.04 ₾7.85
-35.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bahir Dar
Tbilisi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.98 ETB 157
$2.17 ₾5.60
-54.84%
White Bread (500g)
$1.02 ETB 164
$0.80 ₾2.06
27.50%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.01 ETB 163
$1.74 ₾4.51
-41.95%
Eggs
$1.77 ETB 285
$2.83 ₾7.31
-37.46%
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$9.31 ₾24.07
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
-
$6.52 ₾16.85
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.06 ETB 1,619
$12.95 ₾33.50
-22.32%
Apples (1kg)
$3.04 ETB 488
$1.68 ₾4.33
80.95%
Banana (1kg)
$0.97 ETB 157
$1.85 ₾4.79
-47.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.03 ETB 327
$1.97 ₾5.10
3.05%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.79 ETB 127
$2.42 ₾6.25
-67.36%
Potato (1kg)
$0.62 ETB 99.6
$0.82 ₾2.11
-24.39%
Onion (1kg)
$1.18 ETB 190
$0.74 ₾1.91
59.46%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.02 ETB 164
$1.34 ₾3.47
-23.88%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ETB 82.8
$0.77 ₾2.00
-33.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$3.57 ₾9.24
-
Wine (Bottle)
$4.03 ETB 649
$7.67 ₾19.83
-47.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 ETB 125
$1.70 ₾4.39
-54.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 ETB 313
$2.40 ₾6.21
-19.17%
🚌 Getting Around
Bahir Dar
Tbilisi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.40 ₾1.05
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$15.23 ₾39.38
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$1.14 ₾2.95
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.48 ETB 77.3
$0.78 ₾2.02
-38.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.97 ETB 316
$11.83 ₾30.58
-83.35%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.02 ETB 164
$1.45 ₾3.75
-29.66%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$24.6K ₾63.6K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$22.3K ₾57.8K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bahir Dar
Tbilisi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$101 ETB 16.2K
$88.8 ₾230
13.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.15 ETB 1,634
$13.12 ₾33.93
-22.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
-
$19.67 ₾50.9
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bahir Dar
Tbilisi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.9 ETB 8,184
$64.1 ₾166
-20.58%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$60.5 ETB 9,728
$19.04 ₾49.24
217.54%
Cinema Ticket
$6.10 ETB 981
$7.12 ₾18.42
-14.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bahir Dar
Tbilisi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$49.48 ETB 7,962
$375 ₾971
-86.82%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$10.5K ₾27.1K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bahir Dar
Tbilisi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.10 ETB 7,900
$104 ₾268
-52.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$39.26 ₾102
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$117 ₾303
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$122 ₾315
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bahir Dar
Tbilisi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$695 ₾1,798
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$451 ₾1,167
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,355 ₾3,504
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$906 ₾2,343
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,039 ETB 328.1K
$2,295 ₾5,934
-11.15%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,502 ETB 241.7K
$1,345 ₾3,478
11.70%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bahir Dar
Tbilisi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$200 ETB 32.1K
$664 ₾1,718
-69.93%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
12.62
-

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

Last update for Bahir Dar: October 25, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bahir Dar
–
Tbilisi
$451
Groceries & Markets
Bahir Dar
–
Tbilisi
$234
Eating Out
Bahir Dar
–
Tbilisi
$191
Clothing & Footwear
Bahir Dar
–
Tbilisi
$172
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bahir Dar
–
Tbilisi
$122
Sport & Entertainment
Bahir Dar
–
Tbilisi
$78
Getting Around
Bahir Dar
–
Tbilisi
$22

Cost Breakdown

Salaries in Tbilisi are about 3.3 times higher, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know
🇪🇹 Bahir Dar
🇬🇪 Tbilisi
🕒 Local time
11:59 11:59 AM
12:59 12:59 PM
1 h ahead of Bahir Dar
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
350,000
1,241,700 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GEL, USD, EUR to ETB – Ethiopian Birr Converter

Ethiopian Birr exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 161 ETB (1,000 ETB = 6.22 USD). 1 EUR = 180 ETB (1,000 ETB = 5.57 EUR).

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.387 USD). 1 EUR = 2.89 GEL (1 GEL = 0.346 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bahir Dar Tbilisi 3,420 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Bahir Dar
  • Tbilisi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Bahir Dar vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Bahir Dar or Tbilisi?
Tbilisi costs about 239% more than Bahir Dar, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Bahir Dar and in Tbilisi?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $561 per month in Bahir Dar and $1,904 in Tbilisi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How much does it cost to live in Bahir Dar compared to Tbilisi?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $374 in Bahir Dar and $1,269 in Tbilisi. That makes Bahir Dar about 71% cheaper.
Are groceries more expensive in Bahir Dar or in Tbilisi?
Groceries cost about 88% more in Tbilisi, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $800/month in Bahir Dar or in Tbilisi?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in Bahir Dar, where all-in costs run around $374, than in Tbilisi at $1,269. In Bahir Dar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Bahir Dar or Tbilisi?
It depends on your priorities. Tbilisi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $374 in Bahir Dar to $1,269 in Tbilisi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How safe is Bahir Dar compared to Tbilisi?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Should I move to Bahir Dar or to Tbilisi?
If budget matters most, go with Bahir Dar. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tbilisi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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