Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Baku and Tbilisi

For one person, living is cheaper in Baku: $1,014 a month against $1,266 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Baku
🇦🇿 Azerbaijan
$1,014
/mo nomad
Tbilisi
🇬🇪 Georgia
$1,266
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Baku 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 Baku and in Tbilisi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,014 in Baku versus $1,266 in Tbilisi.

  • Baku $1,014
  • Tbilisi $1,266

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,578 in Baku versus $2,007 in Tbilisi.

  • Baku $1,578
  • Tbilisi $2,007

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,142 in Baku versus $2,749 in Tbilisi.

  • Baku $2,142
  • Tbilisi $2,749

Living in Baku costs roughly 20% less than in Tbilisi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baku 25% lower, Tbilisi 6% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Baku
Tbilisi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.60 ₼14.62
$11.34 ₾29.35
-24.16%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$40.05 ₼68.1
$39.05 ₾101
2.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.15 ₼13.85
$9.63 ₾24.92
-15.37%
Cappuccino
$3.56 ₼6.04
$3.46 ₾8.95
2.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10 ₼1.87
$1.09 ₾2.82
0.92%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.62 ₼1.05
$0.63 ₾1.62
-1.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.80 ₼3.06
$2.77 ₾7.17
-35.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.02 ₼5.13
$3.10 ₾8.04
-2.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Baku
Tbilisi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.46 ₼2.49
$2.25 ₾5.81
-35.11%
White Bread (500g)
$0.53 ₼0.90
$0.80 ₾2.07
-33.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.49 ₼4.23
$1.76 ₾4.55
41.48%
Eggs
$1.98 ₼3.36
$2.75 ₾7.11
-28.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.19 ₼8.83
$9.39 ₾24.32
-44.73%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.25 ₼8.92
$6.66 ₾17.23
-21.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.84 ₼20.11
$12.92 ₾33.45
-8.36%
Apples (1kg)
$1.29 ₼2.19
$1.67 ₾4.31
-22.75%
Banana (1kg)
$1.90 ₼3.23
$1.80 ₾4.65
5.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.56 ₼2.65
$1.92 ₾4.97
-18.75%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.76 ₼2.99
$2.41 ₾6.24
-26.97%
Potato (1kg)
$0.72 ₼1.23
$0.86 ₾2.23
-16.28%
Onion (1kg)
$0.55 ₼0.94
$0.69 ₾1.80
-20.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.75 ₼1.27
$1.40 ₾3.62
-46.43%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.79 ₼1.34
$0.71 ₾1.85
11.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.89 ₼4.91
$3.51 ₾9.08
-17.66%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.77 ₼14.90
$7.61 ₾19.69
15.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.55 ₼2.64
$1.63 ₾4.21
-4.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90 ₼4.94
$2.31 ₾5.98
25.54%
🚌 Getting Around
Baku
Tbilisi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.36 ₼0.62
$0.37 ₾0.96
-2.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$20.97 ₼35.64
$15.67 ₾40.57
33.82%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.00 ₼3.41
$1.14 ₾2.95
75.44%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.61 ₼1.04
$0.79 ₾2.05
-22.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.49 ₼5.92
$11.86 ₾30.70
-70.57%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.69 ₼1.17
$1.40 ₾3.62
-50.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.3K ₼39.6K
$24.8K ₾64.2K
-5.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.0K ₼35.6K
$21.9K ₾56.6K
-4.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Baku
Tbilisi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$65.5 ₼111
$89.1 ₾231
-26.55%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.23 ₼19.08
$13.21 ₾34.19
-14.99%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.17 ₼25.78
$19.76 ₾51.1
-23.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Baku
Tbilisi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.47 ₼82.4
$64.9 ₾168
-25.33%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.27 ₼27.65
$19.02 ₾49.24
-14.46%
Cinema Ticket
$5.80 ₼9.86
$6.57 ₾17.02
-11.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Baku
Tbilisi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$327 ₼556
$377 ₾975
-13.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,818 ₼11.6K
$10.8K ₾27.9K
-36.85%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Baku
Tbilisi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$66.8 ₼114
$102 ₾265
-34.63%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.1 ₼93.7
$39.70 ₾103
38.79%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$125 ₼212
$118 ₾305
5.75%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116 ₼196
$123 ₾320
-6.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Baku
Tbilisi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$546 ₼928
$666 ₾1,724
-18.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$319 ₼542
$449 ₾1,163
-29.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,045 ₼1,775
$1,284 ₾3,324
-18.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$521 ₼885
$890 ₾2,303
-41.45%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,175 ₼3,697
$2,425 ₾6,276
-10.28%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,285 ₼2,184
$1,380 ₾3,573
-6.91%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Baku
Tbilisi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$557 ₼947
$680 ₾1,760
-18.00%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.46
12.62
-25.04%

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

Last update for Baku: October 10, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Baku
$319
Tbilisi
$449 40.9% $130
Groceries & Markets
Baku
$195
Tbilisi
$234 20% $39
Clothing & Footwear
Baku
$163
Tbilisi
$172 5.8% $9.5
Eating Out
Baku
$158
Tbilisi
$188 19.1% $30
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Baku
$92
Tbilisi
$122 32.9% $30
Sport & Entertainment
Baku
$60
Tbilisi
$78 29.9% $18
Getting Around
Baku
$28
Tbilisi
$22 19.1% $5.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $546 in Baku and $666 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 22% 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: $40.00 in Baku vs $39.00 in Tbilisi. Groceries flip the comparison at $195 vs $234, with Baku cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇦🇿 Baku
🇬🇪 Tbilisi
🕒 Local time
13:27 1:27 PM
13:27 1:27 PM
Same time as Baku
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,300,500 Capital
1,241,700 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GEL, USD, EUR to AZN – Azerbaijani Manat Converter

Azerbaijani Manat exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.7 AZN (1 AZN = 0.588 USD). 1 EUR = 1.91 AZN (1 AZN = 0.523 EUR).

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.386 USD). 1 EUR = 2.91 GEL (1 GEL = 0.344 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Baku Tbilisi 450 km
From you
  • Baku
  • 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
Baku vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Baku and in Tbilisi?
Baku and Tbilisi differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($1,014 vs $1,266 including rent). Baku is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 22% 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Baku and in Tbilisi?
Rent for a central apartment: $546 in Baku versus $666 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Baku and Tbilisi?
Childcare runs $327 in Baku versus $377 in Tbilisi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Tbilisi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,014 in Baku versus $1,266 in Tbilisi, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Baku but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Baku the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Baku and Tbilisi?
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.
Is Baku or Tbilisi safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Baku 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.
Where should expats move: Baku or Tbilisi?
Expats usually find Baku gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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