Cost of Living Comparison Between Balga and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Balga and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,210 in Balga versus $1,197 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,280 in Balga versus $1,868 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,349 in Balga versus $2,538 in Tbilisi.

Living in Balga is roughly 85% more expensive than in Tbilisi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Balga is 65% above, Tbilisi is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.35 A$23.42

$10.82 ₾28.39

51.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.3 A$112

$43.85 ₾115

78.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.34 A$14.81

$8.31 ₾21.80

24.43%

Cappuccino

$3.63 A$5.20

$2.97 ₾7.78

22.22%

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

$2.46 A$3.53

$0.77 ₾2.01

219.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 A$2.76

$0.46 ₾1.20

319.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.90 A$11.32

$2.14 ₾5.63

269.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.59 A$9.44

$2.87 ₾7.52

129.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 A$2.07

$1.90 ₾4.99

-23.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 A$3.36

$0.71 ₾1.86

229.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 A$2.77

$1.91 ₾5.00

1.05%

Eggs

$4.60 A$6.59

$2.48 ₾6.52

85.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.31 A$11.90

$7.74 ₾20.29

7.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.42 A$12.07

$6.18 ₾16.21

36.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.93 A$19.96

$9.57 ₾25.12

45.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.50 A$5.02

$1.17 ₾3.06

199.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.99 A$4.29

$1.65 ₾4.34

81.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.92 A$4.19

$1.85 ₾4.84

57.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 A$6.76

$2.33 ₾6.11

102.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.40 A$3.44

$0.71 ₾1.85

238.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 A$2.55

$0.67 ₾1.76

165.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 A$2.85

$1.19 ₾3.12

67.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 A$2.15

$0.66 ₾1.72

127.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.15 A$46.06

$2.92 ₾7.65

1001.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.19 A$18.90

$7.69 ₾20.18

71.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.79 A$5.43

$1.59 ₾4.18

138.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 A$5.91

$2.31 ₾6.06

78.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.59 A$3.71

$0.38 ₾1.01

581.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.1 A$91.8

$14.76 ₾38.72

334.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.94 A$5.64

$1.50 ₾3.92

162.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 A$3.04

$0.68 ₾1.77

211.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.14 A$70.4

$7.26 ₾19.04

576.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 A$1.61

$1.09 ₾2.87

3.67%

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

$29.3K A$42.0K

$18.6K ₾48.8K

57.41%

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

$24.7K A$35.4K

$20.5K ₾53.7K

20.58%

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

$155 A$222

$73.0 ₾192

112.62%

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

$27.60 A$39.54

$11.97 ₾31.41

130.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.5 A$78.1

$18.00 ₾47.22

202.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.89 A$70.1

$61.0 ₾160

-19.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.73 A$22.53

$16.52 ₾43.34

-4.78%

Cinema Ticket

$16.47 A$23.60

$6.70 ₾17.58

145.82%

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

$1,767 A$2,531

$269 ₾705

557.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K A$17.5K

$5,152 ₾13.5K

137.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.5 A$101

$76.5 ₾201

-7.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.65 A$68.3

$43.41 ₾114

9.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 A$145

$120 ₾316

-15.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 A$151

$111 ₾290

-4.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,261 A$1,807

$687 ₾1,803

83.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 A$1,556

$470 ₾1,234

130.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,014 A$2,885

$1,353 ₾3,550

48.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,664 A$2,384

$789 ₾2,069

110.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,310 A$7,608

$2,468 ₾6,473

115.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,503 A$7,885

$1,456 ₾3,818

278.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,288 A$4,711

$659 ₾1,729

398.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

11.89

-46.01%

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

Last update for Balga: July 12, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,261 in Balga and $687 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Balga pays 399% 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: $78.0 in Balga vs $44.00 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $334 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

Balga vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Balga and Tbilisi differ by about 85% in total monthly costs ($2,210 vs $1,197 including rent). Tbilisi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 399% higher in Balga, 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: $1,261 in Balga versus $687 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Tbilisi – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $78.0 in Balga. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,210 per month in Balga versus $1,197 in Tbilisi – a 85% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,197 in Tbilisi versus $2,210 in Balga, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Balga. 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, Balga 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 85% less than in Balga. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.