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: $2,653 in Balga versus $1,279 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,898 in Balga versus $2,011 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,142 in Balga versus $2,743 in Tbilisi.

Living in Balga is roughly 107% more expensive than in Tbilisi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Balga is 92% above, Tbilisi is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.74 A$30.31

$11.43 ₾29.72

90.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.3 A$120

$38.16 ₾99.2

126.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.67 A$14.87

$9.40 ₾24.45

13.51%

Cappuccino

$4.55 A$6.34

$3.38 ₾8.78

34.62%

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

$2.90 A$4.04

$1.04 ₾2.70

178.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 A$3.30

$0.60 ₾1.56

293.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.75 A$12.19

$2.71 ₾7.05

222.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.40 A$11.72

$3.04 ₾7.90

176.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 A$2.45

$2.27 ₾5.90

-22.47%

White Bread (500g)

$3.21 A$4.47

$0.79 ₾2.04

306.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 A$2.86

$1.62 ₾4.21

26.54%

Eggs

$5.31 A$7.41

$2.74 ₾7.13

93.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.02 A$12.57

$9.30 ₾24.19

-3.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.50 A$13.24

$6.79 ₾17.65

39.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.71 A$20.50

$13.01 ₾33.84

13.07%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 A$6.35

$1.64 ₾4.27

177.44%

Banana (1kg)

$3.22 A$4.49

$1.83 ₾4.77

75.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.45 A$4.82

$1.90 ₾4.94

81.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.42 A$7.56

$2.57 ₾6.68

110.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.96 A$4.13

$0.84 ₾2.19

252.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 A$2.77

$0.65 ₾1.70

204.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 A$3.20

$1.36 ₾3.54

68.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 A$1.91

$0.80 ₾2.07

71.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$43.33 A$60.4

$3.40 ₾8.85

1174.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.68 A$17.68

$7.67 ₾19.94

65.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.35 A$6.06

$1.68 ₾4.36

158.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 A$5.01

$2.38 ₾6.18

50.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.03 A$4.23

$0.39 ₾1.02

676.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.1 A$119

$15.55 ₾40.44

447.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.80 A$5.30

$1.14 ₾2.96

233.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 A$2.08

$0.74 ₾1.93

101.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.15 A$57.4

$11.32 ₾29.42

263.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 A$1.80

$1.38 ₾3.60

-6.52%

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

$28.6K A$39.8K

$24.6K ₾63.9K

16.25%

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

$30.6K A$42.7K

$22.0K ₾57.2K

39.10%

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

$208 A$290

$88.7 ₾231

134.11%

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

$33.30 A$46.43

$13.18 ₾34.26

152.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.5 A$88.5

$19.68 ₾51.2

222.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.7 A$79.0

$68.3 ₾177

-16.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.68 A$26.04

$17.94 ₾46.65

4.12%

Cinema Ticket

$17.35 A$24.19

$6.42 ₾16.70

170.25%

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

$2,349 A$3,276

$372 ₾967

531.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K A$32.8K

$10.8K ₾28.1K

117.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.0 A$110

$105 ₾272

-24.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.6 A$97.0

$38.83 ₾101

79.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 A$173

$115 ₾299

8.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$157 A$219

$122 ₾318

28.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,466 A$2,044

$681 ₾1,770

115.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 A$1,773

$456 ₾1,185

179.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,288 A$3,190

$1,312 ₾3,410

74.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,845 A$2,573

$892 ₾2,321

106.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,657 A$9,281

$2,391 ₾6,216

178.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,166 A$7,202

$1,425 ₾3,704

262.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,383 A$4,716

$640 ₾1,663

428.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.92

12.62

-53.09%

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

Last update for Balga: September 7, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,466 in Balga and $681 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Balga pays 429% 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: $86.0 in Balga vs $38.00 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $373 vs $236 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 107% in total monthly costs ($2,653 vs $1,279 including rent). Tbilisi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 429% 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: $1,466 in Balga versus $681 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 $38.00 versus $86.0 in Balga. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,653 per month in Balga versus $1,279 in Tbilisi – a 107% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,279 in Tbilisi versus $2,653 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 107% less than in Balga. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.