Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bender and Tbilisi

For one person, living is cheaper in Bender: $663 a month against $1,269 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Bender, Moldova
Tbilisi, Georgia
Bender
🇲🇩 Moldova
$663
/mo nomad
Tbilisi
🇬🇪 Georgia
$1,269
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $663 per month in Bender vs $1,269 in Tbilisi, rent included.

  • Bender $663
  • Tbilisi $1,269

A couple spends around $960 per month in Bender vs $2,016 in Tbilisi, rent included.

  • Bender $960
  • Tbilisi $2,016

A family of three spends $1,256 per month in Bender vs $2,763 in Tbilisi, rent included.

  • Bender $1,256
  • Tbilisi $2,763

Bender is about 48% cheaper than Tbilisi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Bender and Tbilisi are more affordable than the global median – Bender 51% lower, Tbilisi 7% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bender
Tbilisi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.36 MDL 113
$11.63 ₾30.07
-45.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$17.87 MDL 319
$37.83 ₾97.8
-52.76%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.55 MDL 98.9
$9.66 ₾24.98
-42.55%
Cappuccino
$1.23 MDL 21.86
$3.57 ₾9.24
-65.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.98 MDL 17.56
$1.08 ₾2.78
-9.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.51 MDL 9.11
$0.56 ₾1.45
-8.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.88 MDL 15.64
$2.62 ₾6.78
-66.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.69 MDL 30.15
$3.04 ₾7.85
-44.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bender
Tbilisi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.91 MDL 16.23
$2.17 ₾5.60
-58.06%
White Bread (500g)
$0.45 MDL 8.01
$0.80 ₾2.06
-43.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MDL 25.31
$1.74 ₾4.51
-18.39%
Eggs
$1.96 MDL 34.89
$2.83 ₾7.31
-30.74%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.94 MDL 70.2
$9.31 ₾24.07
-57.68%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.26 MDL 75.9
$6.52 ₾16.85
-34.66%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$5.19 MDL 92.5
$12.95 ₾33.50
-59.92%
Apples (1kg)
$0.81 MDL 14.49
$1.68 ₾4.33
-51.79%
Banana (1kg)
$1.79 MDL 31.91
$1.85 ₾4.79
-3.24%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.86 MDL 33.21
$1.97 ₾5.10
-5.58%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.85 MDL 32.97
$2.42 ₾6.25
-23.55%
Potato (1kg)
$0.70 MDL 12.49
$0.82 ₾2.11
-14.63%
Onion (1kg)
$0.56 MDL 9.93
$0.74 ₾1.91
-24.32%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.55 MDL 9.75
$1.34 ₾3.47
-58.96%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76 MDL 13.52
$0.77 ₾2.00
-1.30%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.77 MDL 49.39
$3.57 ₾9.24
-22.41%
Wine (Bottle)
$2.49 MDL 44.33
$7.67 ₾19.83
-67.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 MDL 9.80
$1.70 ₾4.39
-67.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.90 MDL 33.86
$2.40 ₾6.21
-20.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Bender
Tbilisi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.37 MDL 6.62
$0.40 ₾1.05
-7.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$15.23 ₾39.38
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.25 MDL 40.07
$1.14 ₾2.95
97.37%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.27 MDL 4.77
$0.78 ₾2.02
-65.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.16 MDL 92.0
$11.83 ₾30.58
-56.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.36 MDL 24.21
$1.45 ₾3.75
-6.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.3K MDL 522.3K
$24.6K ₾63.6K
19.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.3K MDL 504.3K
$22.3K ₾57.8K
26.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bender
Tbilisi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$235 MDL 4,191
$88.8 ₾230
164.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.45 MDL 169
$13.12 ₾33.93
-27.97%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$10.15 MDL 181
$19.67 ₾50.9
-48.40%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bender
Tbilisi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$64.1 ₾166
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.04 ₾49.24
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.35 MDL 149
$7.12 ₾18.42
17.28%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bender
Tbilisi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$437 MDL 7,792
$375 ₾971
16.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,822 MDL 103.8K
$10.5K ₾27.1K
-44.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bender
Tbilisi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$78.0 MDL 1,390
$104 ₾268
-24.78%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.04 MDL 839
$39.26 ₾102
19.82%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$111 MDL 1,983
$117 ₾303
-5.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$114 MDL 2,028
$122 ₾315
-6.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bender
Tbilisi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$306 MDL 5,456
$695 ₾1,798
-55.98%
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)
-
$2,295 ₾5,934
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,345 ₾3,478
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bender
Tbilisi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$311 MDL 5,538
$664 ₾1,718
-53.24%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.17
12.62
-27.34%

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

Last update for Bender: October 27, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bender
$255
Tbilisi
$122 52.2% $133
Clothing & Footwear
Bender
$157
Tbilisi
$172 9.2% $14
Groceries & Markets
Bender
$133
Tbilisi
$234 75.6% $101
Eating Out
Bender
$96
Tbilisi
$191 98.6% $95
Sport & Entertainment
Bender
$17 *
Tbilisi
$78 369% $62
Getting Around
Bender
$5.1 *
Tbilisi
$22 332% $17
Accommodation & Living
Bender
- *
Tbilisi
$451

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $306 in Bender versus $695 in Tbilisi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Tbilisi are about 2.1 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18 in Bender versus $38 in Tbilisi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $133 vs $234 – making Bender the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇩 Bender
🇬🇪 Tbilisi
🕒 Local time
01:08 1:08 AM
03:08 3:08 AM
2 h ahead of Bender
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
97,027
1,241,700 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GEL, USD, EUR to MDL – Moldovan Leu Converter

Moldovan Leu exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 17.83 MDL (100 MDL = 5.61 USD). 1 EUR = 19.91 MDL (100 MDL = 5.02 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
  • Bender Tbilisi 1,340 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Bender
  • 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
Bender vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bender cheaper than Tbilisi?
Yes – Tbilisi is pricier by about 91%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $995 per month in Bender and $1,904 in Tbilisi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Bender, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $306 there versus $695 in Tbilisi.
Is eating out cheaper in Bender or in Tbilisi?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $18 in Bender and $38 in Tbilisi. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Bender and in Tbilisi?
Groceries cost about 76% more in Tbilisi, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Bender or in Tbilisi?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bender, where all-in costs run around $663, than in Tbilisi at $1,269. In Bender it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Bender or in Tbilisi?
It depends on your priorities. Tbilisi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $663 in Bender to $1,269 in Tbilisi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Bender. 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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