Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,336 in Bucharest versus $1,209 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,162 in Bucharest versus $1,867 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,988 in Bucharest versus $2,526 in Tbilisi.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 11% more expensive than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 0% above, Tbilisi is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.58 RON 61.5

$10.80 ₾28.69

25.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 RON 308

$43.18 ₾115

57.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 RON 36.42

$8.29 ₾22.02

-2.90%

Cappuccino

$3.40 RON 15.38

$3.00 ₾7.96

13.33%

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

$2.32 RON 10.51

$0.82 ₾2.17

182.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 RON 10.75

$0.46 ₾1.21

417.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 RON 16.01

$2.23 ₾5.93

58.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 RON 18.16

$2.92 ₾7.74

37.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.89

$1.93 ₾5.11

-9.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 RON 6.42

$0.68 ₾1.81

108.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.73

$1.88 ₾4.99

2.66%

Eggs

$3.54 RON 16.01

$2.54 ₾6.73

39.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.27 RON 41.95

$7.42 ₾19.69

24.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.13 RON 32.25

$6.19 ₾16.43

15.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.28 RON 55.6

$9.36 ₾24.86

31.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 RON 6.12

$1.22 ₾3.25

10.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 RON 7.87

$1.66 ₾4.40

4.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 RON 7.99

$1.80 ₾4.78

-2.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.40 RON 10.85

$2.24 ₾5.95

7.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.73

$0.71 ₾1.89

47.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.35

$0.67 ₾1.79

43.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 RON 4.15

$1.18 ₾3.13

-22.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 RON 4.10

$0.66 ₾1.76

37.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.38 RON 28.85

$2.98 ₾7.91

114.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.45 RON 29.19

$7.61 ₾20.20

-15.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 RON 5.52

$1.54 ₾4.08

-20.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RON 8.96

$2.25 ₾5.98

-12.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 RON 5.27

$0.36 ₾0.95

222.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.48 RON 88.1

$14.44 ₾38.35

34.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 RON 3.26

$1.49 ₾3.96

-51.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 RON 2.80

$0.68 ₾1.82

-8.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.94 RON 31.39

$7.23 ₾19.19

-4.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 RON 7.76

$1.14 ₾3.04

50.00%

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

$29.0K RON 131.1K

$18.5K ₾49.0K

56.99%

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

$30.3K RON 137.1K

$20.0K ₾53.0K

51.74%

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

$178 RON 804

$73.7 ₾196

141.21%

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

$9.16 RON 41.45

$11.64 ₾30.90

-21.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.12 RON 50.3

$17.84 ₾47.38

-37.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 RON 247

$60.1 ₾160

-9.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.04 RON 131

$16.80 ₾44.62

72.86%

Cinema Ticket

$9.27 RON 41.97

$6.60 ₾17.54

40.45%

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

$677 RON 3,063

$266 ₾707

154.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K RON 67.2K

$5,191 ₾13.8K

186.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.8 RON 361

$77.7 ₾206

2.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.29 RON 205

$44.75 ₾119

1.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 RON 403

$117 ₾310

-23.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 RON 494

$113 ₾300

-3.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 RON 2,996

$693 ₾1,839

-4.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 RON 1,955

$462 ₾1,226

-6.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 RON 6,133

$1,320 ₾3,504

2.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 RON 3,806

$774 ₾2,056

8.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,857 RON 17.5K

$2,430 ₾6,454

58.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,305 RON 10.4K

$1,446 ₾3,839

59.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,463 RON 6,623

$673 ₾1,786

117.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

11.89

-40.29%

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

Last update for Bucharest: May 31, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $662 in Bucharest and $693 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 118% 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: $68.0 in Bucharest vs $43.00 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $203 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

Bucharest vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Tbilisi differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($1,336 vs $1,209 including rent). Tbilisi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bucharest pays 118% more on average, 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: $662 in Bucharest versus $693 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,336 per month in Bucharest versus $1,209 in Tbilisi – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Tbilisi runs roughly 35% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,209 in Tbilisi versus $1,336 in Bucharest, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. 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, Bucharest 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 11% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.