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: $1,397 in Bucharest versus $1,247 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,105 in Bucharest versus $2,025 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,814 in Bucharest versus $2,803 in Tbilisi.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 12% more expensive than in Tbilisi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 2% above, Tbilisi is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.50 RON 71.1

$11.33 ₾29.45

36.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.9 RON 275

$38.71 ₾101

54.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 RON 34.58

$9.52 ₾24.73

-20.80%

Cappuccino

$3.72 RON 17.07

$3.41 ₾8.85

9.09%

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

$2.36 RON 10.82

$1.04 ₾2.71

126.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 RON 10.55

$0.64 ₾1.66

259.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 RON 18.26

$2.61 ₾6.79

52.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 RON 20.70

$3.24 ₾8.43

39.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 RON 8.33

$2.17 ₾5.65

-16.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 RON 6.62

$0.74 ₾1.92

94.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.36

$1.71 ₾4.45

6.43%

Eggs

$3.94 RON 18.08

$2.83 ₾7.36

39.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.47 RON 43.44

$9.22 ₾23.95

2.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.05 RON 32.36

$6.76 ₾17.55

4.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.16 RON 55.8

$12.77 ₾33.17

-4.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.33 RON 6.11

$1.64 ₾4.26

-18.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 RON 7.68

$1.77 ₾4.60

-5.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 RON 7.51

$1.87 ₾4.85

-12.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.80 RON 12.83

$2.44 ₾6.34

14.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 RON 3.86

$0.87 ₾2.25

-3.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 RON 3.62

$0.65 ₾1.70

21.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 RON 4.16

$1.40 ₾3.64

-35.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 RON 4.59

$0.74 ₾1.93

35.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.00 RON 32.12

$3.41 ₾8.86

105.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.44 RON 29.54

$7.60 ₾19.75

-15.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 RON 5.70

$1.70 ₾4.41

-27.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 RON 7.99

$2.38 ₾6.20

-26.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 RON 3.93

$0.36 ₾0.94

138.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.97 RON 101

$15.24 ₾39.60

44.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.63 RON 2.91

$1.18 ₾3.07

-46.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 RON 3.17

$0.76 ₾1.97

-9.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.68 RON 30.66

$11.34 ₾29.47

-41.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 RON 9.05

$1.33 ₾3.46

48.12%

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

$29.3K RON 134.6K

$24.7K ₾64.2K

18.64%

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

$28.4K RON 130.4K

$22.0K ₾57.2K

29.04%

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

$192 RON 879

$88.9 ₾231

115.60%

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

$8.51 RON 39.03

$13.33 ₾34.63

-36.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.09 RON 46.28

$20.12 ₾52.3

-49.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 RON 244

$68.7 ₾178

-22.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.78 RON 118

$18.09 ₾47.01

42.51%

Cinema Ticket

$8.57 RON 39.30

$6.72 ₾17.46

27.53%

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

$664 RON 3,048

$374 ₾971

77.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K RON 69.3K

$10.7K ₾27.8K

41.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.5 RON 434

$101 ₾263

-6.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.90 RON 188

$39.33 ₾102

3.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.4 RON 378

$118 ₾305

-29.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.2 RON 455

$122 ₾318

-18.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 RON 3,283

$682 ₾1,773

4.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 RON 2,158

$456 ₾1,186

3.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,149 RON 5,273

$1,303 ₾3,385

-11.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$739 RON 3,389

$899 ₾2,337

-17.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,881 RON 17.8K

$2,449 ₾6,365

58.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,277 RON 10.4K

$1,452 ₾3,774

56.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,484 RON 6,809

$652 ₾1,695

127.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.76

12.62

-46.43%

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

Last update for Bucharest: September 15, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Bucharest and $682 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 127% 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: $60.0 in Bucharest vs $39.00 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $232 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 12% in total monthly costs ($1,397 vs $1,247 including rent). Tbilisi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 127% higher in Bucharest, 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: $716 in Bucharest versus $682 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,397 per month in Bucharest versus $1,247 in Tbilisi – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Tbilisi runs roughly 44% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,247 in Tbilisi versus $1,397 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 12% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.