Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Budapest and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,450 per month in Budapest vs $1,209 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,221 per month in Budapest vs $1,867 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,991 per month in Budapest vs $2,526 in Tbilisi, rent included.

Budapest costs about 20% more than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Budapest sits 8% above the global median, while Tbilisi is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.49 Ft 3,498

$10.80 ₾28.69

6.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.8 Ft 17.3K

$43.18 ₾115

31.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 Ft 2,636

$8.29 ₾22.02

4.46%

Cappuccino

$2.77 Ft 842

$3.00 ₾7.96

-7.67%

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

$1.80 Ft 548

$0.82 ₾2.17

119.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 Ft 406

$0.46 ₾1.21

189.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 Ft 857

$2.23 ₾5.93

26.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 Ft 851

$2.92 ₾7.74

-4.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Ft 367

$1.93 ₾5.11

-37.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 Ft 528

$0.68 ₾1.81

155.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 Ft 635

$1.88 ₾4.99

10.64%

Eggs

$3.10 Ft 945

$2.54 ₾6.73

22.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.95 Ft 3,029

$7.42 ₾19.69

34.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 Ft 1,926

$6.19 ₾16.43

2.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.33 Ft 4,060

$9.36 ₾24.86

42.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 Ft 564

$1.22 ₾3.25

51.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 Ft 581

$1.66 ₾4.40

15.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 Ft 661

$1.80 ₾4.78

20.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.67 Ft 1,117

$2.24 ₾5.95

63.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 Ft 344

$0.71 ₾1.89

59.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 Ft 370

$0.67 ₾1.79

82.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 Ft 471

$1.18 ₾3.13

31.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 Ft 162

$0.66 ₾1.76

-19.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 Ft 2,068

$2.98 ₾7.91

127.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.87 Ft 1,787

$7.61 ₾20.20

-22.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 Ft 370

$1.54 ₾4.08

-20.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 Ft 526

$2.25 ₾5.98

-23.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 Ft 391

$0.36 ₾0.95

255.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.14 Ft 7,959

$14.44 ₾38.35

81.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 Ft 993

$1.49 ₾3.96

118.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 Ft 344

$0.68 ₾1.82

66.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.23 Ft 5,855

$7.23 ₾19.19

165.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 Ft 532

$1.14 ₾3.04

53.51%

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

$25.9K Ft 7.9M

$18.5K ₾49.0K

40.23%

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

$30.8K Ft 9.4M

$20.0K ₾53.0K

54.03%

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

$145 Ft 44.2K

$73.7 ₾196

97.05%

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

$26.21 Ft 7,981

$11.64 ₾30.90

125.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.23 Ft 6,160

$17.84 ₾47.38

13.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.1 Ft 18.9K

$60.1 ₾160

3.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.11 Ft 6,733

$16.80 ₾44.62

31.61%

Cinema Ticket

$9.15 Ft 2,787

$6.60 ₾17.54

38.64%

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

$454 Ft 138.1K

$266 ₾707

70.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K Ft 3.7M

$5,191 ₾13.8K

133.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.6 Ft 25.8K

$77.7 ₾206

8.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.84 Ft 12.7K

$44.75 ₾119

-6.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.9 Ft 29.2K

$117 ₾310

-17.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 Ft 32.5K

$113 ₾300

-5.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$719 Ft 218.8K

$693 ₾1,839

3.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$553 Ft 168.3K

$462 ₾1,226

19.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,356 Ft 412.7K

$1,320 ₾3,504

2.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$984 Ft 299.5K

$774 ₾2,056

27.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,041 Ft 1.8M

$2,430 ₾6,454

148.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,470 Ft 1.4M

$1,446 ₾3,839

209.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,834 Ft 558.4K

$673 ₾1,786

172.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.03

11.89

-40.87%

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

Last update for Budapest: June 1, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $719 in Budapest versus $693 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 run about 173% higher in Budapest, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57.0 in Budapest versus $43.00 in Tbilisi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $239 vs $203 – making Tbilisi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Budapest vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Budapest is pricier by about 20%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,175 per month in Budapest and $1,813 in Tbilisi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tbilisi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 81% less in Tbilisi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $454 per month in Budapest and $266 in Tbilisi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tbilisi, where all-in costs run around $1,209, than in Budapest at $1,450. In Tbilisi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budapest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tbilisi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Tbilisi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Budapest makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.