Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Busia, Uganda and Tbilisi

For one person, living is cheaper in Busia: $69.4 a month against $1,269 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $14,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Tbilisi
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Tbilisi Living Index

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Busia

🇺🇬 Uganda

$69.4

/mo nomad

Tbilisi

🇬🇪 Georgia

$1,269

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $69 in Busia versus $1,269 in Tbilisi.

Busia $69
Tbilisi $1,269

Estimated couple costs with rent: $114 in Busia versus $2,016 in Tbilisi.

Busia $114
Tbilisi $2,016

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $159 in Busia versus $2,763 in Tbilisi.

Busia $159
Tbilisi $2,763

Living in Busia costs roughly 95% less than in Tbilisi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Busia 95% lower, Tbilisi 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.63 ₾30.07

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.83 ₾97.8

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.66 ₾24.98

Cappuccino

$3.57 ₾9.24

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

$1.08 ₾2.78

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₾1.45

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 ₾6.78

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ₾7.85

Milk (1 liter)

$0.30 UGX 1,319

$2.17 ₾5.60

-86.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 UGX 5,342

$0.80 ₾2.06

53.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 ₾4.51

Eggs

$1.43 UGX 6,192

$2.83 ₾7.31

-49.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.31 ₾24.07

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.52 ₾16.85

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.56 UGX 15.5K

$12.95 ₾33.50

-72.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 UGX 10.2K

$1.68 ₾4.33

39.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.79

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 ₾5.10

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 UGX 2,978

$2.42 ₾6.25

-71.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ₾2.11

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 UGX 6,120

$0.74 ₾1.91

90.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ₾3.47

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.23 UGX 993

$0.77 ₾2.00

-70.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.11 UGX 4,829

$3.57 ₾9.24

-68.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.93 UGX 21.4K

$7.67 ₾19.83

-35.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 UGX 4,115

$1.70 ₾4.39

-44.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 UGX 5,107

$2.40 ₾6.21

-50.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ₾1.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.23 ₾39.38

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.95

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ₾2.02

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.83 ₾30.58

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ₾3.75

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

$24.6K ₾63.6K

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

$22.3K ₾57.8K

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

$88.8 ₾230

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

$13.12 ₾33.93

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.67 ₾50.9

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.1 ₾166

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 ₾49.24

Cinema Ticket

$7.12 ₾18.42

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

$375 ₾971

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ₾27.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ₾268

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.26 ₾102

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾303

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾315

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 ₾1,798

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

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 ₾1,718

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

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

Last update for Busia: October 25, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Busia

–

Tbilisi

$451 35.6%

Groceries & Markets

Busia

–

Tbilisi

$234 18.4%

Eating Out

Busia

–

Tbilisi

$191 15%

Clothing & Footwear

Busia

–

Tbilisi

$172 13.5%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Busia

–

Tbilisi

$122 9.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Busia

–

Tbilisi

$78 6.2%

Getting Around

Busia

–

Tbilisi

$22 1.7%

Good to know

🇺🇬 Busia

🇬🇪 Tbilisi

🕒 Local time

19:52 7:52 PM

20:52 8:52 PM

1 h ahead of Busia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

64,900

1,241,700 Capital

💱 Currency

Ugandan Shilling UGX Sh

Georgian Lari GEL ₾

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 UGX = 2.3 USD

10,000 UGX = 2.06 EUR

1 GEL = 0.387 USD

1 GEL = 0.346 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

GEL, USD, EUR to UGX – Ugandan Shilling Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇺🇬 Ugandan Shilling (Sh)

Ugandan Shilling exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 4,345 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.3 USD). 1 EUR = 4,851 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.06 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).

USD to UGX in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Busia Tbilisi 4,710 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Busia
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

Busia vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Busia wins on cost – living expenses run 95% lower than in Tbilisi. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Busia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You’d need roughly $104 in Busia and $1,904 in Tbilisi to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 237% higher in Tbilisi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you’ll spend $69 per month in Busia versus $1,269 in Tbilisi – Busia is about 95% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $69 in Busia versus $1,269 in Tbilisi, a $800 budget is realistic in Busia but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Busia 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.