Cost of Living Comparison Between Butare and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Butare and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $375 in Butare versus $1,279 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $602 in Butare versus $2,011 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $828 in Butare versus $2,743 in Tbilisi.

Living in Butare costs roughly 71% less than in Tbilisi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Butare 73% lower, Tbilisi 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.79 RWF 4,093

$11.43 ₾29.72

-75.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.18 RWF 44.3K

$38.16 ₾99.2

-20.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.93 RWF 10.2K

$9.40 ₾24.45

-26.28%

Cappuccino

$2.42 RWF 3,544

$3.38 ₾8.78

-28.40%

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

$0.75 RWF 1,104

$1.04 ₾2.70

-27.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 RWF 819

$0.60 ₾1.56

-6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.04 RWF 1,532

$2.71 ₾7.05

-61.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 RWF 3,412

$3.04 ₾7.90

-23.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.33 RWF 482

$2.27 ₾5.90

-85.46%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 RWF 1,238

$0.79 ₾2.04

6.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 RWF 1,364

$1.62 ₾4.21

-42.59%

Eggs

$1.59 RWF 2,326

$2.74 ₾7.13

-41.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$1.74 RWF 2,551

$9.30 ₾24.19

-81.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.35 RWF 3,446

$6.79 ₾17.65

-65.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.10 RWF 4,542

$13.01 ₾33.84

-76.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 RWF 3,055

$1.64 ₾4.27

26.83%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 RWF 1,352

$1.83 ₾4.77

-49.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 RWF 1,640

$1.90 ₾4.94

-41.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.78 RWF 1,147

$2.57 ₾6.68

-69.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.40 RWF 584

$0.84 ₾2.19

-52.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.26 RWF 379

$0.65 ₾1.70

-60.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.14 RWF 199

$1.36 ₾3.54

-89.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RWF 1,254

$0.80 ₾2.07

7.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.06 RWF 3,023

$3.40 ₾8.85

-39.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.12 RWF 14.8K

$7.67 ₾19.94

31.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 RWF 1,489

$1.68 ₾4.36

-39.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 RWF 2,214

$2.38 ₾6.18

-36.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ₾1.02

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.55 ₾40.44

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 RWF 3,909

$1.14 ₾2.96

133.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.99 RWF 2,918

$0.74 ₾1.93

168.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 RWF 5,044

$11.32 ₾29.42

-69.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 RWF 2,504

$1.38 ₾3.60

23.91%

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

$26.6K RWF 39.0M

$24.6K ₾63.9K

8.19%

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

$29.7K RWF 43.6M

$22.0K ₾57.2K

35.13%

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

$82.7 RWF 121.4K

$88.7 ₾231

-6.76%

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

$7.06 RWF 10.4K

$13.18 ₾34.26

-46.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.13 RWF 31.0K

$19.68 ₾51.2

7.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 ₾177

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.94 ₾46.65

Cinema Ticket

$3.46 RWF 5,077

$6.42 ₾16.70

-46.11%

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

$113 RWF 165.2K

$372 ₾967

-69.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,359 RWF 13.7M

$10.8K ₾28.1K

-13.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.40 RWF 25.5K

$105 ₾272

-83.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.51 RWF 22.8K

$38.83 ₾101

-60.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$22.25 RWF 32.6K

$115 ₾299

-80.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.74 RWF 49.5K

$122 ₾318

-72.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 ₾1,770

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,185

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 ₾3,410

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$892 ₾2,321

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,391 ₾6,216

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,425 ₾3,704

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$640 ₾1,663

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.2

12.62

28.37%

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

Last update for Butare: September 5, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $30.00 in Butare vs $38.00 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $113 vs $236 per month, with Butare 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

Butare vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Butare wins on cost – living expenses run 241% lower than in Tbilisi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Butare the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $563 in Butare and $1,919 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 108% higher in Tbilisi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $375 per month in Butare versus $1,279 in Tbilisi – a 241% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $375 in Butare versus $1,279 in Tbilisi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Butare but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Butare the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Butare delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $375 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Butare hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Butare 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 Butare gentler on the wallet – expenses run 241% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.