Cost of Living Comparison Between Cairns and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Cairns and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,583 per month in Cairns vs $1,286 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,813 per month in Cairns vs $2,044 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,042 per month in Cairns vs $2,802 in Tbilisi, rent included.

Cairns costs about 101% more than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Cairns sits 88% above the global median, while Tbilisi is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.09 A$25.30

$11.72 ₾30.53

54.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 A$142

$37.88 ₾98.7

168.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.76 A$17.85

$9.74 ₾25.38

31.01%

Cappuccino

$4.60 A$6.44

$3.41 ₾8.89

34.90%

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

$3.23 A$4.52

$1.06 ₾2.76

204.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 A$3.87

$0.65 ₾1.68

324.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.13 A$9.97

$2.70 ₾7.05

164.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.38 A$11.72

$3.10 ₾8.07

170.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 A$2.76

$2.20 ₾5.73

-10.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 A$3.87

$0.81 ₾2.10

241.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.62 A$3.66

$1.64 ₾4.26

59.76%

Eggs

$5.44 A$7.61

$2.75 ₾7.17

97.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.54 A$13.34

$9.01 ₾23.48

5.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.28 A$19.97

$6.55 ₾17.07

118.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.30 A$21.41

$12.62 ₾32.88

21.24%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 A$5.72

$1.67 ₾4.35

144.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 A$3.96

$1.81 ₾4.72

56.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.67 A$5.14

$1.93 ₾5.03

90.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.83 A$8.15

$2.59 ₾6.75

125.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 A$3.74

$0.87 ₾2.25

208.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 A$3.61

$0.65 ₾1.68

296.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.85 A$3.99

$1.39 ₾3.63

105.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 A$3.62

$0.80 ₾2.07

223.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$44.99 A$62.9

$3.36 ₾8.77

1238.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.49 A$20.27

$7.54 ₾19.64

92.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.56 A$4.98

$1.61 ₾4.21

121.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.51 A$7.71

$2.25 ₾5.85

144.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.55 A$4.97

$0.37 ₾0.96

859.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.04 A$22.44

$15.11 ₾39.37

6.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 A$3.77

$1.17 ₾3.05

130.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 A$2.77

$0.80 ₾2.08

147.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.74 A$61.2

$11.33 ₾29.53

286.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 A$1.71

$1.33 ₾3.46

-7.52%

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

$31.4K A$43.9K

$25.0K ₾65.1K

25.49%

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

$42.2K A$59.1K

$22.4K ₾58.3K

88.70%

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

$165 A$231

$89.1 ₾232

85.68%

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

$35.34 A$49.43

$13.25 ₾34.52

166.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.2 A$96.8

$19.46 ₾50.7

255.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.13 A$64.5

$68.4 ₾178

-32.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.53 A$39.91

$18.68 ₾48.68

52.73%

Cinema Ticket

$14.55 A$20.36

$6.63 ₾17.28

119.46%

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

$2,156 A$3,016

$363 ₾947

493.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K A$19.9K

$10.7K ₾27.8K

33.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.2 A$130

$104 ₾270

-9.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.3 A$102

$38.84 ₾101

88.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 A$174

$117 ₾304

6.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 A$191

$123 ₾320

11.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,517 A$2,122

$682 ₾1,778

122.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 A$1,755

$447 ₾1,164

180.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,315 A$3,239

$1,284 ₾3,346

80.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,985 A$2,777

$920 ₾2,397

115.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,709 A$9,385

$2,487 ₾6,480

169.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,173 A$7,237

$1,423 ₾3,708

263.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,565 A$6,385

$646 ₾1,683

606.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.32

12.73

-50.35%

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

Last update for Cairns: August 31, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,517 in Cairns versus $682 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 607% higher in Cairns, 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 $102 in Cairns versus $38.00 in Tbilisi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $420 vs $232 – 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

Cairns vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cairns costs about 101% more than Tbilisi, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,875 per month in Cairns and $1,929 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.

Groceries cost about 81% more in Cairns, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $102 in Cairns and $38.00 in Tbilisi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tbilisi, where all-in costs run around $1,286, than in Cairns at $2,583. In Tbilisi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cairns it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tbilisi costs $1,286 versus $2,583 in Cairns. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Cairns makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.