Cost of Living Comparison Between California, MD and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between California, MD and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,544 per month in California, MD vs $1,199 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,683 per month in California, MD vs $1,833 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,821 per month in California, MD vs $2,466 in Tbilisi, rent included.

California, MD costs about 112% more than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

California, MD sits 90% above the global median, while Tbilisi is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.97 $8.97

$10.86 ₾29.20

-17.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.6 $80.6

$43.33 ₾117

86.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.08 $10.08

$8.25 ₾22.19

22.18%

Cappuccino

$5.70 $5.70

$3.10 ₾8.33

83.87%

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

$2.75 $2.75

$0.80 ₾2.15

243.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$0.46 ₾1.24

410.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.35 $5.35

$2.16 ₾5.81

147.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 $7.07

$2.94 ₾7.92

140.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.93 ₾5.19

-52.85%

White Bread (500g)

$3.06 $3.06

$0.67 ₾1.81

356.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.82 ₾4.91

18.68%

Eggs

$5.05 $5.05

$2.56 ₾6.88

97.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.19 $13.19

$7.61 ₾20.48

73.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.40 $10.40

$6.51 ₾17.50

59.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.18 $11.18

$9.67 ₾26.00

15.62%

Apples (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$1.16 ₾3.12

279.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.62 ₾4.36

13.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$1.87 ₾5.04

137.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.66 $6.66

$2.33 ₾6.26

185.84%

Potato (1kg)

$3.41 $3.41

$0.65 ₾1.75

424.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$0.63 ₾1.70

323.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.18 ₾3.17

73.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.70 ₾1.90

184.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.14 $9.14

$3.04 ₾8.17

200.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.88 $13.88

$7.27 ₾19.56

90.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.59 ₾4.27

10.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 $4.89

$2.30 ₾6.18

112.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.09 $2.09

$0.36 ₾0.96

480.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.5 $81.5

$14.68 ₾39.48

454.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.92 $3.92

$1.50 ₾4.03

161.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 $1.33

$0.70 ₾1.87

90.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.41 $29.41

$7.35 ₾19.78

300.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.13 ₾3.05

-22.12%

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

$29.0K $29.0K

$18.2K ₾49.0K

59.11%

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

$23.6K $23.6K

$20.2K ₾54.5K

16.43%

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

$208 $208

$74.0 ₾199

180.79%

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

$42.75 $42.75

$11.87 ₾31.93

260.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.2 $70.2

$17.55 ₾47.20

300.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.74 $39.74

$60.3 ₾162

-34.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.95 $10.95

$16.69 ₾44.89

-34.39%

Cinema Ticket

$14.80 $14.80

$6.73 ₾18.10

119.91%

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

$2,200 $2,200

$261 ₾703

742.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K $24.1K

$5,146 ₾13.8K

368.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 $54.7

$77.6 ₾209

-29.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.26 $48.26

$43.48 ₾117

10.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.3 $96.3

$118 ₾318

-18.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 $136

$111 ₾298

22.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,732 $1,732

$703 ₾1,891

146.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,300 $1,300

$457 ₾1,231

184.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,427 $2,427

$1,346 ₾3,621

80.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,104 $2,104

$788 ₾2,120

166.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,848 $6,848

$2,560 ₾6,885

167.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,224 $6,224

$1,443 ₾3,881

331.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,923 $6,923

$648 ₾1,742

969.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.48

11.89

-45.50%

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

Last update for California, MD: April 20, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,732 in California, MD versus $703 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 969% higher in California, MD, 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 $81 in California, MD versus $43 in Tbilisi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $372 vs $206 – 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

California, MD vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – California, MD is pricier by about 112%, 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 $3,816 per month in California, MD and $1,799 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 80% more in California, MD, 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 $81.0 in California, MD and $43.00 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 $1,199, than in California, MD at $2,544. In Tbilisi it covers expenses comfortably, while in California, MD 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, California, MD makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.