Cost of Living Comparison Between Carbondale, IL and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Carbondale, IL and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,430 in Carbondale, IL versus $1,188 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,488 in Carbondale, IL versus $1,834 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,545 in Carbondale, IL versus $2,479 in Tbilisi.

Living in Carbondale, IL is roughly 105% more expensive than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Carbondale, IL is 82% above, Tbilisi is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.98 $16.98

$11.10 ₾29.68

52.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.30 $32.30

$44.65 ₾119

-27.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 $7.78

$8.35 ₾22.32

-6.83%

Cappuccino

$2.92 $2.92

$2.96 ₾7.92

-1.35%

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

$2.03 $2.03

$0.74 ₾1.98

174.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 $1.47

$0.45 ₾1.21

226.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.42 $4.42

$2.21 ₾5.92

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.66 $5.66

$2.91 ₾7.77

94.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$2.00 ₾5.34

-62.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.80 $2.80

$0.72 ₾1.92

288.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.67 $4.67

$1.82 ₾4.88

156.59%

Eggs

$4.03 $4.03

$2.59 ₾6.91

55.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.37 $11.37

$7.45 ₾19.93

52.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.08 $11.08

$6.17 ₾16.49

79.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.66 $15.66

$9.72 ₾25.99

61.11%

Apples (1kg)

$6.14 $6.14

$1.20 ₾3.21

411.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.63 ₾4.36

-4.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$1.85 ₾4.94

183.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$2.34 ₾6.27

102.99%

Potato (1kg)

$5.06 $5.06

$0.66 ₾1.76

666.67%

Onion (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$0.63 ₾1.70

436.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.24 ₾3.32

83.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$0.66 ₾1.77

272.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.81 $7.81

$3.03 ₾8.11

157.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.06 $14.06

$7.63 ₾20.41

84.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.52 ₾4.06

15.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$2.32 ₾6.20

-17.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.38 ₾1.02

413.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.43 ₾38.60

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.42 ₾3.79

42.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 $1.36

$0.67 ₾1.80

102.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.40 $20.40

$7.35 ₾19.67

177.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.13 ₾3.02

-32.74%

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

$32.5K $32.5K

$18.5K ₾49.5K

75.48%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$20.4K ₾54.6K

29.47%

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

$123 $123

$72.3 ₾193

69.50%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$11.97 ₾32.01

388.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.15 $30.15

$17.55 ₾46.93

71.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.76 $42.76

$59.6 ₾159

-28.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.29 ₾43.55

Cinema Ticket

$12.71 $12.71

$6.64 ₾17.74

91.42%

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

$1,563 $1,563

$259 ₾692

503.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.7K $27.7K

$5,171 ₾13.8K

435.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.96 $39.96

$77.0 ₾206

-48.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.98 $32.98

$44.07 ₾118

-25.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.8 $73.8

$117 ₾313

-36.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 $138

$111 ₾298

24.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,582 $1,582

$697 ₾1,864

126.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 $1,352

$458 ₾1,226

194.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,589 $2,589

$1,309 ₾3,501

97.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,233 $2,233

$782 ₾2,092

185.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$845 $845

$2,544 ₾6,804

-66.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$854 $854

$1,446 ₾3,866

-40.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,836 $3,836

$639 ₾1,709

500.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

11.89

-45.08%

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

Last update for Carbondale, IL: May 10, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: May 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,582 in Carbondale, IL and $697 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Carbondale, IL pays 500% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Carbondale, IL vs $45.00 in Tbilisi. Groceries flip the comparison at $393 vs $206, with Tbilisi cheaper for home cooking.

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

Carbondale, IL vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi wins on cost – living expenses run 105% lower than in Carbondale, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tbilisi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Carbondale, IL pays 500% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,582 in Carbondale, IL versus $697 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 91% higher in Carbondale, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,430 per month in Carbondale, IL versus $1,188 in Tbilisi – a 105% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,188 in Tbilisi versus $2,430 in Carbondale, IL, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Carbondale, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Tbilisi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Tbilisi delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,188 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Tbilisi hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Carbondale, IL 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 Tbilisi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 105% less than in Carbondale, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.