Cost of Living Comparison Between Cary, NC and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Cary, NC and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,940 in Cary, NC versus $1,209 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,386 in Cary, NC versus $1,867 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,833 in Cary, NC versus $2,526 in Tbilisi.

Living in Cary, NC is roughly 143% more expensive than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cary, NC is 119% above, Tbilisi is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.88 $17.88

$10.80 ₾28.71

65.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.0 $97.0

$43.18 ₾115

124.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.43 $10.43

$8.29 ₾22.04

25.81%

Cappuccino

$4.96 $4.96

$3.00 ₾7.97

65.33%

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

$2.00 $2.00

$0.82 ₾2.17

143.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 $1.87

$0.46 ₾1.21

306.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.09 $5.09

$2.23 ₾5.93

128.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.69 $6.69

$2.92 ₾7.75

129.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.93 ₾5.12

-42.49%

White Bread (500g)

$5.47 $5.47

$0.68 ₾1.81

704.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.28 $6.28

$1.88 ₾5.00

234.04%

Eggs

$4.75 $4.75

$2.54 ₾6.74

87.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.23 $20.23

$7.42 ₾19.70

172.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.51 $12.51

$6.19 ₾16.44

102.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.92 $17.92

$9.36 ₾24.87

91.45%

Apples (1kg)

$5.52 $5.52

$1.22 ₾3.25

352.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.66 ₾4.40

6.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.16 $4.16

$1.80 ₾4.78

131.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.67 $6.67

$2.24 ₾5.96

197.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.71 ₾1.89

252.11%

Onion (1kg)

$3.45 $3.45

$0.67 ₾1.79

414.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.18 ₾3.13

150.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.66 ₾1.76

200.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.36 $9.36

$2.98 ₾7.91

214.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.83 $9.83

$7.61 ₾20.22

29.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 $2.41

$1.54 ₾4.08

56.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 $4.86

$2.25 ₾5.99

116.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.81 $1.81

$0.36 ₾0.95

402.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.5 $59.5

$14.44 ₾38.38

312.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 $3.54

$1.49 ₾3.97

137.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$0.68 ₾1.82

133.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.81 $28.81

$7.23 ₾19.20

298.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.14 ₾3.04

-29.82%

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

$29.3K $29.3K

$18.5K ₾49.1K

58.67%

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

$29.2K $29.2K

$20.0K ₾53.1K

46.04%

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

$169 $169

$73.7 ₾196

129.42%

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

$50.3 $50.3

$11.64 ₾30.92

332.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.5 $62.5

$17.84 ₾47.41

250.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.3 $75.3

$60.1 ₾160

25.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ₾44.65

Cinema Ticket

$13.58 $13.58

$6.60 ₾17.55

105.76%

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

$1,491 $1,491

$266 ₾708

459.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$5,191 ₾13.8K

352.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.21 $48.21

$77.7 ₾206

-37.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.94 $31.94

$44.75 ₾119

-28.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$117 ₾310

9.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 $136

$113 ₾300

20.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,765 $1,765

$693 ₾1,840

154.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 $1,581

$462 ₾1,227

242.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,668 $2,668

$1,320 ₾3,507

102.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,748 $2,748

$774 ₾2,057

254.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,862 $2,862

$2,430 ₾6,458

17.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,652 $2,652

$1,446 ₾3,842

83.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,996 $5,996

$673 ₾1,788

791.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.31

11.89

-46.93%

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

Last update for Cary, NC: June 1, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,765 in Cary, NC and $693 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cary, NC pays 791% 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: $97.0 in Cary, NC vs $43.00 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $467 vs $203 per month, with Tbilisi 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

Cary, NC vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 143% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cary, NC pays 791% 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: $1,765 in Cary, NC versus $693 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,491 in Cary, NC versus $266 in Tbilisi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 130% higher in Cary, NC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,209 in Tbilisi versus $2,940 in Cary, NC, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Cary, NC. The gap between the two cities makes Tbilisi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Tbilisi is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cary, NC, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cary, NC 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 143% less than in Cary, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.