Cost of Living Comparison Between Columbia, MO and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Columbia, MO and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,057 in Columbia, MO versus $1,286 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,840 in Columbia, MO versus $2,044 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,623 in Columbia, MO versus $2,802 in Tbilisi.

Living in Columbia, MO is roughly 60% more expensive than in Tbilisi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Columbia, MO is 50% above, Tbilisi is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.09 $16.09

$11.72 ₾30.58

37.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.0 $73.0

$37.88 ₾98.9

92.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.88 $12.88

$9.74 ₾25.43

32.24%

Cappuccino

$4.75 $4.75

$3.41 ₾8.91

39.30%

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

$2.60 $2.60

$1.06 ₾2.77

145.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$0.65 ₾1.69

229.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.11 $5.11

$2.70 ₾7.06

89.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.53 $5.53

$3.10 ₾8.09

78.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$2.20 ₾5.74

-50.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.93 $2.93

$0.81 ₾2.10

261.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$1.64 ₾4.27

161.59%

Eggs

$3.28 $3.28

$2.75 ₾7.19

19.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.95 $11.95

$9.01 ₾23.52

32.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.06 $10.06

$6.55 ₾17.10

53.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.34 $14.34

$12.62 ₾32.94

13.63%

Apples (1kg)

$4.08 $4.08

$1.67 ₾4.36

144.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.81 ₾4.73

-24.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$1.93 ₾5.04

131.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.65 $4.65

$2.59 ₾6.76

79.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$0.87 ₾2.26

211.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.68 $2.68

$0.65 ₾1.69

312.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.39 ₾3.63

20.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$0.80 ₾2.08

167.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.24 $8.24

$3.36 ₾8.78

145.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.44 $16.44

$7.54 ₾19.68

118.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.61 ₾4.21

22.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.25 ₾5.86

0.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ₾0.96

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.11 ₾39.45

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.70 $4.70

$1.17 ₾3.06

301.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.80 ₾2.09

27.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.24 $22.24

$11.33 ₾29.58

96.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.33 ₾3.47

-24.81%

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

$37.4K $37.4K

$25.0K ₾65.2K

49.84%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$22.4K ₾58.4K

11.91%

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

$182 $182

$89.1 ₾233

104.30%

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

$45.57 $45.57

$13.25 ₾34.58

243.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.8 $58.8

$19.46 ₾50.8

201.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.98 $29.98

$68.4 ₾179

-56.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.73 $23.73

$18.68 ₾48.77

27.03%

Cinema Ticket

$15.06 $15.06

$6.63 ₾17.32

127.15%

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

$1,187 $1,187

$363 ₾949

226.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K $13.3K

$10.7K ₾27.8K

24.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.3 $50.3

$104 ₾270

-51.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.99 $32.99

$38.84 ₾101

-15.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 $95.5

$117 ₾304

-18.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.2 $87.2

$123 ₾320

-28.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 $1,235

$682 ₾1,782

81.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$903 $903

$447 ₾1,166

102.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,811 $1,811

$1,284 ₾3,353

41.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,177 $1,177

$920 ₾2,401

27.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,979 $1,979

$2,487 ₾6,492

-20.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,989 $1,989

$1,423 ₾3,715

39.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,970 $3,970

$646 ₾1,686

514.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.12

12.73

-51.92%

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

Last update for Columbia, MO: August 30, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,235 in Columbia, MO and $682 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Columbia, MO pays 515% 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: $73.0 in Columbia, MO vs $38.00 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $362 vs $232 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

Columbia, MO vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 60% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 515% higher in Columbia, MO, 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: $1,235 in Columbia, MO versus $682 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,187 in Columbia, MO versus $363 in Tbilisi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Tbilisi – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $73.0 in Columbia, MO. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,286 in Tbilisi versus $2,057 in Columbia, MO, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Columbia, MO. 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 Columbia, MO, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Columbia, MO 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 60% less than in Columbia, MO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.