Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Des Moines, IA and Tbilisi

For one person, living is cheaper in Tbilisi: $1,270 a month against $2,171 in Des Moines, IA, rent and utilities included – about $10,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

105

Cost of Living Index in Des Moines, IA
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Des Moines, IA Living Index
61

Cost of Living Index in Tbilisi
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Tbilisi Living Index

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Des Moines, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,171

/mo nomad

Tbilisi

🇬🇪 Georgia

$1,270

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Des Moines, IA and in Tbilisi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Des Moines, IA and in Tbilisi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,171 in Des Moines, IA versus $1,270 in Tbilisi.

Des Moines, IA $2,171
Tbilisi $1,270

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,236 in Des Moines, IA versus $2,008 in Tbilisi.

Des Moines, IA $3,236
Tbilisi $2,008

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,301 in Des Moines, IA versus $2,745 in Tbilisi.

Des Moines, IA $4,301
Tbilisi $2,745

Living in Des Moines, IA is roughly 71% more expensive than in Tbilisi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Des Moines, IA is 60% above, Tbilisi is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.69 $19.69

$11.51 ₾29.79

71.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.8 $80.8

$38.27 ₾99.1

111.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.22 $12.22

$9.80 ₾25.36

24.69%

Cappuccino

$6.16 $6.16

$3.55 ₾9.19

73.52%

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

$2.93 $2.93

$1.06 ₾2.74

176.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$0.62 ₾1.60

312.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.99 $4.99

$2.76 ₾7.16

80.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$3.00 ₾7.77

96.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$2.16 ₾5.59

-57.87%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 $3.03

$0.76 ₾1.96

298.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$1.74 ₾4.51

94.25%

Eggs

$4.00 $4.00

$2.79 ₾7.21

43.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 $9.69

$9.20 ₾23.83

5.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.91 $9.91

$6.53 ₾16.89

51.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.68 $13.68

$12.81 ₾33.17

6.79%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$1.67 ₾4.31

159.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.85 ₾4.79

-18.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$1.98 ₾5.13

129.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.68 $3.68

$2.51 ₾6.49

46.61%

Potato (1kg)

$3.07 $3.07

$0.87 ₾2.26

252.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$0.73 ₾1.89

193.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.42 ₾3.67

67.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$0.72 ₾1.88

204.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.85 $7.85

$3.38 ₾8.74

132.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 $14.79

$7.84 ₾20.31

88.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.62 ₾4.19

4.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.38 ₾6.15

29.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.73 $1.73

$0.37 ₾0.96

367.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.1 $58.1

$15.52 ₾40.16

274.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.14 ₾2.94

72.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 $1.23

$0.79 ₾2.05

55.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.70 $19.70

$11.57 ₾29.96

70.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.50 ₾3.87

-38.00%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$24.6K ₾63.7K

10.36%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$22.4K ₾57.9K

12.44%

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

$185 $185

$88.3 ₾228

109.18%

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

$53.6 $53.6

$13.08 ₾33.86

309.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.2 $70.2

$19.53 ₾50.6

259.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.8 $63.8

$64.2 ₾166

-0.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.14 $20.14

$19.18 ₾49.66

5.01%

Cinema Ticket

$9.99 $9.99

$6.99 ₾18.10

42.92%

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

$1,187 $1,187

$373 ₾966

218.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K $12.0K

$10.7K ₾27.7K

11.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 $59.5

$103 ₾266

-42.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.98 $42.98

$40.48 ₾105

6.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$116 ₾301

-13.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 $145

$122 ₾316

18.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,177 $1,177

$677 ₾1,753

73.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$872 $872

$454 ₾1,176

92.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,738 $1,738

$1,277 ₾3,305

36.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,394 $1,394

$890 ₾2,304

56.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,320 $2,320

$2,410 ₾6,238

-3.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,325 $2,325

$1,418 ₾3,670

63.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,647 $3,647

$703 ₾1,819

418.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

12.62

-48.02%

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

Last update for Des Moines, IA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Des Moines, IA

$872 40.2%

Tbilisi

$454 35.8% 47.9% $418

Groceries & Markets

Des Moines, IA

$349 16.1%

Tbilisi

$233 18.3% 33.4% $117

Eating Out

Des Moines, IA

$327 15.1%

Tbilisi

$191 15% 41.7% $136

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Des Moines, IA

$308 14.2%

Tbilisi

$121 9.5% 60.8% $188

Clothing & Footwear

Des Moines, IA

$157 7.2%

Tbilisi

$172 13.5% 9.4% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Des Moines, IA

$84 3.9%

Tbilisi

$78 6.2% 6.7% $5.6

Getting Around

Des Moines, IA

$73 3.4%

Tbilisi

$22 1.7% 69.8% $51

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,177 in Des Moines, IA and $677 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Moines, IA pays 419% 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: $81.0 in Des Moines, IA vs $38.00 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $349 vs $233 per month, with Tbilisi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Des Moines, IA

🇬🇪 Tbilisi

🕒 Local time

02:37 2:37 AM

11:37 11:37 AM

9 h ahead of Des Moines, IA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

214,133

1,241,700 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Georgian Lari GEL ₾

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 GEL = 0.386 USD

1 GEL = 0.344 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

GEL, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇬🇪 Georgian Lari (₾)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.386 USD). 1 EUR = 2.91 GEL (1 GEL = 0.344 EUR).

GEL to USD in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Des Moines, IA Tbilisi 9,880 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Des Moines, IA
Tbilisi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Des Moines, IA vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi wins on cost – living expenses run 71% lower than in Des Moines, IA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tbilisi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 419% higher in Des Moines, IA, 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: $1,177 in Des Moines, IA versus $677 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Tbilisi – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $81.0 in Des Moines, IA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,171 per month in Des Moines, IA versus $1,270 in Tbilisi – a 71% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,270 in Tbilisi versus $2,171 in Des Moines, IA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Des Moines, IA. 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 $1,270 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Tbilisi hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Des Moines, IA 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 71% less than in Des Moines, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.