Cost of Living Comparison Between Des Moines, IA and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Des Moines, IA and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,078 in Des Moines, IA versus $1,187 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,094 in Des Moines, IA versus $1,826 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,110 in Des Moines, IA versus $2,466 in Tbilisi.

Living in Des Moines, IA is roughly 75% more expensive than in Tbilisi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Des Moines, IA is 56% above, Tbilisi is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.68 $15.68

$10.79 ₾28.28

45.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.2 $79.2

$44.24 ₾116

78.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.14 $12.14

$8.40 ₾22.00

44.52%

Cappuccino

$4.89 $4.89

$2.98 ₾7.80

64.09%

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

$2.39 $2.39

$0.75 ₾1.97

218.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$0.42 ₾1.10

357.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.04 $5.04

$2.21 ₾5.78

128.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 $7.07

$3.00 ₾7.87

135.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$2.00 ₾5.25

-51.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.51 $2.51

$0.67 ₾1.76

274.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.80 ₾4.73

19.44%

Eggs

$3.70 $3.70

$2.59 ₾6.79

42.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.62 $12.62

$7.43 ₾19.47

69.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.35 $10.35

$6.20 ₾16.25

66.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.08 $13.08

$9.55 ₾25.03

36.96%

Apples (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$1.22 ₾3.21

276.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.65 ₾4.31

-9.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.70 $3.70

$1.88 ₾4.92

96.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.44 $3.44

$2.33 ₾6.09

47.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 $1.61

$0.65 ₾1.70

147.69%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$0.64 ₾1.69

381.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.24 ₾3.25

79.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 $1.13

$0.65 ₾1.71

73.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.98 $6.98

$3.07 ₾8.04

127.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.20 $15.20

$7.74 ₾20.27

96.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.60 ₾4.18

6.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 $4.01

$2.24 ₾5.86

79.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.80 $1.80

$0.35 ₾0.92

414.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.4 $58.4

$14.73 ₾38.58

296.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.42 ₾3.71

42.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 $1.22

$0.70 ₾1.83

74.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.78 $19.78

$7.52 ₾19.69

163.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$1.15 ₾3.02

-33.04%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$18.0K ₾47.2K

46.75%

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

$24.6K $24.6K

$19.9K ₾52.1K

24.02%

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

$143 $143

$74.2 ₾194

92.36%

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

$52.3 $52.3

$11.85 ₾31.06

341.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.4 $53.4

$18.14 ₾47.52

194.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.1 $66.1

$61.7 ₾162

7.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.75 $19.75

$16.91 ₾44.30

16.79%

Cinema Ticket

$15.07 $15.07

$6.53 ₾17.12

130.78%

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

$1,392 $1,392

$264 ₾691

427.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K $11.6K

$5,079 ₾13.3K

128.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.2 $53.2

$77.2 ₾202

-31.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.83 $42.83

$44.11 ₾116

-2.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.1 $73.1

$120 ₾313

-38.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 $126

$111 ₾290

14.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,229 $1,229

$707 ₾1,852

73.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$921 $921

$461 ₾1,207

99.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,785 $1,785

$1,348 ₾3,532

32.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,480 $1,480

$783 ₾2,052

88.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,284 $2,284

$2,423 ₾6,349

-5.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,319 $2,319

$1,480 ₾3,878

56.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,848 $3,848

$662 ₾1,734

481.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

11.89

-45.33%

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

Last update for Des Moines, IA: July 21, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,229 in Des Moines, IA and $707 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Moines, IA pays 481% 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: $79.0 in Des Moines, IA vs $44.00 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $331 vs $205 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

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

Tbilisi wins on cost – living expenses run 75% 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 481% 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: $1,229 in Des Moines, IA versus $707 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 $44.00 versus $79.0 in Des Moines, IA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,078 per month in Des Moines, IA versus $1,187 in Tbilisi – a 75% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,187 in Tbilisi versus $2,078 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 $1,187 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 75% less than in Des Moines, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.