Cost of Living Comparison Between Des Plaines, IL and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Des Plaines, IL and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,581 in Des Plaines, IL versus $1,209 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,855 in Des Plaines, IL versus $1,867 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,129 in Des Plaines, IL versus $2,526 in Tbilisi.

Living in Des Plaines, IL is roughly 114% more expensive than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Des Plaines, IL is 93% above, Tbilisi is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.26 $15.26

$10.80 ₾28.71

41.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.3 $79.3

$43.18 ₾115

83.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.88 $10.88

$8.29 ₾22.04

31.24%

Cappuccino

$5.42 $5.42

$3.00 ₾7.97

80.67%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$0.82 ₾2.17

221.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$0.46 ₾1.21

408.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 $5.97

$2.23 ₾5.93

167.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.98 $6.98

$2.92 ₾7.75

139.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.93 ₾5.12

-52.33%

White Bread (500g)

$4.06 $4.06

$0.68 ₾1.81

497.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.31 $5.31

$1.88 ₾5.00

182.45%

Eggs

$4.12 $4.12

$2.54 ₾6.74

62.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.62 $13.62

$7.42 ₾19.70

83.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.27 $13.27

$6.19 ₾16.44

114.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.44 $16.44

$9.36 ₾24.87

75.64%

Apples (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$1.22 ₾3.25

268.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.66 ₾4.40

2.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$1.80 ₾4.78

140.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$2.24 ₾5.96

99.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$0.71 ₾1.89

259.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$0.67 ₾1.79

304.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.18 ₾3.13

72.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.66 ₾1.76

196.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.36 $14.36

$2.98 ₾7.91

381.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.85 $14.85

$7.61 ₾20.22

95.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.54 ₾4.08

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.25 ₾5.99

65.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.36 ₾0.95

438.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 ₾38.38

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.40 $4.40

$1.49 ₾3.97

195.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$0.68 ₾1.82

110.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.10 $25.10

$7.23 ₾19.20

247.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.14 ₾3.04

-4.39%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$18.5K ₾49.1K

35.46%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$20.0K ₾53.1K

26.02%

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

$182 $182

$73.7 ₾196

147.27%

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

$50.1 $50.1

$11.64 ₾30.92

330.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.1 $66.1

$17.84 ₾47.41

270.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.79 $43.79

$60.1 ₾160

-27.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.44 $39.44

$16.80 ₾44.65

134.76%

Cinema Ticket

$14.70 $14.70

$6.60 ₾17.55

122.73%

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

$1,653 $1,653

$266 ₾708

520.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.7K $24.7K

$5,191 ₾13.8K

375.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 $65.4

$77.7 ₾206

-15.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.84 $48.84

$44.75 ₾119

9.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 $97.3

$117 ₾310

-16.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 $134

$113 ₾300

18.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,602 $1,602

$693 ₾1,840

131.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,379 $1,379

$462 ₾1,227

198.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,631 $2,631

$1,320 ₾3,507

99.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,224 $2,224

$774 ₾2,057

187.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,192 $3,192

$2,430 ₾6,458

31.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,480 $2,480

$1,446 ₾3,842

71.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,104 $6,104

$673 ₾1,788

807.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

11.89

-44.49%

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

Last update for Des Plaines, IL: June 1, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,602 in Des Plaines, IL and $693 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Plaines, IL pays 807% 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 Plaines, IL vs $43.00 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $410 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

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

Des Plaines, IL and Tbilisi differ by about 114% in total monthly costs ($2,581 vs $1,209 including rent). Tbilisi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Des Plaines, IL pays 807% 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: $1,602 in Des Plaines, IL versus $693 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,653 in Des Plaines, IL versus $266 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 $43.00 versus $79.0 in Des Plaines, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,209 in Tbilisi versus $2,581 in Des Plaines, IL, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Des Plaines, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Tbilisi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Des Plaines, 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 114% less than in Des Plaines, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.