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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,518 in Durham, NC versus $1,247 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,758 in Durham, NC versus $2,025 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,997 in Durham, NC versus $2,803 in Tbilisi.

Living in Durham, NC is roughly 102% more expensive than in Tbilisi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Durham, NC is 84% above, Tbilisi is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.35 $15.35

$11.33 ₾29.45

35.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.9 $73.9

$38.71 ₾101

91.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.02 $10.02

$9.52 ₾24.73

5.25%

Cappuccino

$4.86 $4.86

$3.41 ₾8.85

42.52%

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

$2.69 $2.69

$1.04 ₾2.71

158.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$0.64 ₾1.66

239.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.08 $6.08

$2.61 ₾6.79

132.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.08 $7.08

$3.24 ₾8.43

118.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$2.17 ₾5.65

-56.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.98 $3.98

$0.74 ₾1.92

437.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$1.71 ₾4.45

92.40%

Eggs

$4.23 $4.23

$2.83 ₾7.36

49.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.68 $16.68

$9.22 ₾23.95

80.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.01 $16.01

$6.76 ₾17.55

136.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.82 $17.82

$12.77 ₾33.17

39.55%

Apples (1kg)

$5.41 $5.41

$1.64 ₾4.26

229.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.77 ₾4.60

-18.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$1.87 ₾4.85

143.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$2.44 ₾6.34

86.07%

Potato (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$0.87 ₾2.25

343.68%

Onion (1kg)

$3.04 $3.04

$0.65 ₾1.70

367.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.40 ₾3.64

40.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.74 ₾1.93

177.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.97 $7.97

$3.41 ₾8.86

133.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.17 $15.17

$7.60 ₾19.75

99.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.70 ₾4.41

-12.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 $3.65

$2.38 ₾6.20

53.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.51 $1.51

$0.36 ₾0.94

319.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.10 $25.10

$15.24 ₾39.60

64.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.18 ₾3.07

66.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 $1.81

$0.76 ₾1.97

138.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.46 $30.46

$11.34 ₾29.47

168.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.33 ₾3.46

-28.57%

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

$35.5K $35.5K

$24.7K ₾64.2K

43.56%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$22.0K ₾57.2K

13.88%

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

$171 $171

$88.9 ₾231

92.29%

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

$67.0 $67.0

$13.33 ₾34.63

402.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$20.12 ₾52.3

247.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.26 $47.26

$68.7 ₾178

-31.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.09 ₾47.01

Cinema Ticket

$14.14 $14.14

$6.72 ₾17.46

110.42%

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

$1,455 $1,455

$374 ₾971

289.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.2K $25.2K

$10.7K ₾27.8K

135.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.4 $51.4

$101 ₾263

-49.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.90 $36.90

$39.33 ₾102

-6.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 $95.5

$118 ₾305

-18.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 $136

$122 ₾318

11.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 $1,708

$682 ₾1,773

150.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 $1,236

$456 ₾1,186

170.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,622 $2,622

$1,303 ₾3,385

101.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,257 $2,257

$899 ₾2,337

150.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,738 $2,738

$2,449 ₾6,365

11.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,751 $2,751

$1,452 ₾3,774

89.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,617 $4,617

$652 ₾1,695

607.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.07

12.62

-51.90%

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

Last update for Durham, NC: September 14, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,708 in Durham, NC and $682 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Durham, NC pays 608% 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: $74.0 in Durham, NC vs $39.00 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $435 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

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

Tbilisi wins on cost – living expenses run 102% lower than in Durham, NC. 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 608% higher in Durham, NC, 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: $1,708 in Durham, NC versus $682 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tbilisi runs roughly 65% less than in Durham, NC. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,455 in Durham, NC versus $374 in Tbilisi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,247 in Tbilisi versus $2,518 in Durham, NC, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Durham, NC. 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 $1,247 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Tbilisi hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Durham, 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 102% less than in Durham, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.