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: $2,544 in Durham, NC versus $1,209 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,720 in Durham, NC versus $1,867 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,895 in Durham, NC versus $2,526 in Tbilisi.

Living in Durham, NC is roughly 110% more expensive than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Durham, NC is 90% above, Tbilisi is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.88 $14.88

$10.80 ₾28.71

37.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.0 $69.0

$43.18 ₾115

59.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.88 $9.88

$8.29 ₾22.04

19.18%

Cappuccino

$4.58 $4.58

$3.00 ₾7.97

52.67%

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

$2.13 $2.13

$0.82 ₾2.17

159.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$0.46 ₾1.21

293.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.91 $4.91

$2.23 ₾5.93

120.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.69 $6.69

$2.92 ₾7.75

129.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.93 ₾5.12

-54.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.74 $3.74

$0.68 ₾1.81

450.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.60 $3.60

$1.88 ₾5.00

91.49%

Eggs

$4.66 $4.66

$2.54 ₾6.74

83.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.07 $9.07

$7.42 ₾19.70

22.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.29 $12.29

$6.19 ₾16.44

98.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 $15.92

$9.36 ₾24.87

70.09%

Apples (1kg)

$5.58 $5.58

$1.22 ₾3.25

357.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.66 ₾4.40

-25.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.78 $3.78

$1.80 ₾4.78

110.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.54 $3.54

$2.24 ₾5.96

58.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.51 $2.51

$0.71 ₾1.89

253.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$0.67 ₾1.79

302.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.18 ₾3.13

68.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.66 ₾1.76

200.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.86 $9.86

$2.98 ₾7.91

230.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.75 $14.75

$7.61 ₾20.22

93.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.54 ₾4.08

15.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.23 $4.23

$2.25 ₾5.99

88.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.36 ₾0.95

450.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.75 $24.75

$14.44 ₾38.38

71.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.49 ₾3.97

34.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$0.68 ₾1.82

133.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.39 $22.39

$7.23 ₾19.20

209.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.14 ₾3.04

-23.68%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$18.5K ₾49.1K

51.36%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$20.0K ₾53.1K

27.59%

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

$157 $157

$73.7 ₾196

112.69%

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

$53.0 $53.0

$11.64 ₾30.92

355.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.7 $74.7

$17.84 ₾47.41

318.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.40 $39.40

$60.1 ₾160

-34.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ₾44.65

Cinema Ticket

$12.11 $12.11

$6.60 ₾17.55

83.48%

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

$1,269 $1,269

$266 ₾708

376.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$5,191 ₾13.8K

499.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.1 $52.1

$77.7 ₾206

-32.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.19 $35.19

$44.75 ₾119

-21.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 $77.0

$117 ₾310

-34.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$113 ₾300

5.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,841 $1,841

$693 ₾1,840

165.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,430 $1,430

$462 ₾1,227

209.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,534 $2,534

$1,320 ₾3,507

92.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,279 $2,279

$774 ₾2,057

194.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,749 $2,749

$2,430 ₾6,458

13.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,718 $2,718

$1,446 ₾3,842

88.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,478 $4,478

$673 ₾1,788

565.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

11.89

-45.00%

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

Last update for Durham, NC: June 1, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,841 in Durham, NC and $693 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Durham, NC pays 566% 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: $69.0 in Durham, NC vs $43.00 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $375 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

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

Tbilisi wins on cost – living expenses run 110% 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.

Durham, NC pays 566% 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: $1,841 in Durham, NC versus $693 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 71% less than in Durham, NC. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,269 in Durham, NC versus $266 in Tbilisi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,209 in Tbilisi versus $2,544 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 $1,209 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 110% less than in Durham, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.