Cost of Living Comparison Between Essen and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Essen and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,096 per month in Essen vs $1,209 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,145 per month in Essen vs $1,867 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,193 per month in Essen vs $2,526 in Tbilisi, rent included.

Essen costs about 73% more than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Essen sits 56% above the global median, while Tbilisi is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.37 €15.80

$10.80 ₾28.71

70.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 €60.0

$43.18 ₾115

61.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.93 €11.98

$8.29 ₾22.04

68.03%

Cappuccino

$3.67 €3.15

$3.00 ₾7.97

22.33%

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

$2.43 €2.09

$0.82 ₾2.17

196.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 €2.04

$0.46 ₾1.21

415.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.79 €4.12

$2.23 ₾5.93

114.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 €4.09

$2.92 ₾7.75

62.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 €1.12

$1.93 ₾5.12

-32.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 €1.83

$0.68 ₾1.81

213.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.27 €2.81

$1.88 ₾5.00

73.94%

Eggs

$3.59 €3.09

$2.54 ₾6.74

41.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.96 €12.87

$7.42 ₾19.70

101.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.27 €12.27

$6.19 ₾16.44

130.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.36 €19.23

$9.36 ₾24.87

138.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 €2.81

$1.22 ₾3.25

168.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 €1.62

$1.66 ₾4.40

13.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 €2.01

$1.80 ₾4.78

30.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.84 €4.16

$2.24 ₾5.96

116.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$0.71 ₾1.89

133.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 €1.47

$0.67 ₾1.79

155.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 €1.67

$1.18 ₾3.13

64.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 €0.95

$0.66 ₾1.76

68.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.62 €8.27

$2.98 ₾7.91

222.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.87 €5.05

$7.61 ₾20.22

-22.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 €0.94

$1.54 ₾4.08

-28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 €1.48

$2.25 ₾5.99

-23.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.97 €3.42

$0.36 ₾0.95

1002.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.9 €53.2

$14.44 ₾38.38

328.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.13 €4.41

$1.49 ₾3.97

244.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 €2.35

$0.68 ₾1.82

301.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.78 €35.08

$7.23 ₾19.20

464.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.06 €1.77

$1.14 ₾3.04

80.70%

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

$31.1K €26.7K

$18.5K ₾49.1K

68.44%

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

$38.5K €33.2K

$20.0K ₾53.1K

93.01%

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

$388 €333

$73.7 ₾196

425.94%

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

$34.23 €29.44

$11.64 ₾30.92

194.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.1 €45.71

$17.84 ₾47.41

197.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.03 €31.86

$60.1 ₾160

-38.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.86 €29.98

$16.80 ₾44.65

107.50%

Cinema Ticket

$17.61 €15.15

$6.60 ₾17.55

166.82%

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

$468 €402

$266 ₾708

75.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,827 €8,453

$5,191 ₾13.8K

89.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.5 €82.2

$77.7 ₾206

22.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.7 €63.4

$44.75 ₾119

64.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 €90.0

$117 ₾310

-10.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 €118

$113 ₾300

21.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$744 €640

$693 ₾1,840

7.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$605 €520

$462 ₾1,227

30.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,505 €1,295

$1,320 ₾3,507

14.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,082 €931

$774 ₾2,057

39.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,898 €4,213

$2,430 ₾6,458

101.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,042 €2,617

$1,446 ₾3,842

110.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,244 €2,790

$673 ₾1,788

382.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.97

11.89

-66.61%

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

Last update for Essen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $744 in Essen versus $693 in Tbilisi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 382% higher in Essen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Essen versus $43.00 in Tbilisi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $356 vs $203 – making Tbilisi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Essen vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,096 in Essen, $1,209 in Tbilisi – roughly 73% apart. Essen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,144 per month in Essen and $1,813 in Tbilisi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tbilisi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 328% less in Tbilisi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $468 per month in Essen and $266 in Tbilisi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tbilisi, where all-in costs run around $1,209, than in Essen at $2,096. In Tbilisi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Essen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Tbilisi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,209 in Tbilisi to $2,096 in Essen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Tbilisi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Essen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.