Cost of Living Comparison Between Helena, MT and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Helena, MT and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,033 in Helena, MT versus $1,185 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,340 in Helena, MT versus $1,834 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,647 in Helena, MT versus $2,483 in Tbilisi.

Living in Helena, MT is roughly 156% more expensive than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Helena, MT is 126% above, Tbilisi is 12% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.88 $19.88

$11.15 ₾30.00

78.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.9 $88.9

$43.13 ₾116

106.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.59 $13.59

$8.22 ₾22.11

65.33%

Cappuccino

$4.98 $4.98

$3.13 ₾8.42

59.11%

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

$2.20 $2.20

$0.74 ₾2.00

197.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 $1.80

$0.45 ₾1.22

300.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.95 $4.95

$2.13 ₾5.74

132.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.53 $6.53

$2.99 ₾8.06

118.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.89 ₾5.09

-39.68%

White Bread (500g)

$4.37 $4.37

$0.73 ₾1.97

498.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.66 $3.66

$1.85 ₾4.98

97.84%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$2.45 ₾6.58

70.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$31.62 $31.62

$7.85 ₾21.12

302.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.39 $9.39

$6.25 ₾16.82

50.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.65 $19.65

$9.77 ₾26.28

101.13%

Apples (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$1.21 ₾3.26

300.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.59 ₾4.28

15.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.57 $4.57

$1.79 ₾4.81

155.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.47 $5.47

$2.32 ₾6.25

135.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$0.71 ₾1.91

205.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 $1.81

$0.67 ₾1.81

170.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.18 ₾3.16

46.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 $2.32

$0.71 ₾1.92

226.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.32 $10.32

$2.92 ₾7.85

253.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.26 $13.26

$7.25 ₾19.50

82.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.55 ₾4.17

9.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.31 ₾6.21

7.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.54 $3.54

$0.38 ₾1.03

831.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.3 $60.3

$14.81 ₾39.83

306.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.81 $9.81

$1.48 ₾3.98

562.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.32 $3.32

$0.69 ₾1.86

381.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.16 $45.16

$7.45 ₾20.05

506.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.15 ₾3.10

-21.74%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$18.0K ₾48.4K

100.59%

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

$31.1K $31.1K

$19.8K ₾53.4K

56.96%

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

$363 $363

$73.4 ₾198

393.94%

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

$76.2 $76.2

$11.64 ₾31.32

554.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$91.7 $91.7

$17.77 ₾47.79

416.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.11 $49.11

$60.6 ₾163

-18.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.13 $15.13

$16.44 ₾44.21

-7.97%

Cinema Ticket

$10.55 $10.55

$6.51 ₾17.52

62.06%

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

$1,910 $1,910

$263 ₾707

627.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.7K $22.7K

$5,136 ₾13.8K

342.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 $61.3

$77.7 ₾209

-21.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$117 $117

$44.39 ₾119

163.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.8 $88.8

$118 ₾317

-24.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$114 ₾307

1.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,680 $1,680

$693 ₾1,865

142.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,417 $1,417

$462 ₾1,244

206.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 $2,609

$1,337 ₾3,597

95.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,196 $2,196

$779 ₾2,096

181.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,881 $3,881

$2,530 ₾6,805

53.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,169 $3,169

$1,430 ₾3,847

121.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,879 $6,879

$633 ₾1,702

987.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.71

11.89

-43.57%

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

Last update for Helena, MT: April 27, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,680 in Helena, MT and $693 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Helena, MT pays 988% 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: $89.0 in Helena, MT vs $43.00 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $453 vs $206 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

Helena, MT vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Helena, MT and Tbilisi differ by about 156% in total monthly costs ($3,033 vs $1,185 including rent). Tbilisi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Helena, MT pays 988% 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: $1,680 in Helena, MT versus $693 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,910 in Helena, MT versus $263 in Tbilisi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 120% higher in Helena, MT. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,185 in Tbilisi versus $3,033 in Helena, MT, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Helena, MT. 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, Helena, MT 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 156% less than in Helena, MT. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.