Cost of Living Comparison Between Helsinki and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Helsinki and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,212 in Helsinki versus $1,218 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,422 in Helsinki versus $1,854 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,631 in Helsinki versus $2,491 in Tbilisi.

Living in Helsinki is roughly 82% more expensive than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Helsinki is 64% above, Tbilisi is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.67 €15.00

$10.78 ₾29.00

63.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$104 €88.1

$43.10 ₾116

140.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.92 €10.97

$8.27 ₾22.24

56.23%

Cappuccino

$5.26 €4.47

$2.95 ₾7.94

78.31%

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

$3.04 €2.58

$0.76 ₾2.05

300.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 €2.01

$0.42 ₾1.13

461.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.33 €7.07

$2.24 ₾6.03

271.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.06 €6.85

$2.87 ₾7.71

180.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 €1.12

$1.93 ₾5.19

-31.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.59 €2.20

$0.68 ₾1.84

280.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.69 €2.28

$1.85 ₾4.97

45.41%

Eggs

$3.62 €3.07

$2.49 ₾6.69

45.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.34 €7.93

$7.54 ₾20.27

23.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.67 €12.46

$6.35 ₾17.09

131.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.62 €19.20

$9.43 ₾25.38

139.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 €2.35

$1.18 ₾3.16

134.75%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 €1.85

$1.58 ₾4.26

37.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 €2.22

$1.86 ₾5.00

40.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.67 €3.97

$2.24 ₾6.03

108.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 €1.06

$0.66 ₾1.79

89.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 €1.59

$0.68 ₾1.83

175.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 €1.75

$1.18 ₾3.17

74.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 €1.62

$0.66 ₾1.77

189.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.79 €10.86

$3.07 ₾8.25

316.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.14 €13.70

$7.56 ₾20.34

113.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.26 €2.77

$1.52 ₾4.08

114.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 €3.40

$2.29 ₾6.15

75.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.62 €3.08

$0.35 ₾0.95

934.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.8 €69.4

$14.79 ₾39.78

452.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.22 €6.98

$1.45 ₾3.90

466.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 €0.96

$0.73 ₾1.97

54.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$68.7 €58.4

$7.35 ₾19.78

835.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.77

$1.09 ₾2.93

91.74%

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

$36.6K €31.1K

$18.4K ₾49.5K

98.99%

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

$38.3K €32.6K

$20.3K ₾54.5K

89.13%

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

$129 €109

$73.3 ₾197

75.61%

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

$29.54 €25.08

$11.72 ₾31.53

152.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.90 €20.29

$17.87 ₾48.08

33.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.25 €40.12

$61.2 ₾165

-22.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.22 €28.21

$16.34 ₾43.94

103.30%

Cinema Ticket

$19.70 €16.73

$6.59 ₾17.73

198.94%

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

$404 €343

$261 ₾702

54.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K €9,403

$5,156 ₾13.9K

114.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$107 €91.2

$76.1 ₾205

41.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.05 €33.15

$43.83 ₾118

-10.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 €89.6

$121 ₾325

-12.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €105

$113 ₾304

9.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,187 €1,008

$696 ₾1,873

70.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$941 €799

$456 ₾1,226

106.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,131 €1,809

$1,301 ₾3,500

63.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,543 €1,310

$768 ₾2,067

100.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,860 €8,371

$2,500 ₾6,725

294.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,950 €4,203

$1,432 ₾3,853

245.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,199 €2,716

$653 ₾1,756

389.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.09

11.89

-65.60%

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

Last update for Helsinki: April 13, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,187 in Helsinki and $696 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Helsinki pays 390% 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: $104 in Helsinki vs $43 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $390 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

Helsinki vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 82% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Helsinki pays 390% 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: $1,187 in Helsinki versus $696 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Tbilisi – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $104 in Helsinki. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,212 per month in Helsinki versus $1,218 in Tbilisi – a 82% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,218 in Tbilisi versus $2,212 in Helsinki, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Helsinki. The gap between the two cities makes Tbilisi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Tbilisi is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Helsinki, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Helsinki 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 82% less than in Helsinki. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.