Cost of Living Comparison Between Houghton, MI and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Houghton, MI and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,494 in Houghton, MI versus $1,218 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,605 in Houghton, MI versus $1,854 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,716 in Houghton, MI versus $2,491 in Tbilisi.

Living in Houghton, MI is roughly 105% more expensive than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Houghton, MI is 85% above, Tbilisi is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.77 $12.77

$10.78 ₾29.00

18.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.89 $39.89

$43.10 ₾116

-7.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.17 $10.17

$8.27 ₾22.24

22.97%

Cappuccino

$4.08 $4.08

$2.95 ₾7.94

38.31%

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

$2.73 $2.73

$0.76 ₾2.05

259.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 $1.56

$0.42 ₾1.13

271.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 $5.96

$2.24 ₾6.03

166.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.88 $6.88

$2.87 ₾7.71

139.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.93 ₾5.19

-43.52%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 $3.60

$0.68 ₾1.84

429.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$1.85 ₾4.97

142.16%

Eggs

$4.07 $4.07

$2.49 ₾6.69

63.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.41 $12.41

$7.54 ₾20.27

64.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.49 $11.49

$6.35 ₾17.09

80.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.28 $15.28

$9.43 ₾25.38

62.04%

Apples (1kg)

$5.04 $5.04

$1.18 ₾3.16

327.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.58 ₾4.26

-1.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$1.86 ₾5.00

134.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 $4.82

$2.24 ₾6.03

115.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$0.66 ₾1.79

318.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$0.68 ₾1.83

311.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.18 ₾3.17

72.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$0.66 ₾1.77

230.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.32 $9.32

$3.07 ₾8.25

203.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.07 $15.07

$7.56 ₾20.34

99.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.52 ₾4.08

17.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 $3.42

$2.29 ₾6.15

49.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.35 ₾0.95

460.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.79 ₾39.78

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 $3.49

$1.45 ₾3.90

140.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$0.73 ₾1.97

117.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.62 $28.62

$7.35 ₾19.78

289.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.09 ₾2.93

-22.94%

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

$30.1K $30.1K

$18.4K ₾49.5K

63.56%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$20.3K ₾54.5K

28.58%

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

$186 $186

$73.3 ₾197

153.49%

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

$53.5 $53.5

$11.72 ₾31.53

356.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.7 $66.7

$17.87 ₾48.08

273.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.63 $42.63

$61.2 ₾165

-30.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.34 ₾43.94

Cinema Ticket

$13.27 $13.27

$6.59 ₾17.73

101.37%

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

$1,322 $1,322

$261 ₾702

406.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.2K $23.2K

$5,156 ₾13.9K

350.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 $51.8

$76.1 ₾205

-31.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.51 $40.51

$43.83 ₾118

-7.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$121 ₾325

-27.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$113 ₾304

-2.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 $1,612

$696 ₾1,873

131.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,340 $1,340

$456 ₾1,226

194.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,600 $2,600

$1,301 ₾3,500

99.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,266 $2,266

$768 ₾2,067

194.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,552 $1,552

$2,500 ₾6,725

-37.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 $1,586

$1,432 ₾3,853

10.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,606 $2,606

$653 ₾1,756

299.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

11.89

-45.25%

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

Last update for Houghton, MI: April 12, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,612 in Houghton, MI and $696 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Houghton, MI pays 299% 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: $40 in Houghton, MI vs $43 in Tbilisi. Groceries flip the comparison at $392 vs $203, with Tbilisi cheaper for home cooking.

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

Houghton, MI vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 105% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Houghton, MI pays 299% 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: $1,612 in Houghton, MI versus $696 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 93% higher in Houghton, MI. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,494 per month in Houghton, MI versus $1,218 in Tbilisi – a 105% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,218 in Tbilisi versus $2,494 in Houghton, MI, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Houghton, MI. 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 Houghton, MI, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Houghton, MI 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 105% less than in Houghton, MI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.