Cost of Living Comparison Between Iowa City, IA and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Iowa City, IA and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,352 in Iowa City, IA versus $1,209 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,249 in Iowa City, IA versus $1,867 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,146 in Iowa City, IA versus $2,526 in Tbilisi.

Living in Iowa City, IA is roughly 95% more expensive than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Iowa City, IA is 76% above, Tbilisi is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.95 $14.95

$10.80 ₾28.69

38.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.5 $76.5

$43.18 ₾115

77.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.16 $9.16

$8.29 ₾22.02

10.49%

Cappuccino

$5.13 $5.13

$3.00 ₾7.96

71.00%

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

$2.46 $2.46

$0.82 ₾2.17

200.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$0.46 ₾1.21

300.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.95 $4.95

$2.23 ₾5.93

121.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.86 $6.86

$2.92 ₾7.74

134.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.93 ₾5.11

-56.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 $2.74

$0.68 ₾1.81

302.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$1.88 ₾4.99

163.83%

Eggs

$3.93 $3.93

$2.54 ₾6.73

54.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.29 $9.29

$7.42 ₾19.69

25.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.50 $10.50

$6.19 ₾16.43

69.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.28 $16.28

$9.36 ₾24.86

73.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 $3.27

$1.22 ₾3.25

168.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.66 ₾4.40

-27.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.80 ₾4.78

54.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$2.24 ₾5.95

108.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 $2.07

$0.71 ₾1.89

191.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$0.67 ₾1.79

319.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.18 ₾3.13

68.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.66 ₾1.76

207.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.18 $9.18

$2.98 ₾7.91

208.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.80 $15.80

$7.61 ₾20.20

107.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.54 ₾4.08

14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 $4.81

$2.25 ₾5.98

113.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.36 ₾0.95

450.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.14 $16.14

$14.44 ₾38.35

11.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 $4.54

$1.49 ₾3.96

204.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.15 $2.15

$0.68 ₾1.82

216.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.24 $41.24

$7.23 ₾19.19

470.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.14 ₾3.04

-24.56%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$18.5K ₾49.0K

38.03%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$20.0K ₾53.0K

29.82%

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

$221 $221

$73.7 ₾196

200.45%

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

$49.98 $49.98

$11.64 ₾30.90

329.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.0 $74.0

$17.84 ₾47.38

314.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.34 $49.34

$60.1 ₾160

-17.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.02 $20.02

$16.80 ₾44.62

19.17%

Cinema Ticket

$12.11 $12.11

$6.60 ₾17.54

83.48%

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

$1,262 $1,262

$266 ₾707

373.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.5K $24.5K

$5,191 ₾13.8K

371.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.5 $67.5

$77.7 ₾206

-13.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.90 $47.90

$44.75 ₾119

7.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$117 ₾310

-13.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$113 ₾300

1.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 $1,236

$693 ₾1,839

78.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,087 $1,087

$462 ₾1,226

135.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,380 $2,380

$1,320 ₾3,504

80.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 $1,530

$774 ₾2,056

97.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,800 $3,800

$2,430 ₾6,454

56.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,920 $1,920

$1,446 ₾3,839

32.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,641 $3,641

$673 ₾1,786

441.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

11.89

-45.92%

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

Last update for Iowa City, IA: May 31, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,236 in Iowa City, IA and $693 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iowa City, IA pays 441% 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: $76.0 in Iowa City, IA vs $43.00 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $353 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

Iowa City, IA vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 95% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Iowa City, IA pays 441% 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: $1,236 in Iowa City, IA 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 12% less than in Iowa City, IA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,262 in Iowa City, IA 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 $2,352 in Iowa City, IA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Iowa City, IA. 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 Iowa City, IA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Iowa City, IA 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 95% less than in Iowa City, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.