Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jimma and Tbilisi

For one person, living is cheaper in Jimma: $1,014 a month against $1,269 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Tbilisi outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Jimma, Ethiopia
Tbilisi, Georgia
Jimma
🇪🇹 Ethiopia
$1,014
/mo nomad
Tbilisi
🇬🇪 Georgia
$1,269
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jimma and in Tbilisi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Jimma and in Tbilisi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,014 per month in Jimma vs $1,269 in Tbilisi, rent included.

  • Jimma $1,014
  • Tbilisi $1,269

A couple spends around $1,403 per month in Jimma vs $2,016 in Tbilisi, rent included.

  • Jimma $1,403
  • Tbilisi $2,016

A family of three spends $1,791 per month in Jimma vs $2,763 in Tbilisi, rent included.

  • Jimma $1,791
  • Tbilisi $2,763

Jimma is about 20% cheaper than Tbilisi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Jimma and Tbilisi are more affordable than the global median – Jimma 26% lower, Tbilisi 7% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Jimma
Tbilisi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.43 ETB 713
$11.63 ₾30.07
-61.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
-
$37.83 ₾97.8
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
-
$9.66 ₾24.98
-
Cappuccino
$1.10 ETB 176
$3.57 ₾9.24
-69.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.53 ETB 85.9
$1.08 ₾2.78
-50.93%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.47 ETB 76.0
$0.56 ₾1.45
-16.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.72 ETB 438
$2.62 ₾6.78
3.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.44 ETB 232
$3.04 ₾7.85
-52.63%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Jimma
Tbilisi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.13 ETB 182
$2.17 ₾5.60
-47.93%
White Bread (500g)
$0.36 ETB 57.7
$0.80 ₾2.06
-55.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.15 ETB 185
$1.74 ₾4.51
-33.91%
Eggs
$3.96 ETB 638
$2.83 ₾7.31
39.93%
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$9.31 ₾24.07
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.29 ETB 1,816
$6.52 ₾16.85
73.16%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.22 ETB 1,805
$12.95 ₾33.50
-13.36%
Apples (1kg)
$2.29 ETB 369
$1.68 ₾4.33
36.31%
Banana (1kg)
$1.09 ETB 175
$1.85 ₾4.79
-41.08%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.31 ETB 533
$1.97 ₾5.10
68.02%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.54 ETB 86.2
$2.42 ₾6.25
-77.69%
Potato (1kg)
$0.55 ETB 88.0
$0.82 ₾2.11
-32.93%
Onion (1kg)
$3.36 ETB 541
$0.74 ₾1.91
354.05%
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$1.34 ₾3.47
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 ETB 86.9
$0.77 ₾2.00
-29.87%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$3.57 ₾9.24
-
Wine (Bottle)
$6.84 ETB 1,100
$7.67 ₾19.83
-10.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.14 ETB 183
$1.70 ₾4.39
-32.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43 ETB 230
$2.40 ₾6.21
-40.42%
🚌 Getting Around
Jimma
Tbilisi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.21 ETB 33.65
$0.40 ₾1.05
-47.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$13.46 ETB 2,165
$15.23 ₾39.38
-11.62%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$1.14 ₾2.95
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$0.78 ₾2.02
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.69 ETB 272
$11.83 ₾30.58
-85.71%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.72 ETB 277
$1.45 ₾3.75
18.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$49.6K ETB 8.0M
$24.6K ₾63.6K
101.89%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$55.5K ETB 8.9M
$22.3K ₾57.8K
148.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Jimma
Tbilisi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$60.2 ETB 9,693
$88.8 ₾230
-32.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.58 ETB 5,725
$13.12 ₾33.93
171.19%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$301 ETB 48.4K
$19.67 ₾50.9
1427.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Jimma
Tbilisi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$33.07 ETB 5,321
$64.1 ₾166
-48.37%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.04 ₾49.24
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$7.12 ₾18.42
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Jimma
Tbilisi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$375 ₾971
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$10.5K ₾27.1K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Jimma
Tbilisi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$104 ₾268
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$90.8 ETB 14.6K
$39.26 ₾102
131.30%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$133 ETB 21.5K
$117 ₾303
13.74%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111 ETB 17.9K
$122 ₾315
-8.51%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Jimma
Tbilisi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$203 ETB 32.6K
$695 ₾1,798
-70.85%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$154 ETB 24.7K
$451 ₾1,167
-65.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$407 ETB 65.6K
$1,355 ₾3,504
-69.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$313 ETB 50.4K
$906 ₾2,343
-65.45%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,192 ETB 352.6K
$2,295 ₾5,934
-4.50%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,138 ETB 183.2K
$1,345 ₾3,478
-15.35%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Jimma
Tbilisi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$223 ETB 35.9K
$664 ₾1,718
-66.39%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9
12.62
-28.68%

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

Last update for Jimma: October 27, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Jimma
–
Tbilisi
$451
Groceries & Markets
Jimma
–
Tbilisi
$234
Eating Out
Jimma
–
Tbilisi
$191
Clothing & Footwear
Jimma
–
Tbilisi
$172
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Jimma
–
Tbilisi
$122
Sport & Entertainment
Jimma
–
Tbilisi
$78
Getting Around
Jimma
–
Tbilisi
$22

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $203 in Jimma versus $695 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 in Tbilisi are about 3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know
🇪🇹 Jimma
🇬🇪 Tbilisi
🕒 Local time
20:17 8:17 PM
21:17 9:17 PM
1 h ahead of Jimma
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
207,573
1,241,700 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GEL, USD, EUR to ETB – Ethiopian Birr Converter

Ethiopian Birr exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 161 ETB (1,000 ETB = 6.22 USD). 1 EUR = 180 ETB (1,000 ETB = 5.57 EUR).

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.387 USD). 1 EUR = 2.89 GEL (1 GEL = 0.346 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Jimma Tbilisi 3,860 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Jimma
  • Tbilisi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Jimma vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jimma cheaper than Tbilisi?
Yes – Tbilisi is pricier by about 25%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,521 per month in Jimma and $1,904 in Tbilisi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Jimma, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $203 there versus $695 in Tbilisi.
How do food prices compare in Jimma and in Tbilisi?
Groceries cost about 19% more in Tbilisi, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 12% less in Jimma. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 enough for either Jimma or Tbilisi?
$1,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,014 in Jimma and $1,269 in Tbilisi, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is it better to live in Jimma or in Tbilisi?
It depends on your priorities. Tbilisi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,014 in Jimma to $1,269 in Tbilisi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Jimma. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tbilisi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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