Cost of Living Comparison Between Joensuu and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Joensuu and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,896 in Joensuu versus $1,197 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,817 in Joensuu versus $1,868 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,737 in Joensuu versus $2,538 in Tbilisi.

Living in Joensuu is roughly 58% more expensive than in Tbilisi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Joensuu is 42% above, Tbilisi is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.19 €13.29

$10.82 ₾28.39

40.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €60.6

$43.85 ₾115

57.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.78 €10.31

$8.31 ₾21.80

41.76%

Cappuccino

$3.73 €3.26

$2.97 ₾7.78

25.59%

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

$1.78 €1.55

$0.77 ₾2.01

131.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.20

$0.46 ₾1.20

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.68 €6.72

$2.14 ₾5.63

258.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.74 €5.90

$2.87 ₾7.52

134.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 €1.21

$1.90 ₾4.99

-26.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 €1.94

$0.71 ₾1.86

212.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 €1.98

$1.91 ₾5.00

18.85%

Eggs

$2.86 €2.50

$2.48 ₾6.52

15.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.37 €7.33

$7.74 ₾20.29

8.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.74 €12.02

$6.18 ₾16.21

122.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.20 €18.55

$9.57 ₾25.12

121.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 €1.82

$1.17 ₾3.06

77.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 €1.60

$1.65 ₾4.34

10.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 €2.03

$1.85 ₾4.84

25.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.73 €4.14

$2.33 ₾6.11

103.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 €1.28

$0.71 ₾1.85

107.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 €1.66

$0.67 ₾1.76

183.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.73 €1.51

$1.19 ₾3.12

45.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 €1.22

$0.66 ₾1.72

112.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.45 €10.89

$2.92 ₾7.65

326.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.84 €12.11

$7.69 ₾20.18

79.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 €2.65

$1.59 ₾4.18

90.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 €3.11

$2.31 ₾6.06

53.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.30 €3.76

$0.38 ₾1.01

1031.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.8 €62.0

$14.76 ₾38.72

379.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.14 €6.25

$1.50 ₾3.92

376.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.22 €1.94

$0.68 ₾1.77

226.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$62.4 €54.6

$7.26 ₾19.04

760.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 €1.83

$1.09 ₾2.87

91.74%

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

$34.3K €30.0K

$18.6K ₾48.8K

84.40%

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

$38.8K €33.9K

$20.5K ₾53.7K

89.48%

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

$171 €149

$73.0 ₾192

133.90%

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

$26.22 €22.94

$11.97 ₾31.41

119.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.68 €17.22

$18.00 ₾47.22

9.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 €49.78

$61.0 ₾160

-6.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.40 €20.47

$16.52 ₾43.34

41.65%

Cinema Ticket

$16.26 €14.22

$6.70 ₾17.58

142.69%

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

$288 €252

$269 ₾705

7.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K €9,696

$5,152 ₾13.5K

115.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 €92.3

$76.5 ₾201

37.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.23 €22.95

$43.41 ₾114

-39.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 €76.3

$120 ₾316

-27.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 €132

$111 ₾290

36.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$801 €701

$687 ₾1,803

16.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 €605

$470 ₾1,234

47.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,196 €1,046

$1,353 ₾3,550

-11.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,005 €879

$789 ₾2,069

27.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,149 €1,880

$2,468 ₾6,473

-12.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,793 €1,569

$1,456 ₾3,818

23.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,168 €3,647

$659 ₾1,729

532.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.19

11.89

-73.17%

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

Last update for Joensuu: July 11, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $801 in Joensuu and $687 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Joensuu pays 532% 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: $69.0 in Joensuu vs $44.00 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $350 vs $205 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

Joensuu vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Joensuu and Tbilisi differ by about 58% in total monthly costs ($1,896 vs $1,197 including rent). Tbilisi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 532% higher in Joensuu, 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: $801 in Joensuu versus $687 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 70% higher in Joensuu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Tbilisi – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $69.0 in Joensuu. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,197 in Tbilisi versus $1,896 in Joensuu, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Joensuu. 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, Joensuu 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 58% less than in Joensuu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.