Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Johannesburg and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,149 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,197 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,813 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,868 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,476 per month in Johannesburg vs $2,538 in Tbilisi, rent included.

Johannesburg is about 4% cheaper than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Johannesburg and Tbilisi are more affordable than the global median – Johannesburg 14% lower, Tbilisi 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.15 R 184

$10.82 ₾28.38

3.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.18 R 746

$43.85 ₾115

3.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.89 R 80.7

$8.31 ₾21.79

-41.16%

Cappuccino

$2.17 R 35.74

$2.97 ₾7.78

-26.94%

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

$0.99 R 16.29

$0.77 ₾2.01

28.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 R 12.70

$0.46 ₾1.20

67.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.68 R 44.16

$2.14 ₾5.63

25.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 R 42.80

$2.87 ₾7.52

-9.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R 19.12

$1.90 ₾4.99

-38.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 R 18.00

$0.71 ₾1.86

53.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 R 27.24

$1.91 ₾5.00

-13.61%

Eggs

$2.45 R 40.46

$2.48 ₾6.52

-1.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.43 R 139

$7.74 ₾20.29

8.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.77 R 78.7

$6.18 ₾16.20

-22.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.56 R 108

$9.57 ₾25.11

-31.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 R 27.52

$1.17 ₾3.06

42.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 R 25.00

$1.65 ₾4.34

-8.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.58

$1.85 ₾4.84

-19.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 R 26.53

$2.33 ₾6.11

-30.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.66

$0.71 ₾1.85

109.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 R 22.98

$0.67 ₾1.76

107.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 R 17.96

$1.19 ₾3.12

-8.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 R 15.52

$0.66 ₾1.72

42.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.16 R 52.1

$2.92 ₾7.65

8.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.04 R 99.7

$7.69 ₾20.17

-21.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 R 21.41

$1.59 ₾4.18

-18.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 R 27.66

$2.31 ₾6.06

-27.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 R 28.34

$0.38 ₾1.01

352.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.3 R 1,176

$14.76 ₾38.71

382.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 R 18.23

$1.50 ₾3.92

-26.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 R 15.90

$0.68 ₾1.77

41.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.09 R 67.4

$7.26 ₾19.03

-43.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R 21.15

$1.09 ₾2.87

17.43%

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

$22.2K R 366.1K

$18.6K ₾48.8K

19.21%

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

$23.5K R 388.6K

$20.5K ₾53.7K

15.04%

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

$118 R 1,940

$73.0 ₾191

61.05%

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

$40.44 R 667

$11.97 ₾31.40

237.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.11 R 695

$18.00 ₾47.21

133.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.88 R 559

$61.0 ₾160

-44.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.59 R 224

$16.52 ₾43.33

-17.74%

Cinema Ticket

$7.07 R 117

$6.70 ₾17.58

5.52%

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

$204 R 3,366

$269 ₾705

-24.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,903 R 80.9K

$5,152 ₾13.5K

-4.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 R 839

$76.5 ₾201

-33.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.65 R 555

$43.41 ₾114

-22.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.4 R 1,524

$120 ₾316

-23.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.3 R 1,308

$111 ₾290

-28.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$414 R 6,830

$687 ₾1,802

-39.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 R 6,028

$470 ₾1,234

-22.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$907 R 15.0K

$1,353 ₾3,549

-32.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$694 R 11.4K

$789 ₾2,069

-12.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,043 R 17.2K

$2,468 ₾6,472

-57.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$761 R 12.6K

$1,456 ₾3,817

-47.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 R 28.6K

$659 ₾1,729

163.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.51

11.89

-3.20%

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

Last update for Johannesburg: July 13, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $414 in Johannesburg versus $687 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 run about 163% higher in Johannesburg, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Johannesburg versus $44.00 in Tbilisi. Groceries tell a different story – $184 in Johannesburg vs $205 in Tbilisi – so Johannesburg wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Johannesburg vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi costs about 4% more than Johannesburg, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,724 per month in Johannesburg and $1,796 in Tbilisi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Johannesburg, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Johannesburg and $44.00 in Tbilisi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,149 in Johannesburg and $1,197 in Tbilisi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Johannesburg, where all-in costs run around $1,149, than in Tbilisi at $1,197. In Johannesburg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Johannesburg costs $1,149 versus $1,197 in Tbilisi. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Johannesburg. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tbilisi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.