Cost of Living Comparison Between Karaj and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Karaj and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $541 in Karaj versus $1,218 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $985 in Karaj versus $1,853 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,428 in Karaj versus $2,489 in Tbilisi.

Living in Karaj costs roughly 56% less than in Tbilisi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Karaj 60% lower, Tbilisi 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.09 $4.09

$10.85 ₾28.75

-62.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.69 $17.69

$44.17 ₾117

-59.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.90 $4.90

$8.28 ₾21.94

-40.82%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.64 $0.64

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

Cappuccino

$1.31 $1.31

$3.02 ₾8.00

-56.62%

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

$0.45 $0.45

$0.76 ₾2.02

-40.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 $1.07

$0.46 ₾1.22

132.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ₾5.93

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.95

Milk (1 liter)

$0.64 $0.64

$1.93 ₾5.11

-66.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 $0.57

$0.72 ₾1.91

-20.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.84 ₾4.87

0.54%

Eggs

$1.01 $1.01

$2.45 ₾6.48

-58.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.51 $3.51

$7.43 ₾19.67

-52.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$6.48 ₾17.16

-48.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.55 $10.55

$9.70 ₾25.70

8.76%

Apples (1kg)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.20 ₾3.18

-30.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.56 ₾4.14

-8.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.79 ₾4.75

-54.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 $0.47

$2.23 ₾5.90

-78.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.45 $0.45

$0.65 ₾1.73

-30.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 $0.47

$0.68 ₾1.79

-30.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 $0.63

$1.19 ₾3.16

-47.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.22 $0.22

$0.70 ₾1.86

-68.57%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.61 $0.61

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 $0.49

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 $1.37

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.95 ₾7.82

-16.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 ₾19.41

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₾4.02

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.95

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 $0.18

$0.36 ₾0.95

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.82 $12.82

$14.60 ₾38.68

-12.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 $0.31

$1.50 ₾3.97

-79.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 $0.29

$0.73 ₾1.92

-60.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.53 $2.53

$7.45 ₾19.74

-66.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.71 $0.71

$1.14 ₾3.01

-37.72%

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

$80.4K $80.4K

$18.5K ₾49.0K

334.10%

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

$54.0K $54.0K

$20.3K ₾53.6K

166.59%

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

$13.74 $13.74

$73.9 ₾196

-81.40%

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

$2.10 $2.10

$11.71 ₾31.01

-82.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.74 $5.74

$18.16 ₾48.09

-68.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.57 $22.57

$61.7 ₾163

-63.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.19 $10.19

$16.66 ₾44.12

-38.84%

Cinema Ticket

$1.54 $1.54

$6.61 ₾17.50

-76.70%

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

$127 $127

$264 ₾700

-51.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$814 $814

$5,145 ₾13.6K

-84.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.87 $24.87

$74.9 ₾198

-66.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.58 $34.58

$43.98 ₾117

-21.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.2 $98.2

$118 ₾312

-16.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.0 $61.0

$114 ₾301

-46.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$364 $364

$692 ₾1,833

-47.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 $194

$454 ₾1,203

-57.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$872 $872

$1,323 ₾3,504

-34.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 $623

$789 ₾2,089

-20.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,264 $1,264

$2,431 ₾6,440

-48.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$544 $544

$1,441 ₾3,818

-62.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$243 $243

$645 ₾1,709

-62.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.67

11.89

90.66%

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

Last update for Karaj: June 7, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $364 in Karaj and $692 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 165% 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: $18.00 in Karaj vs $44.00 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $108 vs $204 per month, with Karaj cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Karaj vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karaj and Tbilisi differ by about 125% in total monthly costs ($541 vs $1,218 including rent). Karaj is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Tbilisi earns 165% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $364 in Karaj versus $692 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 89% higher in Tbilisi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Karaj – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $44.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $541 in Karaj versus $1,218 in Tbilisi, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Karaj but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Karaj 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, Karaj 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 Karaj gentler on the wallet – expenses run 125% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.