Cost of Living Comparison Between Karakol and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Karakol and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $431 in Karakol versus $1,185 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $638 in Karakol versus $1,834 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $846 in Karakol versus $2,483 in Tbilisi.

Living in Karakol costs roughly 64% less than in Tbilisi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Karakol 68% lower, Tbilisi 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.31 KGS 202

$11.15 ₾30.00

-79.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.92 KGS 781

$43.13 ₾116

-79.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 ₾22.11

Cappuccino

$1.76 KGS 154

$3.13 ₾8.42

-43.77%

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

$0.56 KGS 48.69

$0.74 ₾2.00

-24.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 KGS 24.21

$0.45 ₾1.22

-37.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.12 KGS 97.6

$2.13 ₾5.74

-47.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 KGS 153

$2.99 ₾8.06

-41.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 KGS 66.8

$1.89 ₾5.09

-59.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.24 KGS 21.05

$0.73 ₾1.97

-67.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 KGS 117

$1.85 ₾4.98

-27.57%

Eggs

$1.69 KGS 148

$2.45 ₾6.58

-31.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.02 KGS 615

$7.85 ₾21.12

-10.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.02 KGS 352

$6.25 ₾16.82

-35.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.70 KGS 499

$9.77 ₾26.28

-41.66%

Apples (1kg)

$0.81 KGS 71.0

$1.21 ₾3.26

-33.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 KGS 122

$1.59 ₾4.28

-12.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.81

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 KGS 97.4

$2.32 ₾6.25

-52.16%

Potato (1kg)

$0.54 KGS 47.42

$0.71 ₾1.91

-23.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.81

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 KGS 30.71

$1.18 ₾3.16

-70.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 KGS 51.1

$0.71 ₾1.92

-18.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.74 KGS 153

$2.92 ₾7.85

-40.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.13 KGS 449

$7.25 ₾19.50

-29.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 KGS 96.9

$1.55 ₾4.17

-28.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 KGS 199

$2.31 ₾6.21

-1.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 KGS 17.75

$0.38 ₾1.03

-47.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.81 ₾39.83

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 KGS 115

$1.48 ₾3.98

-11.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.86

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾20.05

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₾3.10

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

$18.0K ₾48.4K

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

$19.8K ₾53.4K

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

$38.43 KGS 3,363

$73.4 ₾198

-47.67%

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

$4.41 KGS 386

$11.64 ₾31.32

-62.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.54 KGS 835

$17.77 ₾47.79

-46.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.26 KGS 1,335

$60.6 ₾163

-74.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 ₾44.21

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.52

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

$91.1 KGS 7,970

$263 ₾707

-65.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,136 ₾13.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾209

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.39 ₾119

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾317

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.87 KGS 3,052

$114 ₾307

-69.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$229 KGS 20.0K

$693 ₾1,865

-66.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 KGS 15.3K

$462 ₾1,244

-62.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 KGS 24.9K

$1,337 ₾3,597

-78.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 KGS 25.0K

$779 ₾2,096

-63.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,530 ₾6,805

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,430 ₾3,847

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$633 ₾1,702

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

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

Last update for Karakol: April 25, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $229 in Karakol and $693 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $9.00 in Karakol vs $43.00 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $129 vs $206 per month, with Karakol 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

Karakol vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Karakol and Tbilisi differ by about 175% in total monthly costs ($431 vs $1,185 including rent). Karakol is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $646 in Karakol and $1,777 in Tbilisi to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $229 in Karakol versus $693 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 60% higher in Tbilisi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $431 per month in Karakol versus $1,185 in Tbilisi – a 175% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $431 in Karakol versus $1,185 in Tbilisi, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Karakol but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Karakol 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, Karakol 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 Karakol gentler on the wallet – expenses run 175% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.