Cost of Living Comparison Between Kaลกtela and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Kaลกtela and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,395 in Kaลกtela versus $1,209 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,164 in Kaลกtela versus $1,867 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,932 in Kaลกtela versus $2,526 in Tbilisi.

Living in Kaลกtela is roughly 15% more expensive than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kaลกtela is 4% above, Tbilisi is 10% below.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Kaลกtela
Tbilisi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.28 โ‚ฌ14.00
$10.80 โ‚พ28.71
50.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.7 โ‚ฌ69.4
$43.18 โ‚พ115
86.80%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.51 โ‚ฌ8.18
$8.29 โ‚พ22.04
14.72%
Cappuccino
$2.81 โ‚ฌ2.42
$3.00 โ‚พ7.97
-6.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.56 โ‚ฌ3.06
$0.82 โ‚พ2.17
334.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.64 โ‚ฌ2.27
$0.46 โ‚พ1.21
473.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.60 โ‚ฌ3.96
$2.23 โ‚พ5.93
106.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.74 โ‚ฌ3.22
$2.92 โ‚พ7.75
28.08%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Kaลกtela
Tbilisi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 โ‚ฌ1.19
$1.93 โ‚พ5.12
-28.50%
White Bread (500g)
$1.55 โ‚ฌ1.33
$0.68 โ‚พ1.81
127.94%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.03 โ‚ฌ2.61
$1.88 โ‚พ5.00
61.17%
Eggs
$3.81 โ‚ฌ3.27
$2.54 โ‚พ6.74
50.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.59 โ‚ฌ8.25
$7.42 โ‚พ19.70
29.25%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.76 โ‚ฌ8.40
$6.19 โ‚พ16.44
57.67%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.55 โ‚ฌ10.80
$9.36 โ‚พ24.87
34.08%
Apples (1kg)
$1.69 โ‚ฌ1.46
$1.22 โ‚พ3.25
38.52%
Banana (1kg)
$1.65 โ‚ฌ1.42
$1.66 โ‚พ4.40
-0.60%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.12 โ‚ฌ1.82
$1.80 โ‚พ4.78
17.78%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.36 โ‚ฌ2.03
$2.24 โ‚พ5.96
5.36%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 โ‚ฌ1.30
$0.71 โ‚พ1.89
112.68%
Onion (1kg)
$1.45 โ‚ฌ1.25
$0.67 โ‚พ1.79
116.42%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.42 โ‚ฌ1.22
$1.18 โ‚พ3.13
20.34%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.26 โ‚ฌ1.08
$0.66 โ‚พ1.76
90.91%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.74 โ‚ฌ4.94
$2.98 โ‚พ7.91
92.62%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.34 โ‚ฌ6.31
$7.61 โ‚พ20.22
-3.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.37 โ‚ฌ1.18
$1.54 โ‚พ4.08
-11.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.18 โ‚ฌ1.01
$2.25 โ‚พ5.99
-47.56%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Kaลกtela
Tbilisi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.33 โ‚ฌ2.00
$0.36 โ‚พ0.95
547.22%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$37.76 โ‚ฌ32.48
$14.44 โ‚พ38.38
161.50%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.44 โ‚ฌ2.96
$1.49 โ‚พ3.97
130.87%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.04 โ‚ฌ1.76
$0.68 โ‚พ1.82
200.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.29 โ‚ฌ7.99
$7.23 โ‚พ19.20
28.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.70 โ‚ฌ1.47
$1.14 โ‚พ3.04
49.12%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.5K โ‚ฌ33.1K
$18.5K โ‚พ49.1K
108.46%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K โ‚ฌ22.9K
$20.0K โ‚พ53.1K
33.31%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kaลกtela
Tbilisi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$184 โ‚ฌ158
$73.7 โ‚พ196
149.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.06 โ‚ฌ20.69
$11.64 โ‚พ30.92
106.70%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$25.56 โ‚ฌ21.99
$17.84 โ‚พ47.41
43.27%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Kaลกtela
Tbilisi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.6 โ‚ฌ50.4
$60.1 โ‚พ160
-2.56%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.59 โ‚ฌ12.55
$16.80 โ‚พ44.65
-13.15%
Cinema Ticket
$9.29 โ‚ฌ7.99
$6.60 โ‚พ17.55
40.76%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Kaลกtela
Tbilisi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$187 โ‚ฌ161
$266 โ‚พ708
-29.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,402 โ‚ฌ1,206
$5,191 โ‚พ13.8K
-72.98%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Kaลกtela
Tbilisi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$83.5 โ‚ฌ71.8
$77.7 โ‚พ206
7.40%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$27.96 โ‚ฌ24.05
$44.75 โ‚พ119
-37.52%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 โ‚ฌ92.2
$117 โ‚พ310
-8.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 โ‚ฌ89.4
$113 โ‚พ300
-7.94%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Kaลกtela
Tbilisi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$481 โ‚ฌ414
$693 โ‚พ1,840
-30.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$346 โ‚ฌ298
$462 โ‚พ1,227
-24.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$619 โ‚ฌ532
$1,320 โ‚พ3,507
-53.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$554 โ‚ฌ476
$774 โ‚พ2,057
-28.45%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,420 โ‚ฌ2,942
$2,430 โ‚พ6,458
40.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,463 โ‚ฌ2,118
$1,446 โ‚พ3,842
70.31%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Kaลกtela
Tbilisi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$926 โ‚ฌ797
$673 โ‚พ1,788
37.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.35
11.89
-63.41%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Kaลกtela: May 31, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $481 in Kaลกtela and $693 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kaลกtela pays 38% 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: $81.0 in Kaลกtela vs $43.00 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $263 vs $203 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
Kaลกtela vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Kaลกtela and Tbilisi?
Kaลกtela and Tbilisi differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($1,395 vs $1,209 including rent). Tbilisi is meaningfully more affordable โ€“ a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Kaลกtela or Tbilisi?
Kaลกtela pays 38% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Kaลกtela and Tbilisi?
Rent for a central apartment: $481 in Kaลกtela versus $693 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Kaลกtela and Tbilisi?
A monthly transit pass in Tbilisi runs roughly 161% less than in Kaลกtela. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Kaลกtela and Tbilisi?
Childcare runs $187 in Kaลกtela versus $266 in Tbilisi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,209 in Tbilisi versus $1,395 in Kaลกtela, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Kaลกtela. The gap between the two cities makes Tbilisi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Kaลกtela and Tbilisi?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better โ€“ the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Kaลกtela or Tbilisi safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Kaลกtela 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.
Where should expats move: Kaลกtela or Tbilisi?
Expats usually find Tbilisi gentler on the wallet โ€“ expenses run 15% less than in Kaลกtela. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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