Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mbeya and Tbilisi

For one person, living is cheaper in Mbeya: $426 a month against $1,270 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $10,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

21

Cost of Living Index in Mbeya
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Mbeya Living Index
61

Cost of Living Index in Tbilisi
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Tbilisi Living Index

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Mbeya

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$426

/mo nomad

Tbilisi

🇬🇪 Georgia

$1,270

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mbeya and in Tbilisi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mbeya and in Tbilisi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $426 per month in Mbeya vs $1,270 in Tbilisi, rent included.

Mbeya $426
Tbilisi $1,270

A couple spends around $656 per month in Mbeya vs $2,008 in Tbilisi, rent included.

Mbeya $656
Tbilisi $2,008

A family of three spends $887 per month in Mbeya vs $2,745 in Tbilisi, rent included.

Mbeya $887
Tbilisi $2,745

Mbeya is about 66% cheaper than Tbilisi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Mbeya and Tbilisi are more affordable than the global median – Mbeya 69% lower, Tbilisi 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.51 ₾29.79

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.68 TZS 59.4K

$38.27 ₾99.1

-40.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.77 TZS 20.4K

$9.80 ₾25.36

-20.71%

Cappuccino

$1.52 TZS 3,989

$3.55 ₾9.19

-57.18%

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

$0.37 TZS 958

$1.06 ₾2.74

-65.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 TZS 964

$0.62 ₾1.60

-40.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.72 TZS 1,882

$2.76 ₾7.16

-73.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.77

Milk (1 liter)

$0.55 TZS 1,435

$2.16 ₾5.59

-74.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 TZS 2,430

$0.76 ₾1.96

22.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 TZS 2,414

$1.74 ₾4.51

-47.13%

Eggs

$2.32 TZS 6,067

$2.79 ₾7.21

-16.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.80 TZS 9,949

$9.20 ₾23.83

-58.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 TZS 9,734

$6.53 ₾16.89

-43.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.30 TZS 8,643

$12.81 ₾33.17

-74.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 TZS 3,003

$1.67 ₾4.31

-31.14%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 TZS 2,051

$1.85 ₾4.79

-57.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 TZS 2,581

$1.98 ₾5.13

-50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 TZS 1,917

$2.51 ₾6.49

-70.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 TZS 2,538

$0.87 ₾2.26

11.49%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 TZS 2,053

$0.73 ₾1.89

6.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 TZS 1,465

$1.42 ₾3.67

-60.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 TZS 1,883

$0.72 ₾1.88

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.14 TZS 2,998

$3.38 ₾8.74

-66.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.72 TZS 9,744

$7.84 ₾20.31

-52.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 TZS 2,045

$1.62 ₾4.19

-51.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 TZS 3,038

$2.38 ₾6.15

-51.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 TZS 1,036

$0.37 ₾0.96

8.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.52 ₾40.16

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 TZS 2,891

$1.14 ₾2.94

-3.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 TZS 4,834

$0.79 ₾2.05

134.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 TZS 6,831

$11.57 ₾29.96

-77.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 TZS 3,204

$1.50 ₾3.87

-18.67%

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

$24.6K ₾63.7K

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

$22.4K ₾57.9K

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

$23.68 TZS 62.0K

$88.3 ₾228

-73.17%

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

$18.83 TZS 49.3K

$13.08 ₾33.86

43.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.09 TZS 120.7K

$19.53 ₾50.6

136.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.78 TZS 98.9K

$64.2 ₾166

-41.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.18 ₾49.66

Cinema Ticket

$9.50 TZS 24.9K

$6.99 ₾18.10

35.91%

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

$191 TZS 500.6K

$373 ₾966

-48.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,129 TZS 3.0M

$10.7K ₾27.7K

-89.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.42 TZS 29.9K

$103 ₾266

-88.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.23 TZS 24.2K

$40.48 ₾105

-77.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.08 TZS 50.0K

$116 ₾301

-83.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.12 TZS 68.4K

$122 ₾316

-78.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$114 TZS 297.4K

$677 ₾1,753

-83.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.4 TZS 200.0K

$454 ₾1,176

-83.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$187 TZS 491.0K

$1,277 ₾3,305

-85.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 TZS 292.3K

$890 ₾2,304

-87.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,410 ₾6,238

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,418 ₾3,670

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$191 TZS 501.5K

$703 ₾1,819

-72.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

3.01%

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

Last update for Mbeya: October 19, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Mbeya

$115 26.9%

Tbilisi

$233 18.3% 103% $118

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mbeya

$89 20.8%

Tbilisi

$121 9.5% 36.4% $32

Accommodation & Living

Mbeya

$76 17.9%

Tbilisi

$454 35.8% 495% $378

Sport & Entertainment

Mbeya

$57 13.3%

Tbilisi

$78 6.2% 37.7% $21

Eating Out

Mbeya

$48 * 11.3%

Tbilisi

$191 15% 296% $142

Clothing & Footwear

Mbeya

$30 7%

Tbilisi

$172 13.5% 479% $142

Getting Around

Mbeya

$12 * 2.8%

Tbilisi

$22 1.7% 85.6% $10

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $114 in Mbeya versus $677 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 267% higher in Tbilisi, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Mbeya versus $38.00 in Tbilisi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $115 vs $233 – making Mbeya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇿 Mbeya

🇬🇪 Tbilisi

🕒 Local time

13:48 1:48 PM

14:48 2:48 PM

1 h ahead of Mbeya

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

541,603

1,241,700 Capital

💱 Currency

Tanzanian Shilling TZS Sh

Georgian Lari GEL ₾

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 TZS = 3.82 USD

10,000 TZS = 3.4 EUR

1 GEL = 0.386 USD

1 GEL = 0.344 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

GEL, USD, EUR to TZS – Tanzanian Shilling Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇿 Tanzanian Shilling (Sh)

Tanzanian Shilling exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 2,619 TZS (10,000 TZS = 3.82 USD). 1 EUR = 2,944 TZS (10,000 TZS = 3.4 EUR).

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.386 USD). 1 EUR = 2.91 GEL (1 GEL = 0.344 EUR).

USD to TZS in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Mbeya Tbilisi 5,740 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Mbeya
Tbilisi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Mbeya vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tbilisi is pricier by about 198%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $639 per month in Mbeya and $1,906 in Tbilisi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $426 in Mbeya and $1,270 in Tbilisi. That's a gap of about 198%.

Kindergarten costs $191 per month in Mbeya and $373 in Tbilisi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mbeya, where all-in costs run around $426, than in Tbilisi at $1,270. In Mbeya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mbeya – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Mbeya. 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.