Cost of Living Comparison Between Merced, CA and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Merced, CA and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,518 in Merced, CA versus $1,247 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,680 in Merced, CA versus $2,025 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,841 in Merced, CA versus $2,803 in Tbilisi.

Living in Merced, CA is roughly 102% more expensive than in Tbilisi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Merced, CA is 84% above, Tbilisi is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.60 $17.60

$11.33 ₾29.45

55.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.46 $40.46

$38.71 ₾101

4.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.09 $12.09

$9.52 ₾24.73

27.00%

Cappuccino

$5.97 $5.97

$3.41 ₾8.85

75.07%

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

$2.47 $2.47

$1.04 ₾2.71

137.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 $1.48

$0.64 ₾1.66

131.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.13 $9.13

$2.61 ₾6.79

249.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.12 $10.12

$3.24 ₾8.43

212.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$2.17 ₾5.65

-42.86%

White Bread (500g)

$4.57 $4.57

$0.74 ₾1.92

517.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$1.71 ₾4.45

137.43%

Eggs

$5.74 $5.74

$2.83 ₾7.36

102.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.61 $19.61

$9.22 ₾23.95

112.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.35 $14.35

$6.76 ₾17.55

112.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.25 $22.25

$12.77 ₾33.17

74.24%

Apples (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$1.64 ₾4.26

165.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.77 ₾4.60

13.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.40 $5.40

$1.87 ₾4.85

188.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.44 $5.44

$2.44 ₾6.34

122.95%

Potato (1kg)

$3.65 $3.65

$0.87 ₾2.25

319.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 $2.99

$0.65 ₾1.70

360.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.40 ₾3.64

75.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 $2.57

$0.74 ₾1.93

247.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.75 $11.75

$3.41 ₾8.86

244.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.63 $15.63

$7.60 ₾19.75

105.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.70 ₾4.41

42.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 $3.43

$2.38 ₾6.20

44.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.46 $1.46

$0.36 ₾0.94

305.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.9 $60.9

$15.24 ₾39.60

299.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 $3.01

$1.18 ₾3.07

155.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$0.76 ₾1.97

115.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.71 $26.71

$11.34 ₾29.47

135.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.33 ₾3.46

-3.01%

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

$37.2K $37.2K

$24.7K ₾64.2K

50.38%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$22.0K ₾57.2K

19.33%

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

$237 $237

$88.9 ₾231

166.30%

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

$30.19 $30.19

$13.33 ₾34.63

126.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.3 $83.3

$20.12 ₾52.3

313.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.93 $33.93

$68.7 ₾178

-50.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.01 $14.01

$18.09 ₾47.01

-22.55%

Cinema Ticket

$16.93 $16.93

$6.72 ₾17.46

151.93%

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

$1,789 $1,789

$374 ₾971

378.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.2K $39.2K

$10.7K ₾27.8K

266.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 $60.1

$101 ₾263

-40.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.4 $51.4

$39.33 ₾102

30.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$118 ₾305

-13.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$122 ₾318

-2.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,598 $1,598

$682 ₾1,773

134.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,093 $1,093

$456 ₾1,186

139.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,037 $2,037

$1,303 ₾3,385

56.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,894 $1,894

$899 ₾2,337

110.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 $2,925

$2,449 ₾6,365

19.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,866 $2,866

$1,452 ₾3,774

97.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,236 $3,236

$652 ₾1,695

396.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

12.62

-51.11%

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

Last update for Merced, CA: September 14, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,598 in Merced, CA and $682 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Merced, CA pays 396% 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: $40.00 in Merced, CA vs $39.00 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $485 vs $232 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

Merced, CA vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Merced, CA and Tbilisi differ by about 102% in total monthly costs ($2,518 vs $1,247 including rent). Tbilisi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 396% higher in Merced, CA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,598 in Merced, CA versus $682 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,789 in Merced, CA versus $374 in Tbilisi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 109% higher in Merced, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,247 in Tbilisi versus $2,518 in Merced, CA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Merced, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Tbilisi 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, Merced, CA 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 Tbilisi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 102% less than in Merced, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.