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: $2,475 in Merced, CA versus $1,209 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,618 in Merced, CA versus $1,867 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,761 in Merced, CA versus $2,526 in Tbilisi.

Living in Merced, CA is roughly 105% more expensive than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Merced, CA is 85% above, Tbilisi is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.29 $20.29

$10.80 ₾28.71

87.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.11 $40.11

$43.18 ₾115

-7.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.72 $11.72

$8.29 ₾22.04

41.38%

Cappuccino

$5.91 $5.91

$3.00 ₾7.97

97.00%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$0.82 ₾2.17

275.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.46 ₾1.21

341.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.09 $9.09

$2.23 ₾5.93

307.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.96 $9.96

$2.92 ₾7.75

241.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 $1.18

$1.93 ₾5.12

-38.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 $2.73

$0.68 ₾1.81

301.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.30 $3.30

$1.88 ₾5.00

75.53%

Eggs

$4.80 $4.80

$2.54 ₾6.74

88.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.80 $10.80

$7.42 ₾19.70

45.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.45 $15.45

$6.19 ₾16.44

149.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.27 $17.27

$9.36 ₾24.87

84.51%

Apples (1kg)

$5.90 $5.90

$1.22 ₾3.25

383.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.66 ₾4.40

53.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.80 ₾4.78

-17.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$2.24 ₾5.96

100.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 $2.10

$0.71 ₾1.89

195.77%

Onion (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$0.67 ₾1.79

379.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.18 ₾3.13

-13.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$0.66 ₾1.76

321.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.27 $10.27

$2.98 ₾7.91

244.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.14 $15.14

$7.61 ₾20.22

98.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.54 ₾4.08

52.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 $3.30

$2.25 ₾5.99

46.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.47 $1.47

$0.36 ₾0.95

308.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.6 $59.6

$14.44 ₾38.38

312.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 $3.09

$1.49 ₾3.97

107.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$0.68 ₾1.82

144.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.91 $26.91

$7.23 ₾19.20

272.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.14 ₾3.04

7.89%

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

$29.9K $29.9K

$18.5K ₾49.1K

61.77%

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

$27.0K $27.0K

$20.0K ₾53.1K

35.42%

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

$273 $273

$73.7 ₾196

270.47%

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

$34.82 $34.82

$11.64 ₾30.92

199.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.1 $67.1

$17.84 ₾47.41

276.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.49 $33.49

$60.1 ₾160

-44.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.15 $14.15

$16.80 ₾44.65

-15.77%

Cinema Ticket

$15.73 $15.73

$6.60 ₾17.55

138.33%

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

$1,942 $1,942

$266 ₾708

629.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.4K $26.4K

$5,191 ₾13.8K

408.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$77.7 ₾206

-32.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.16 $44.16

$44.75 ₾119

-1.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 $88.7

$117 ₾310

-24.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 $139

$113 ₾300

23.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 $1,641

$693 ₾1,840

136.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,073 $1,073

$462 ₾1,227

132.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,960 $1,960

$1,320 ₾3,507

48.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,894 $1,894

$774 ₾2,057

144.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,870 $2,870

$2,430 ₾6,458

18.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,857 $2,857

$1,446 ₾3,842

97.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,286 $3,286

$673 ₾1,788

388.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

11.89

-46.51%

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

Last update for Merced, CA: June 2, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,641 in Merced, CA and $693 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Merced, CA pays 388% 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 $43.00 in Tbilisi. Groceries flip the comparison at $405 vs $203, with Tbilisi cheaper for home cooking.

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 105% in total monthly costs ($2,475 vs $1,209 including rent). Tbilisi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Merced, CA pays 388% more on average, 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: $1,641 in Merced, CA versus $693 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,942 in Merced, CA versus $266 in Tbilisi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 99% higher in Merced, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,209 in Tbilisi versus $2,475 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 105% less than in Merced, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.