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: $2,467 in Merced, CA versus $1,197 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,652 in Merced, CA versus $1,868 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,836 in Merced, CA versus $2,538 in Tbilisi.

Living in Merced, CA is roughly 106% more expensive than in 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

$20.30 $20.30

$10.82 ₾28.39

87.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.25 $40.25

$43.85 ₾115

-8.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.63 $11.63

$8.31 ₾21.80

39.95%

Cappuccino

$5.95 $5.95

$2.97 ₾7.78

100.34%

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

$3.05 $3.05

$0.77 ₾2.01

296.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.46 ₾1.20

341.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.80 $8.80

$2.14 ₾5.63

311.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.14 $10.14

$2.87 ₾7.52

253.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.90 ₾4.99

-38.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.83 $2.83

$0.71 ₾1.86

298.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.22 $3.22

$1.91 ₾5.00

68.59%

Eggs

$4.96 $4.96

$2.48 ₾6.52

100.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 $11.10

$7.74 ₾20.29

43.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.17 $15.17

$6.18 ₾16.21

145.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.78 $17.78

$9.57 ₾25.12

85.79%

Apples (1kg)

$5.96 $5.96

$1.17 ₾3.06

409.40%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.65 ₾4.34

49.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.85 ₾4.84

-20.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$2.33 ₾6.11

91.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 $2.11

$0.71 ₾1.85

197.18%

Onion (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$0.67 ₾1.76

401.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.19 ₾3.12

-17.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 $2.90

$0.66 ₾1.72

339.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.20 $10.20

$2.92 ₾7.65

249.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.46 $15.46

$7.69 ₾20.18

101.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.59 ₾4.18

43.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 $3.41

$2.31 ₾6.06

47.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 $1.52

$0.38 ₾1.01

300.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.2 $60.2

$14.76 ₾38.72

308.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 $3.08

$1.50 ₾3.92

105.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 $1.71

$0.68 ₾1.77

151.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.86 $26.86

$7.26 ₾19.04

269.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.09 ₾2.87

12.84%

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

$29.4K $29.4K

$18.6K ₾48.8K

58.02%

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

$27.0K $27.0K

$20.5K ₾53.7K

31.93%

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

$274 $274

$73.0 ₾192

275.86%

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

$34.81 $34.81

$11.97 ₾31.41

190.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 $66.9

$18.00 ₾47.22

271.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.45 $33.45

$61.0 ₾160

-45.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.79 $13.79

$16.52 ₾43.34

-16.53%

Cinema Ticket

$15.68 $15.68

$6.70 ₾17.58

134.03%

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

$1,979 $1,979

$269 ₾705

636.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.9K $25.9K

$5,152 ₾13.5K

401.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 $53.1

$76.5 ₾201

-30.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.10 $44.10

$43.41 ₾114

1.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.1 $89.1

$120 ₾316

-26.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 $139

$111 ₾290

26.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,652 $1,652

$687 ₾1,803

140.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,067 $1,067

$470 ₾1,234

126.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,011 $2,011

$1,353 ₾3,550

48.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,878 $1,878

$789 ₾2,069

138.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,861 $2,861

$2,468 ₾6,473

15.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,942 $2,942

$1,456 ₾3,818

102.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,302 $3,302

$659 ₾1,729

400.95%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,652 in Merced, CA and $687 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Merced, CA pays 401% 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 $44.00 in Tbilisi. Groceries flip the comparison at $409 vs $205, 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 106% in total monthly costs ($2,467 vs $1,197 including rent). Tbilisi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 401% 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: $1,652 in Merced, CA versus $687 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,979 in Merced, CA versus $269 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 $1,197 in Tbilisi versus $2,467 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 106% less than in Merced, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.