Cost of Living Comparison Between Nairobi and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Nairobi and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $782 per month in Nairobi vs $1,209 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,305 per month in Nairobi vs $1,867 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,828 per month in Nairobi vs $2,526 in Tbilisi, rent included.

Nairobi is about 35% cheaper than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Nairobi and Tbilisi are more affordable than the global median – Nairobi 42% lower, Tbilisi 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.35 KES 692

$10.80 ₾28.68

-50.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.02 KES 4,917

$43.18 ₾115

-11.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.91 KES 894

$8.29 ₾22.02

-16.65%

Cappuccino

$2.39 KES 309

$3.00 ₾7.96

-20.33%

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

$0.71 KES 91.8

$0.82 ₾2.17

-13.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 KES 65.5

$0.46 ₾1.21

10.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 KES 298

$2.23 ₾5.93

3.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 KES 385

$2.92 ₾7.74

1.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 KES 121

$1.93 ₾5.11

-51.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 KES 68.1

$0.68 ₾1.81

-22.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 KES 212

$1.88 ₾4.99

-12.77%

Eggs

$1.69 KES 218

$2.54 ₾6.73

-33.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.74 KES 1,518

$7.42 ₾19.69

58.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.84 KES 884

$6.19 ₾16.42

10.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.44 KES 704

$9.36 ₾24.85

-41.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 KES 392

$1.22 ₾3.25

148.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 KES 140

$1.66 ₾4.40

-34.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 KES 269

$1.80 ₾4.78

15.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 KES 135

$2.24 ₾5.95

-53.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 KES 138

$0.71 ₾1.89

49.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 KES 149

$0.67 ₾1.79

71.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 KES 90.8

$1.18 ₾3.13

-40.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 KES 102

$0.66 ₾1.76

19.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 KES 393

$2.98 ₾7.90

2.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.67 KES 1,509

$7.61 ₾20.20

53.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 KES 287

$1.54 ₾4.08

44.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 KES 364

$2.25 ₾5.98

25.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 KES 96.6

$0.36 ₾0.94

108.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.59 KES 3,956

$14.44 ₾38.34

111.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 KES 205

$1.49 ₾3.96

6.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 KES 194

$0.68 ₾1.82

120.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 KES 372

$7.23 ₾19.18

-60.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 KES 202

$1.14 ₾3.03

36.84%

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

$22.0K KES 2.8M

$18.5K ₾49.0K

19.23%

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

$20.4K KES 2.6M

$20.0K ₾53.0K

2.25%

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

$34.70 KES 4,487

$73.7 ₾196

-52.90%

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

$16.60 KES 2,147

$11.64 ₾30.89

42.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.54 KES 5,113

$17.84 ₾47.36

121.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.29 KES 5,598

$60.1 ₾160

-28.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.63 KES 2,667

$16.80 ₾44.61

22.80%

Cinema Ticket

$6.07 KES 785

$6.60 ₾17.53

-8.03%

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

$202 KES 26.1K

$266 ₾707

-24.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,140 KES 1.1M

$5,191 ₾13.8K

56.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.28 KES 2,364

$77.7 ₾206

-76.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.56 KES 3,047

$44.75 ₾119

-47.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.4 KES 8,590

$117 ₾310

-43.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.7 KES 7,326

$113 ₾300

-49.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$450 KES 58.2K

$693 ₾1,839

-34.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$185 KES 23.9K

$462 ₾1,226

-59.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 KES 146.6K

$1,320 ₾3,503

-14.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$417 KES 54.0K

$774 ₾2,055

-46.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,558 KES 201.5K

$2,430 ₾6,452

-35.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$886 KES 114.5K

$1,446 ₾3,839

-38.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$416 KES 53.9K

$673 ₾1,786

-38.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

11.89

24.81%

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

Last update for Nairobi: June 1, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $450 in Nairobi versus $693 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 62% 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 $38.00 in Nairobi versus $43.00 in Tbilisi. Groceries tell a different story – $207 in Nairobi vs $203 in Tbilisi – so Tbilisi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Nairobi vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi costs about 54% more than Nairobi, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,174 per month in Nairobi and $1,813 in Tbilisi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 112% less in Nairobi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $202 per month in Nairobi and $266 in Tbilisi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Nairobi, where all-in costs run around $782, than in Tbilisi at $1,209. In Nairobi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nairobi costs $782 versus $1,209 in Tbilisi. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Nairobi. 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.