Cost of Living Comparison Between Palmerston North and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Palmerston North and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,662 in Palmerston North versus $1,197 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,665 in Palmerston North versus $1,868 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,668 in Palmerston North versus $2,538 in Tbilisi.

Living in Palmerston North is roughly 39% more expensive than in Tbilisi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Palmerston North is 24% above, Tbilisi is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.84 NZ$28.83

$10.82 ₾28.39

55.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.5 NZ$124

$43.85 ₾115

65.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.04 NZ$20.62

$8.31 ₾21.80

44.89%

Cappuccino

$3.41 NZ$5.83

$2.97 ₾7.78

14.81%

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

$2.30 NZ$3.93

$0.77 ₾2.01

198.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 NZ$3.56

$0.46 ₾1.20

352.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.36 NZ$12.59

$2.14 ₾5.63

243.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.20 NZ$10.62

$2.87 ₾7.52

116.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 NZ$3.29

$1.90 ₾4.99

1.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 NZ$3.54

$0.71 ₾1.86

191.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 NZ$3.09

$1.91 ₾5.00

-5.24%

Eggs

$5.28 NZ$9.03

$2.48 ₾6.52

112.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.19 NZ$14.03

$7.74 ₾20.29

5.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.27 NZ$15.87

$6.18 ₾16.21

50.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.59 NZ$21.55

$9.57 ₾25.12

31.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 NZ$4.27

$1.17 ₾3.06

113.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 NZ$3.13

$1.65 ₾4.34

10.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.43 NZ$4.16

$1.85 ₾4.84

31.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.48 NZ$5.96

$2.33 ₾6.11

49.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 NZ$3.65

$0.71 ₾1.85

200.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 NZ$3.69

$0.67 ₾1.76

222.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 NZ$3.49

$1.19 ₾3.12

71.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 NZ$1.70

$0.66 ₾1.72

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.47 NZ$35.04

$2.92 ₾7.65

601.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.79 NZ$15.05

$7.69 ₾20.18

14.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 NZ$4.20

$1.59 ₾4.18

54.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.21 NZ$8.93

$2.31 ₾6.06

125.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.59 NZ$7.86

$0.38 ₾1.01

1107.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.29 NZ$51.9

$14.76 ₾38.72

105.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.38 NZ$4.07

$1.50 ₾3.92

58.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 NZ$3.08

$0.68 ₾1.77

164.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.45 NZ$29.88

$7.26 ₾19.04

140.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 NZ$2.81

$1.09 ₾2.87

50.46%

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

$18.4K NZ$31.5K

$18.6K ₾48.8K

-1.19%

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

$21.8K NZ$37.3K

$20.5K ₾53.7K

6.42%

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

$89.6 NZ$153

$73.0 ₾192

22.77%

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

$36.80 NZ$63.0

$11.97 ₾31.41

207.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.79 NZ$81.8

$18.00 ₾47.22

165.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.51 NZ$60.8

$61.0 ₾160

-41.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.17 NZ$22.56

$16.52 ₾43.34

-20.28%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 NZ$15.65

$6.70 ₾17.58

36.42%

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

$993 NZ$1,700

$269 ₾705

269.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,069 NZ$10.4K

$5,152 ₾13.5K

17.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 NZ$97.5

$76.5 ₾201

-25.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.10 NZ$63.5

$43.41 ₾114

-14.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.4 NZ$158

$120 ₾316

-23.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.6 NZ$155

$111 ₾290

-18.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$844 NZ$1,445

$687 ₾1,803

22.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$688 NZ$1,177

$470 ₾1,234

46.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,570 NZ$2,688

$1,353 ₾3,550

16.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,391 NZ$2,382

$789 ₾2,069

76.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,125 NZ$3,638

$2,468 ₾6,473

-13.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,887 NZ$3,231

$1,456 ₾3,818

29.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,576 NZ$4,411

$659 ₾1,729

290.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

11.89

-43.73%

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

Last update for Palmerston North: July 12, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $844 in Palmerston North and $687 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Palmerston North pays 291% 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: $73.0 in Palmerston North vs $44.00 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $205 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

Palmerston North vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Palmerston North and Tbilisi differ by about 39% in total monthly costs ($1,662 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 291% higher in Palmerston North, 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: $844 in Palmerston North versus $687 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $993 in Palmerston North 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 45% higher in Palmerston North. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,197 in Tbilisi versus $1,662 in Palmerston North, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Palmerston North. 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, Palmerston North 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 39% less than in Palmerston North. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.