Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Polokwane and Tbilisi

For one person, living is cheaper in Polokwane: $959 a month against $1,266 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

46

Cost of Living Index in Polokwane
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Polokwane Living Index
62

Cost of Living Index in Tbilisi
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Tbilisi Living Index

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Polokwane

🇿🇦 South Africa

$959

/mo nomad

Tbilisi

🇬🇪 Georgia

$1,266

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Polokwane and in Tbilisi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Polokwane and in Tbilisi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $959 per month in Polokwane vs $1,266 in Tbilisi, rent included.

Polokwane $959
Tbilisi $1,266

A couple spends around $1,417 per month in Polokwane vs $2,007 in Tbilisi, rent included.

Polokwane $1,417
Tbilisi $2,007

A family of three spends $1,875 per month in Polokwane vs $2,749 in Tbilisi, rent included.

Polokwane $1,875
Tbilisi $2,749

Polokwane is about 24% cheaper than Tbilisi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Polokwane and Tbilisi are more affordable than the global median – Polokwane 29% lower, Tbilisi 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.24 R 202

$11.34 ₾29.35

7.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.66 R 489

$39.05 ₾101

-24.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.46 R 123

$9.63 ₾24.92

-22.53%

Cappuccino

$2.38 R 39.26

$3.46 ₾8.95

-31.21%

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

$0.77 R 12.68

$1.09 ₾2.82

-29.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 R 14.47

$0.63 ₾1.62

39.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 R 27.65

$2.77 ₾7.17

-39.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 R 30.95

$3.10 ₾8.04

-39.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 R 21.71

$2.25 ₾5.81

-41.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 R 17.82

$0.80 ₾2.07

35.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 R 28.03

$1.76 ₾4.55

-3.41%

Eggs

$2.65 R 43.69

$2.75 ₾7.11

-3.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.84 R 129

$9.39 ₾24.32

-16.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.59 R 75.6

$6.66 ₾17.23

-31.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.04 R 99.6

$12.92 ₾33.45

-53.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 R 33.19

$1.67 ₾4.31

20.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 R 30.53

$1.80 ₾4.65

2.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 R 29.80

$1.92 ₾4.97

-5.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 R 32.30

$2.41 ₾6.24

-18.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 R 27.49

$0.86 ₾2.23

94.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 R 24.73

$0.69 ₾1.80

117.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 R 18.48

$1.40 ₾3.62

-20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 R 13.46

$0.71 ₾1.85

15.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.68 R 44.22

$3.51 ₾9.08

-23.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.87 R 80.2

$7.61 ₾19.69

-36.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 R 18.88

$1.63 ₾4.21

-29.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 R 26.54

$2.31 ₾5.98

-30.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 R 15.22

$0.37 ₾0.96

148.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.03 R 495

$15.67 ₾40.57

91.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 R 14.41

$1.14 ₾2.95

-23.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.95 R 15.66

$0.79 ₾2.05

20.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.36 R 237

$11.86 ₾30.70

21.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 R 23.52

$1.40 ₾3.62

2.14%

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

$26.1K R 430.1K

$24.8K ₾64.2K

5.31%

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

$28.5K R 469.0K

$21.9K ₾56.6K

30.24%

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

$138 R 2,281

$89.1 ₾231

55.36%

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

$38.10 R 628

$13.21 ₾34.19

188.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.99 R 544

$19.76 ₾51.1

66.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.29 R 384

$64.9 ₾168

-64.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.02 ₾49.24

Cinema Ticket

$8.00 R 132

$6.57 ₾17.02

21.77%

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

$179 R 2,946

$377 ₾975

-52.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,452 R 23.9K

$10.8K ₾27.9K

-86.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.30 R 746

$102 ₾265

-55.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.73 R 622

$39.70 ₾103

-4.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.6 R 1,328

$118 ₾305

-31.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.7 R 1,544

$123 ₾320

-24.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$290 R 4,785

$666 ₾1,724

-56.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$203 R 3,338

$449 ₾1,163

-54.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$420 R 6,922

$1,284 ₾3,324

-67.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$284 R 4,683

$890 ₾2,303

-68.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,425 ₾6,276

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,380 ₾3,573

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,343 R 22.1K

$680 ₾1,760

97.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.91

12.62

-13.55%

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

Last update for Polokwane: October 12, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Polokwane

$210 21.8%

Tbilisi

$122 9.7% 41.7% $87

Accommodation & Living

Polokwane

$203 21.1%

Tbilisi

$449 35.5% 122% $247

Groceries & Markets

Polokwane

$185 19.3%

Tbilisi

$234 18.5% 26.2% $48

Eating Out

Polokwane

$168 17.5%

Tbilisi

$188 14.9% 12.2% $20

Clothing & Footwear

Polokwane

$116 12.1%

Tbilisi

$172 13.6% 48.8% $57

Getting Around

Polokwane

$39 4.1%

Tbilisi

$22 1.8% 43.4% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Polokwane

$39 4.1%

Tbilisi

$78 6.2% 98.6% $39

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $290 in Polokwane versus $666 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 98% higher in Polokwane, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Polokwane versus $39.00 in Tbilisi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $185 vs $234 – making Polokwane the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇿🇦 Polokwane

🇬🇪 Tbilisi

🕒 Local time

19:12 7:12 PM

21:12 9:12 PM

2 h ahead of Polokwane

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

628,999

1,241,700 Capital

💱 Currency

South African Rand ZAR R

Georgian Lari GEL ₾

📈 Exchange rate

100 ZAR = 6.07 USD

100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR

1 GEL = 0.386 USD

1 GEL = 0.344 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

GEL, USD, EUR to ZAR – South African Rand Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇿🇦 South African Rand (R)

South African Rand exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 16.48 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.07 USD). 1 EUR = 18.52 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR).

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.386 USD). 1 EUR = 2.91 GEL (1 GEL = 0.344 EUR).

USD to ZAR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Polokwane Tbilisi 7,460 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Polokwane
Tbilisi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Polokwane vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi costs about 32% more than Polokwane, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,439 per month in Polokwane and $1,899 in Tbilisi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $179 per month in Polokwane and $377 in Tbilisi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% more in Tbilisi, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Polokwane, where all-in costs run around $959, than in Tbilisi at $1,266. In Polokwane it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Polokwane costs $959 versus $1,266 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 Polokwane. 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.