Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Elizabeth and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Elizabeth and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,158 per month in Port Elizabeth vs $1,209 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,839 per month in Port Elizabeth vs $1,867 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,519 per month in Port Elizabeth vs $2,526 in Tbilisi, rent included.

Port Elizabeth is about 4% cheaper than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Port Elizabeth and Tbilisi are more affordable than the global median – Port Elizabeth 14% lower, Tbilisi 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.00 R 146

$10.80 ₾28.71

-16.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.72 R 727

$43.18 ₾115

3.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.30 R 86.2

$8.29 ₾22.04

-36.07%

Cappuccino

$2.23 R 36.16

$3.00 ₾7.97

-25.67%

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

$1.17 R 19.08

$0.82 ₾2.17

42.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 R 16.83

$0.46 ₾1.21

126.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 R 40.57

$2.23 ₾5.93

12.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 R 47.99

$2.92 ₾7.75

1.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 R 18.12

$1.93 ₾5.12

-41.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 R 15.13

$0.68 ₾1.81

36.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 R 23.17

$1.88 ₾5.00

-23.94%

Eggs

$2.49 R 40.42

$2.54 ₾6.74

-1.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.86 R 128

$7.42 ₾19.70

5.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 R 79.0

$6.19 ₾16.44

-21.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.05 R 131

$9.36 ₾24.87

-14.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 R 27.26

$1.22 ₾3.25

37.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 R 22.98

$1.66 ₾4.40

-15.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 R 25.81

$1.80 ₾4.78

-11.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 R 26.34

$2.24 ₾5.96

-27.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 R 24.31

$0.71 ₾1.89

111.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 R 18.10

$0.67 ₾1.79

65.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 R 19.37

$1.18 ₾3.13

0.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 R 15.05

$0.66 ₾1.76

40.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 R 48.15

$2.98 ₾7.91

-0.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.00 R 81.2

$7.61 ₾20.22

-34.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 R 18.88

$1.54 ₾4.08

-24.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 R 27.87

$2.25 ₾5.99

-24.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 R 17.79

$0.36 ₾0.95

202.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.50 R 561

$14.44 ₾38.38

138.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 R 43.49

$1.49 ₾3.97

79.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 R 7.22

$0.68 ₾1.82

-35.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.04 R 131

$7.23 ₾19.20

11.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R 20.92

$1.14 ₾3.04

13.16%

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

$23.5K R 382.4K

$18.5K ₾49.1K

27.50%

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

$25.5K R 413.8K

$20.0K ₾53.1K

27.53%

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

$118 R 1,913

$73.7 ₾196

59.80%

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

$32.46 R 527

$11.64 ₾30.92

178.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.22 R 719

$17.84 ₾47.41

147.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.98 R 471

$60.1 ₾160

-51.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.80 R 338

$16.80 ₾44.65

23.81%

Cinema Ticket

$9.52 R 155

$6.60 ₾17.55

44.24%

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

$164 R 2,661

$266 ₾708

-38.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,714 R 76.6K

$5,191 ₾13.8K

-9.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.6 R 1,083

$77.7 ₾206

-14.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.40 R 608

$44.75 ₾119

-16.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 R 1,524

$117 ₾310

-19.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.5 R 1,471

$113 ₾300

-19.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$587 R 9,532

$693 ₾1,840

-15.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 R 7,276

$462 ₾1,227

-3.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 R 18.1K

$1,320 ₾3,507

-15.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$871 R 14.2K

$774 ₾2,057

12.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$776 R 12.6K

$2,430 ₾6,458

-68.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$545 R 8,864

$1,446 ₾3,842

-62.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,620 R 26.3K

$673 ₾1,788

140.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.04

11.89

1.26%

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

Last update for Port Elizabeth: May 31, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $587 in Port Elizabeth 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 141% higher in Port Elizabeth, 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 $45.00 in Port Elizabeth versus $43.00 in Tbilisi. Groceries tell a different story – $181 in Port Elizabeth vs $203 in Tbilisi – so Port Elizabeth 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

Port Elizabeth vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi costs about 4% more than Port Elizabeth, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,737 per month in Port Elizabeth 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 Port Elizabeth, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Port Elizabeth and $43.00 in Tbilisi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Port Elizabeth, where all-in costs run around $1,158, than in Tbilisi at $1,209. In Port Elizabeth it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Port Elizabeth costs $1,158 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 Port Elizabeth. 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.