Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pretoria and Tbilisi

For one person, living costs are similar in Pretoria and in Tbilisi: $1,328 and $1,266 a month, rent and utilities included.

Pretoria
🇿🇦 South Africa
$1,328
/mo nomad
Tbilisi
🇬🇪 Georgia
$1,266
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Pretoria 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 Pretoria and in Tbilisi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,328 per month in Pretoria vs $1,266 in Tbilisi, rent included.

  • Pretoria $1,328
  • Tbilisi $1,266

A couple spends around $2,017 per month in Pretoria vs $2,007 in Tbilisi, rent included.

  • Pretoria $2,017
  • Tbilisi $2,007

A family of three spends $2,707 per month in Pretoria vs $2,749 in Tbilisi, rent included.

  • Pretoria $2,707
  • Tbilisi $2,749

Pretoria costs about 5% more than Tbilisi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Pretoria and Tbilisi are more affordable than the global median – Pretoria 2% lower, Tbilisi 6% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Pretoria
Tbilisi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.04 R 149
$11.34 ₾29.35
-20.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.37 R 616
$39.05 ₾101
-4.30%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.28 R 87.0
$9.63 ₾24.92
-45.17%
Cappuccino
$2.33 R 38.34
$3.46 ₾8.95
-32.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.09 R 17.89
$1.09 ₾2.82
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.89 R 14.72
$0.63 ₾1.62
41.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.58 R 42.58
$2.77 ₾7.17
-6.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.24 R 53.5
$3.10 ₾8.04
4.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Pretoria
Tbilisi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.19 R 19.62
$2.25 ₾5.81
-47.11%
White Bread (500g)
$1.13 R 18.63
$0.80 ₾2.07
41.25%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 R 29.17
$1.76 ₾4.55
0.57%
Eggs
$2.55 R 42.00
$2.75 ₾7.11
-7.27%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.20 R 135
$9.39 ₾24.32
-12.67%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.82 R 79.5
$6.66 ₾17.23
-27.63%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.45 R 123
$12.92 ₾33.45
-42.34%
Apples (1kg)
$1.71 R 28.22
$1.67 ₾4.31
2.40%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 R 26.46
$1.80 ₾4.65
-10.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.78 R 29.30
$1.92 ₾4.97
-7.29%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.62 R 26.66
$2.41 ₾6.24
-32.78%
Potato (1kg)
$1.13 R 18.54
$0.86 ₾2.23
31.40%
Onion (1kg)
$1.18 R 19.39
$0.69 ₾1.80
71.01%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 R 19.33
$1.40 ₾3.62
-16.43%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.33 R 21.97
$0.71 ₾1.85
87.32%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.18 R 52.4
$3.51 ₾9.08
-9.40%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.01 R 82.6
$7.61 ₾19.69
-34.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 R 26.28
$1.63 ₾4.21
-2.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92 R 31.65
$2.31 ₾5.98
-16.88%
🚌 Getting Around
Pretoria
Tbilisi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.81 R 79.2
$0.37 ₾0.96
1200.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$176 R 2,893
$15.67 ₾40.57
1020.55%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.31 R 5.19
$1.14 ₾2.95
-72.81%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.75 R 12.40
$0.79 ₾2.05
-5.06%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.28 R 235
$11.86 ₾30.70
20.40%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 R 25.03
$1.40 ₾3.62
8.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.1K R 578.0K
$24.8K ₾64.2K
41.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.3K R 549.0K
$21.9K ₾56.6K
52.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pretoria
Tbilisi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$152 R 2,505
$89.1 ₾231
70.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$36.95 R 609
$13.21 ₾34.19
179.71%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.42 R 617
$19.76 ₾51.1
89.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Pretoria
Tbilisi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.33 R 516
$64.9 ₾168
-51.73%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.27 R 169
$19.02 ₾49.24
-46.00%
Cinema Ticket
$7.46 R 123
$6.57 ₾17.02
13.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Pretoria
Tbilisi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$261 R 4,300
$377 ₾975
-30.72%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,812 R 128.7K
$10.8K ₾27.9K
-27.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Pretoria
Tbilisi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.8 R 886
$102 ₾265
-47.35%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.62 R 521
$39.70 ₾103
-20.35%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.0 R 1,549
$118 ₾305
-20.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.9 R 1,383
$123 ₾320
-32.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Pretoria
Tbilisi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$456 R 7,514
$666 ₾1,724
-31.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$401 R 6,610
$449 ₾1,163
-10.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$981 R 16.2K
$1,284 ₾3,324
-23.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$749 R 12.3K
$890 ₾2,303
-15.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$875 R 14.4K
$2,425 ₾6,276
-63.92%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$692 R 11.4K
$1,380 ₾3,573
-49.88%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Pretoria
Tbilisi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,420 R 23.4K
$680 ₾1,760
108.86%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.34
12.62
-10.14%

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

Last update for Pretoria: October 12, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Pretoria
$401
Tbilisi
$449 12% $48
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pretoria
$226
Tbilisi
$122 46.1% $104
Getting Around
Pretoria
$199
Tbilisi
$22 88.8% $177
Groceries & Markets
Pretoria
$193
Tbilisi
$234 20.9% $40
Eating Out
Pretoria
$143
Tbilisi
$188 31.1% $45
Clothing & Footwear
Pretoria
$119
Tbilisi
$172 45.5% $54
Sport & Entertainment
Pretoria
$46
Tbilisi
$78 68.8% $32

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $456 in Pretoria 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 109% higher in Pretoria, 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 $37.00 in Pretoria versus $39.00 in Tbilisi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $234 – making Pretoria the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇿🇦 Pretoria
🇬🇪 Tbilisi
🕒 Local time
11:06 11:06 AM
13:06 1:06 PM
2 h ahead of Pretoria
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
741,651 Capital
1,241,700 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

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

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Pretoria Tbilisi 7,690 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Pretoria
  • 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
Pretoria vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tbilisi cheaper than Pretoria?
Yes – Pretoria is pricier by about 5%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,992 per month in Pretoria and $1,899 in Tbilisi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Tbilisi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 1021% less in Tbilisi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $261 per month in Pretoria and $377 in Tbilisi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Pretoria or in Tbilisi?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tbilisi, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Pretoria at $1,328. In Tbilisi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pretoria it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Pretoria or Tbilisi more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Tbilisi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Pretoria or Tbilisi?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Tbilisi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Pretoria makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Pretoria vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?