Cost of Living Comparison Between Puntarenas and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Puntarenas and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,276 in Puntarenas versus $1,197 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,978 in Puntarenas versus $1,868 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,681 in Puntarenas versus $2,538 in Tbilisi.

Living in Puntarenas is roughly 7% more expensive than in Tbilisi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Puntarenas 4% lower, Tbilisi 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.55 ₡3,367

$10.82 ₾28.39

-30.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.2 ₡26.4K

$43.85 ₾115

34.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.28 ₡4,141

$8.31 ₾21.80

11.67%

Cappuccino

$3.88 ₡1,729

$2.97 ₾7.78

30.64%

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

$2.04 ₡908

$0.77 ₾2.01

164.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ₡706

$0.46 ₾1.20

243.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 ₡1,305

$2.14 ₾5.63

36.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 ₡2,078

$2.87 ₾7.52

62.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 ₡878

$1.90 ₾4.99

3.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.91 ₡1,299

$0.71 ₾1.86

309.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 ₡896

$1.91 ₾5.00

5.24%

Eggs

$2.16 ₡966

$2.48 ₾6.52

-12.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.45 ₡1,538

$7.74 ₾20.29

-55.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.00 ₡3,569

$6.18 ₾16.21

29.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.19 ₡4,099

$9.57 ₾25.12

-3.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 ₡1,585

$1.17 ₾3.06

203.42%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 ₡438

$1.65 ₾4.34

-40.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 ₡517

$1.85 ₾4.84

-37.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 ₡621

$2.33 ₾6.11

-40.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 ₡719

$0.71 ₾1.85

126.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 ₡698

$0.67 ₾1.76

134.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 ₡343

$1.19 ₾3.12

-35.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₡862

$0.66 ₾1.72

192.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.51 ₡2,014

$2.92 ₾7.65

54.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.29 ₡3,700

$7.69 ₾20.18

7.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 ₡735

$1.59 ₾4.18

3.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₡1,018

$2.31 ₾6.06

-1.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 ₡423

$0.38 ₾1.01

150.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.76 ₾38.72

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.87 ₡834

$1.50 ₾3.92

24.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 ₡831

$0.68 ₾1.77

173.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.06 ₡3,594

$7.26 ₾19.04

11.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ₡585

$1.09 ₾2.87

20.18%

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

$37.2K ₡16.6M

$18.6K ₾48.8K

100.08%

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

$16.8K ₡7.5M

$20.5K ₾53.7K

-17.98%

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

$48.91 ₡21.8K

$73.0 ₾192

-33.00%

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

$19.94 ₡8,895

$11.97 ₾31.41

66.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.02 ₡10.7K

$18.00 ₾47.22

33.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.4 ₡25.6K

$61.0 ₾160

-5.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.22 ₡10.8K

$16.52 ₾43.34

46.61%

Cinema Ticket

$9.93 ₡4,431

$6.70 ₾17.58

48.21%

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

$575 ₡256.7K

$269 ₾705

114.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K ₡5.5M

$5,152 ₾13.5K

140.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.97 ₡10.7K

$76.5 ₾201

-68.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.65 ₡6,982

$43.41 ₾114

-63.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 ₡55.6K

$120 ₾316

3.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.16 ₡21.5K

$111 ₾290

-56.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$755 ₡336.7K

$687 ₾1,803

9.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$587 ₡261.7K

$470 ₾1,234

24.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,518 ₡677.3K

$1,353 ₾3,550

12.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$953 ₡425.1K

$789 ₾2,069

20.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,017 ₡453.8K

$2,468 ₾6,473

-58.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$660 ₡294.6K

$1,456 ₾3,818

-54.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$854 ₡380.9K

$659 ₾1,729

29.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

-49.54%

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

Last update for Puntarenas: July 12, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $755 in Puntarenas and $687 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Puntarenas pays 30% 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: $59.0 in Puntarenas vs $44.00 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 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

Puntarenas vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Puntarenas. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tbilisi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 30% higher in Puntarenas, 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: $755 in Puntarenas versus $687 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Puntarenas. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,276 per month in Puntarenas versus $1,197 in Tbilisi – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,197 in Tbilisi versus $1,276 in Puntarenas, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Puntarenas. The gap between the two cities makes Tbilisi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Tbilisi delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,197 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Tbilisi hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Puntarenas 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 7% less than in Puntarenas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.