Cost of Living Comparison Between Rapid City, SD and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Rapid City, SD and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,290 per month in Rapid City, SD vs $1,218 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,280 per month in Rapid City, SD vs $1,854 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,270 per month in Rapid City, SD vs $2,491 in Tbilisi, rent included.

Rapid City, SD costs about 88% more than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Rapid City, SD sits 70% above the global median, while Tbilisi is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.01 $15.01

$10.78 ₾29.00

39.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.5 $63.5

$43.10 ₾116

47.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.46 $10.46

$8.27 ₾22.24

26.48%

Cappuccino

$5.19 $5.19

$2.95 ₾7.94

75.93%

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

$3.56 $3.56

$0.76 ₾2.05

368.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 $1.63

$0.42 ₾1.13

288.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.83 $3.83

$2.24 ₾6.03

70.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 $4.91

$2.87 ₾7.71

71.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.93 ₾5.19

-45.08%

White Bread (500g)

$3.04 $3.04

$0.68 ₾1.84

347.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.85 ₾4.97

2.16%

Eggs

$4.31 $4.31

$2.49 ₾6.69

73.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.30 $13.30

$7.54 ₾20.27

76.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.64 $9.64

$6.35 ₾17.09

51.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.65 $12.65

$9.43 ₾25.38

34.15%

Apples (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$1.18 ₾3.16

317.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.58 ₾4.26

Oranges (1kg)

$3.76 $3.76

$1.86 ₾5.00

102.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 $3.90

$2.24 ₾6.03

74.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$0.66 ₾1.79

327.27%

Onion (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$0.68 ₾1.83

377.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.18 ₾3.17

81.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$0.66 ₾1.77

327.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.74 $9.74

$3.07 ₾8.25

217.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.95 $13.95

$7.56 ₾20.34

84.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.52 ₾4.08

15.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.29 ₾6.15

48.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 $1.52

$0.35 ₾0.95

334.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.21 $30.21

$14.79 ₾39.78

104.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 $3.20

$1.45 ₾3.90

120.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.73 ₾1.97

65.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.13 $25.13

$7.35 ₾19.78

241.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.09 ₾2.93

-22.02%

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

$34.8K $34.8K

$18.4K ₾49.5K

89.26%

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

$32.0K $32.0K

$20.3K ₾54.5K

57.70%

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

$169 $169

$73.3 ₾197

130.98%

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

$43.20 $43.20

$11.72 ₾31.53

268.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.2 $56.2

$17.87 ₾48.08

214.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.01 $43.01

$61.2 ₾165

-29.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.70 $14.70

$16.34 ₾43.94

-10.04%

Cinema Ticket

$11.76 $11.76

$6.59 ₾17.73

78.45%

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

$688 $688

$261 ₾702

163.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K $23.4K

$5,156 ₾13.9K

354.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.9 $60.9

$76.1 ₾205

-20.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.2 $76.2

$43.83 ₾118

73.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.4 $77.4

$121 ₾325

-35.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 $111

$113 ₾304

-2.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 $1,012

$696 ₾1,873

45.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 $1,155

$456 ₾1,226

153.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,615 $1,615

$1,301 ₾3,500

24.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,668 $1,668

$768 ₾2,067

117.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,576 $2,576

$2,500 ₾6,725

3.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,545 $2,545

$1,432 ₾3,853

77.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,850 $3,850

$653 ₾1,756

489.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.41

11.89

-46.09%

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

Last update for Rapid City, SD: April 13, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,012 in Rapid City, SD versus $696 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 490% higher in Rapid City, SD, 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 $63 in Rapid City, SD versus $43 in Tbilisi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $361 vs $203 – making Tbilisi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Rapid City, SD vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rapid City, SD costs about 88% more than Tbilisi, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,436 per month in Rapid City, SD and $1,827 in Tbilisi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Rapid City, SD and $43.00 in Tbilisi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,290 in Rapid City, SD and $1,218 in Tbilisi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tbilisi, where all-in costs run around $1,218, than in Rapid City, SD at $2,290. In Tbilisi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rapid City, SD it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tbilisi costs $1,218 versus $2,290 in Rapid City, SD. 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 Tbilisi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rapid City, SD makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.