Cost of Living Comparison Between Rarotonga and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Rarotonga and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,355 in Rarotonga versus $1,199 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,003 in Rarotonga versus $1,833 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,650 in Rarotonga versus $2,466 in Tbilisi.

Living in Rarotonga is roughly 13% more expensive than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Rarotonga is 1% above, Tbilisi is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.13 NZ$20.50

$10.86 ₾29.20

11.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.4 NZ$100

$43.33 ₾117

37.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.72 NZ$13.04

$8.25 ₾22.19

-6.42%

Cappuccino

$4.42 NZ$7.48

$3.10 ₾8.33

42.58%

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

$3.42 NZ$5.77

$0.80 ₾2.15

327.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 NZ$4.88

$0.46 ₾1.24

528.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.67 NZ$11.28

$2.16 ₾5.81

208.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.53 NZ$9.34

$2.94 ₾7.92

88.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 NZ$3.72

$1.93 ₾5.19

13.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 NZ$4.84

$0.67 ₾1.81

328.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 NZ$2.51

$1.82 ₾4.91

-18.13%

Eggs

$6.48 NZ$10.95

$2.56 ₾6.88

153.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.89 NZ$15.02

$7.61 ₾20.48

16.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.05 NZ$11.92

$6.51 ₾17.50

8.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.15 NZ$12.09

$9.67 ₾26.00

-26.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 NZ$5.15

$1.16 ₾3.12

162.93%

Banana (1kg)

$3.03 NZ$5.12

$1.62 ₾4.36

87.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.68 NZ$6.21

$1.87 ₾5.04

96.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.94 NZ$4.97

$2.33 ₾6.26

26.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 NZ$3.01

$0.65 ₾1.75

173.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 NZ$2.33

$0.63 ₾1.70

119.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 NZ$2.97

$1.18 ₾3.17

49.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.69 NZ$6.23

$0.70 ₾1.90

427.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.84 NZ$25.07

$3.04 ₾8.17

388.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.95 NZ$20.19

$7.27 ₾19.56

64.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.56 NZ$6.01

$1.59 ₾4.27

123.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.46 NZ$9.22

$2.30 ₾6.18

137.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 NZ$5.00

$0.36 ₾0.96

722.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.68 ₾39.48

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$20.86 NZ$35.26

$1.50 ₾4.03

1290.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 ₾1.87

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.20 NZ$61.2

$7.35 ₾19.78

392.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 NZ$3.15

$1.13 ₾3.05

64.60%

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

$12.3K NZ$20.8K

$18.2K ₾49.0K

-32.63%

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

$20.2K ₾54.5K

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

$92.0 NZ$155

$74.0 ₾199

24.34%

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

$30.46 NZ$51.5

$11.87 ₾31.93

156.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$105 NZ$178

$17.55 ₾47.20

498.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.30 NZ$42.76

$60.3 ₾162

-58.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.83 NZ$40.28

$16.69 ₾44.89

42.78%

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 NZ$12.05

$6.73 ₾18.10

5.94%

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

$261 ₾703

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,433 NZ$2,422

$5,146 ₾13.8K

-72.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.6 ₾209

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.48 ₾117

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾318

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾298

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$491 NZ$829

$703 ₾1,891

-30.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 NZ$801

$457 ₾1,231

3.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$718 NZ$1,214

$1,346 ₾3,621

-46.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$722 NZ$1,220

$788 ₾2,120

-8.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,560 ₾6,885

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,443 ₾3,881

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,055 NZ$6,853

$648 ₾1,742

526.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

-32.72%

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

Last update for Rarotonga: April 20, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $491 in Rarotonga and $703 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rarotonga pays 526% 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 in Rarotonga vs $43 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $341 vs $206 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

Rarotonga vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Rarotonga. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tbilisi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Rarotonga pays 526% more on average, 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: $491 in Rarotonga versus $703 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,355 per month in Rarotonga versus $1,199 in Tbilisi – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 65% higher in Rarotonga. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,199 in Tbilisi versus $1,355 in Rarotonga, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Rarotonga. 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 $1,199 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Tbilisi hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Rarotonga 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 13% less than in Rarotonga. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.