Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ruse and Tbilisi

For one person, living is cheaper in Ruse: $990 a month against $1,270 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

48

Cost of Living Index in Ruse
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Ruse Living Index
61

Cost of Living Index in Tbilisi
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Tbilisi Living Index

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Ruse

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$990

/mo nomad

Tbilisi

🇬🇪 Georgia

$1,270

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $990 in Ruse versus $1,270 in Tbilisi.

Ruse $990
Tbilisi $1,270

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,470 in Ruse versus $2,008 in Tbilisi.

Ruse $1,470
Tbilisi $2,008

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,949 in Ruse versus $2,745 in Tbilisi.

Ruse $1,949
Tbilisi $2,745

Living in Ruse costs roughly 22% less than in Tbilisi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ruse 27% lower, Tbilisi 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.07 BGN 15.77

$11.51 ₾29.79

-21.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.26 BGN 59.6

$38.27 ₾99.1

-10.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.55 BGN 16.62

$9.80 ₾25.36

-2.55%

Cappuccino

$1.68 BGN 2.93

$3.55 ₾9.19

-52.68%

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

$1.48 BGN 2.58

$1.06 ₾2.74

39.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 BGN 1.45

$0.62 ₾1.60

33.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 BGN 3.07

$2.76 ₾7.16

-36.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 BGN 4.88

$3.00 ₾7.77

-6.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 BGN 3.04

$2.16 ₾5.59

-18.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 BGN 1.76

$0.76 ₾1.96

32.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 BGN 3.96

$1.74 ₾4.51

31.03%

Eggs

$2.55 BGN 4.43

$2.79 ₾7.21

-8.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.93 BGN 15.54

$9.20 ₾23.83

-2.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.77 BGN 13.52

$6.53 ₾16.89

18.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.42 BGN 25.10

$12.81 ₾33.17

12.57%

Apples (1kg)

$1.40 BGN 2.44

$1.67 ₾4.31

-16.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 BGN 3.21

$1.85 ₾4.79

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 BGN 3.50

$1.98 ₾5.13

1.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 BGN 3.52

$2.51 ₾6.49

-19.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 BGN 1.87

$0.87 ₾2.26

24.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 BGN 1.84

$0.73 ₾1.89

45.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 BGN 2.11

$1.42 ₾3.67

-14.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 BGN 1.15

$0.72 ₾1.88

-8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 BGN 5.91

$3.38 ₾8.74

0.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.12 BGN 10.66

$7.84 ₾20.31

-21.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 BGN 1.97

$1.62 ₾4.19

-30.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 BGN 2.04

$2.38 ₾6.15

-50.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 BGN 1.46

$0.37 ₾0.96

127.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.93 BGN 27.71

$15.52 ₾40.16

2.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.25 BGN 2.17

$1.14 ₾2.94

9.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 BGN 1.06

$0.79 ₾2.05

-22.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.22 BGN 17.79

$11.57 ₾29.96

-11.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 BGN 2.63

$1.50 ₾3.87

0.67%

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

$30.2K BGN 52.5K

$24.6K ₾63.7K

22.46%

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

$22.6K BGN 39.3K

$22.4K ₾57.9K

0.93%

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

$104 BGN 182

$88.3 ₾228

18.22%

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

$17.91 BGN 31.17

$13.08 ₾33.86

36.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.89 BGN 22.44

$19.53 ₾50.6

-34.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.68 BGN 55.1

$64.2 ₾166

-50.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.80 BGN 15.32

$19.18 ₾49.66

-54.12%

Cinema Ticket

$5.60 BGN 9.74

$6.99 ₾18.10

-19.89%

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

$518 BGN 902

$373 ₾966

38.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,381 BGN 9,363

$10.7K ₾27.7K

-49.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 BGN 88.6

$103 ₾266

-50.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.15 BGN 48.99

$40.48 ₾105

-30.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.0 BGN 125

$116 ₾301

-38.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.2 BGN 152

$122 ₾316

-28.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$348 BGN 606

$677 ₾1,753

-48.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$305 BGN 531

$454 ₾1,176

-32.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$526 BGN 914

$1,277 ₾3,305

-58.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 BGN 712

$890 ₾2,304

-54.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,660 BGN 2,889

$2,410 ₾6,238

-31.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,210 BGN 2,105

$1,418 ₾3,670

-14.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$966 BGN 1,681

$703 ₾1,819

37.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.1

12.62

-75.44%

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

Last update for Ruse: October 18, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ruse

$305 30.9%

Tbilisi

$454 35.8% 48.7% $149

Groceries & Markets

Ruse

$230 23.3%

Tbilisi

$233 18.3% 1.1% $2.4

Eating Out

Ruse

$145 14.7%

Tbilisi

$191 15% 31.3% $45

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ruse

$135 13.7%

Tbilisi

$121 9.5% 10.6% $14

Clothing & Footwear

Ruse

$107 10.8%

Tbilisi

$172 13.5% 60.1% $64

Sport & Entertainment

Ruse

$43 4.3%

Tbilisi

$78 6.2% 82.3% $35

Getting Around

Ruse

$24 2.4%

Tbilisi

$22 1.7% 6.4% $1.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $348 in Ruse and $677 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ruse pays 37% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $34.00 in Ruse vs $38.00 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $233 per month, with Ruse cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇬 Ruse

🇬🇪 Tbilisi

🕒 Local time

14:36 2:36 PM

15:36 3:36 PM

1 h ahead of Ruse

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

159,798

1,241,700 Capital

💱 Currency

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

Georgian Lari GEL ₾

📈 Exchange rate

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

1 GEL = 0.386 USD

1 GEL = 0.344 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

GEL, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇬 Bulgarian Lev (лв.)

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.386 USD). 1 EUR = 2.91 GEL (1 GEL = 0.344 EUR).

USD to BGN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Ruse Tbilisi 1,550 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Ruse
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

Ruse vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ruse wins on cost – living expenses run 28% lower than in Tbilisi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ruse the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 37% higher in Ruse, 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: $348 in Ruse versus $677 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ruse runs roughly 3% less than in Tbilisi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $518 in Ruse versus $373 in Tbilisi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $990 in Ruse versus $1,270 in Tbilisi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ruse but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Ruse the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ruse delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $990 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ruse hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ruse 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 Ruse gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.