Cost of Living Comparison Between Rustenburg and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Rustenburg and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $963 in Rustenburg versus $1,218 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,499 in Rustenburg versus $1,853 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,036 in Rustenburg versus $2,489 in Tbilisi.

Living in Rustenburg costs roughly 21% less than in Tbilisi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rustenburg 28% lower, Tbilisi 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.26 R 182

$10.85 ₾28.75

3.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.76 R 724

$44.17 ₾117

1.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.82 R 61.8

$8.28 ₾21.94

-53.86%

Cappuccino

$1.96 R 31.73

$3.02 ₾8.00

-35.10%

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

$0.89 R 14.33

$0.76 ₾2.02

17.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 R 7.32

$0.46 ₾1.22

-2.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 R 23.24

$2.24 ₾5.93

-35.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 R 33.63

$3.00 ₾7.95

-30.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R 17.96

$1.93 ₾5.11

-42.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 R 13.55

$0.72 ₾1.91

16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 R 27.33

$1.84 ₾4.87

-8.15%

Eggs

$1.98 R 31.96

$2.45 ₾6.48

-19.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.60 R 90.6

$7.43 ₾19.67

-24.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.12 R 66.6

$6.48 ₾17.16

-36.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.87 R 111

$9.70 ₾25.70

-29.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.65 R 26.61

$1.20 ₾3.18

37.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R 22.58

$1.56 ₾4.14

-10.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 R 21.00

$1.79 ₾4.75

-27.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 R 24.63

$2.23 ₾5.90

-31.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 R 13.14

$0.65 ₾1.73

24.62%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 R 12.85

$0.68 ₾1.79

16.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 R 17.48

$1.19 ₾3.16

-9.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 R 14.60

$0.70 ₾1.86

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.47 R 39.91

$2.95 ₾7.82

-16.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.57 R 73.9

$7.33 ₾19.41

-37.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 R 17.88

$1.52 ₾4.02

-26.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 R 17.66

$2.25 ₾5.95

-51.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 R 17.72

$0.36 ₾0.95

205.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.64 R 738

$14.60 ₾38.68

212.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 R 15.67

$1.50 ₾3.97

-35.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 R 14.27

$0.73 ₾1.92

20.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.96 R 64.0

$7.45 ₾19.74

-46.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 R 19.68

$1.14 ₾3.01

7.02%

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

$22.8K R 368.8K

$18.5K ₾49.0K

23.21%

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

$24.2K R 391.4K

$20.3K ₾53.6K

19.52%

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

$69.5 R 1,123

$73.9 ₾196

-5.96%

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

$12.67 R 205

$11.71 ₾31.01

8.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.61 R 689

$18.16 ₾48.09

134.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.60 R 382

$61.7 ₾163

-61.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.58 R 90.3

$16.66 ₾44.12

-66.51%

Cinema Ticket

$4.42 R 71.4

$6.61 ₾17.50

-33.13%

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

$105 R 1,693

$264 ₾700

-60.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,888 R 79.0K

$5,145 ₾13.6K

-4.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 R 829

$74.9 ₾198

-31.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.88 R 548

$43.98 ₾117

-22.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 R 1,444

$118 ₾312

-24.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.3 R 1,297

$114 ₾301

-29.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$309 R 5,001

$692 ₾1,833

-55.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$342 R 5,536

$454 ₾1,203

-24.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 R 10.7K

$1,323 ₾3,504

-49.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$575 R 9,294

$789 ₾2,089

-27.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,431 ₾6,440

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 ₾3,818

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,314 R 21.2K

$645 ₾1,709

103.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.9

11.89

-16.74%

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

Last update for Rustenburg: June 7, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $309 in Rustenburg and $692 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rustenburg pays 104% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Rustenburg vs $44.00 in Tbilisi. Groceries flip the comparison at $158 vs $204, with Rustenburg cheaper for home cooking.

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

Rustenburg vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rustenburg is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Rustenburg pays 104% 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: $309 in Rustenburg versus $692 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $105 in Rustenburg versus $264 in Tbilisi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Tbilisi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $963 in Rustenburg versus $1,218 in Tbilisi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Rustenburg but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Rustenburg the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Rustenburg is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tbilisi, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Rustenburg 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 Rustenburg gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.