Cost of Living Comparison Between Salem, MA and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Salem, MA and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,473 in Salem, MA versus $1,185 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,781 in Salem, MA versus $1,834 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,090 in Salem, MA versus $2,483 in Tbilisi.

Living in Salem, MA is roughly 193% more expensive than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Salem, MA is 159% above, Tbilisi is 12% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.10 $25.10

$11.15 ₾30.00

125.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$43.13 ₾116

127.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.04 $11.04

$8.22 ₾22.11

34.31%

Cappuccino

$5.10 $5.10

$3.13 ₾8.42

62.94%

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

$2.44 $2.44

$0.74 ₾2.00

229.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$0.45 ₾1.22

373.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.12 $8.12

$2.13 ₾5.74

281.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.97 $6.97

$2.99 ₾8.06

133.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.89 ₾5.09

-35.45%

White Bread (500g)

$4.37 $4.37

$0.73 ₾1.97

498.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.72 $8.72

$1.85 ₾4.98

371.35%

Eggs

$4.42 $4.42

$2.45 ₾6.58

80.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.19 $14.19

$7.85 ₾21.12

80.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.25 $14.25

$6.25 ₾16.82

128.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.70 $8.70

$9.77 ₾26.28

-10.95%

Apples (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$1.21 ₾3.26

274.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.59 ₾4.28

-16.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 $3.35

$1.79 ₾4.81

87.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$2.32 ₾6.25

106.47%

Potato (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$0.71 ₾1.91

504.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 $2.37

$0.67 ₾1.81

253.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.18 ₾3.16

115.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.43 $3.43

$0.71 ₾1.92

383.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.53 $9.53

$2.92 ₾7.85

226.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.89 $12.89

$7.25 ₾19.50

77.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.55 ₾4.17

13.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.90 $6.90

$2.31 ₾6.21

198.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 $2.45

$0.38 ₾1.03

544.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.6 $54.6

$14.81 ₾39.83

268.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 $3.49

$1.48 ₾3.98

135.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$0.69 ₾1.86

128.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.22 $29.22

$7.45 ₾20.05

292.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.15 ₾3.10

-6.96%

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

$29.8K $29.8K

$18.0K ₾48.4K

65.64%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$19.8K ₾53.4K

30.99%

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

$169 $169

$73.4 ₾198

130.32%

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

$91.3 $91.3

$11.64 ₾31.32

684.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.3 $82.3

$17.77 ₾47.79

363.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.44 $42.44

$60.6 ₾163

-29.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 ₾44.21

Cinema Ticket

$14.89 $14.89

$6.51 ₾17.52

128.73%

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

$1,299 $1,299

$263 ₾707

394.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$5,136 ₾13.8K

363.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.4 $71.4

$77.7 ₾209

-8.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.4 $58.4

$44.39 ₾119

31.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.9 $97.9

$118 ₾317

-16.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.6 $98.6

$114 ₾307

-13.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,360 $2,360

$693 ₾1,865

240.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,944 $1,944

$462 ₾1,244

320.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,832 $3,832

$1,337 ₾3,597

186.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,855 $2,855

$779 ₾2,096

266.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,731 $2,731

$2,530 ₾6,805

7.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,387 $2,387

$1,430 ₾3,847

66.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,570 $9,570

$633 ₾1,702

1412.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

11.89

-45.25%

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

Last update for Salem, MA: April 28, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,360 in Salem, MA and $693 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Salem, MA pays 1413% 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: $98 in Salem, MA vs $43 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $434 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

Salem, MA vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi wins on cost – living expenses run 193% lower than in Salem, MA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tbilisi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Salem, MA pays 1413% 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: $2,360 in Salem, MA versus $693 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,299 in Salem, MA versus $263 in Tbilisi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 111% higher in Salem, MA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,185 in Tbilisi versus $3,473 in Salem, MA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Salem, MA. 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 $1,185 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Tbilisi hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Salem, MA 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 193% less than in Salem, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.