Cost of Living Comparison Between Salmiya and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Salmiya and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,426 per month in Salmiya vs $1,209 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,291 per month in Salmiya vs $1,867 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,156 per month in Salmiya vs $2,526 in Tbilisi, rent included.

Salmiya costs about 18% more than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Salmiya sits 6% above the global median, while Tbilisi is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.72 KWD 2.69

$10.80 ₾28.70

-19.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.94 KWD 15.42

$43.18 ₾115

15.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.62 KWD 2.35

$8.29 ₾22.03

-8.08%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 KWD 0.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 KWD 0.50

Cappuccino

$4.92 KWD 1.52

$3.00 ₾7.96

64.00%

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

$0.45 KWD 0.14

$0.82 ₾2.17

-45.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 KWD 0.11

$0.46 ₾1.21

-26.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 ₾5.93

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.75

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 KWD 0.48

$1.93 ₾5.11

-19.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 KWD 0.27

$0.68 ₾1.81

29.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 KWD 0.53

$1.88 ₾4.99

-8.51%

Eggs

$1.89 KWD 0.58

$2.54 ₾6.73

-25.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.19 KWD 1.60

$7.42 ₾19.70

-30.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.35 KWD 1.96

$6.19 ₾16.43

2.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 KWD 2.78

$9.36 ₾24.86

-3.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 KWD 0.70

$1.22 ₾3.25

85.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 KWD 0.52

$1.66 ₾4.40

1.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 KWD 0.56

$1.80 ₾4.78

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 KWD 0.45

$2.24 ₾5.96

-34.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 KWD 0.38

$0.71 ₾1.89

74.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 KWD 0.41

$0.67 ₾1.79

97.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.69 KWD 0.52

$1.18 ₾3.13

43.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 KWD 0.14

$0.66 ₾1.76

-30.30%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.01 KWD 0.31

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 KWD 0.93

$2.98 ₾7.91

0.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₾20.21

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.08

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 KWD 0.32

$0.36 ₾0.95

188.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.89 KWD 15.41

$14.44 ₾38.36

245.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 KWD 1.00

$1.49 ₾3.96

117.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.23 KWD 1.00

$0.68 ₾1.82

375.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.97 KWD 4.01

$7.23 ₾19.19

79.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 KWD 0.10

$1.14 ₾3.04

-71.05%

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

$19.3K KWD 5,961

$18.5K ₾49.0K

4.58%

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

$19.8K KWD 6,119

$20.0K ₾53.0K

-0.76%

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

$54.8 KWD 16.93

$73.7 ₾196

-25.61%

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

$18.77 KWD 5.79

$11.64 ₾30.91

61.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.43 KWD 7.85

$17.84 ₾47.39

42.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$108 KWD 33.29

$60.1 ₾160

79.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.02 KWD 10.20

$16.80 ₾44.63

96.55%

Cinema Ticket

$11.50 KWD 3.55

$6.60 ₾17.54

74.24%

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

$397 KWD 123

$266 ₾708

49.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,493 KWD 1,696

$5,191 ₾13.8K

5.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.72 KWD 13.19

$77.7 ₾206

-45.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.28 KWD 13.06

$44.75 ₾119

-5.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 KWD 26.85

$117 ₾310

-25.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.8 KWD 25.56

$113 ₾300

-26.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$879 KWD 271

$693 ₾1,839

26.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$670 KWD 207

$462 ₾1,226

45.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,716 KWD 839

$1,320 ₾3,505

105.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,340 KWD 414

$774 ₾2,056

73.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,430 ₾6,455

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 ₾3,840

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,428 KWD 441

$673 ₾1,787

112.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.14

11.89

-39.95%

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

Last update for Salmiya: June 1, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $879 in Salmiya versus $693 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 112% higher in Salmiya, 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 $50.0 in Salmiya versus $43.00 in Tbilisi. Groceries tell a different story – $168 in Salmiya vs $203 in Tbilisi – so Salmiya wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Salmiya vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,426 in Salmiya, $1,209 in Tbilisi – roughly 18% apart. Salmiya costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,139 per month in Salmiya and $1,813 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 $50.0 in Salmiya 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 $1,426 in Salmiya and $1,209 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 $1,209, than in Salmiya at $1,426. In Tbilisi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Salmiya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Tbilisi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,209 in Tbilisi to $1,426 in Salmiya. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Salmiya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.