Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Francisco, CA and Tbilisi

For one person, living is cheaper in Tbilisi: $1,266 a month against $4,342 in San Francisco, CA, rent and utilities included – about $36,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

San Francisco, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$4,342
/mo nomad
Tbilisi
🇬🇪 Georgia
$1,266
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $4,342 per month in San Francisco, CA vs $1,266 in Tbilisi, rent included.

  • San Francisco, CA $4,342
  • Tbilisi $1,266

A couple spends around $6,433 per month in San Francisco, CA vs $2,007 in Tbilisi, rent included.

  • San Francisco, CA $6,433
  • Tbilisi $2,007

A family of three spends $8,523 per month in San Francisco, CA vs $2,749 in Tbilisi, rent included.

  • San Francisco, CA $8,523
  • Tbilisi $2,749

San Francisco, CA costs about 243% more than Tbilisi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

San Francisco, CA sits 222% above the global median, while Tbilisi is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
San Francisco, CA
Tbilisi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$27.11 $27.11
$11.34 ₾29.35
139.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$120 $120
$39.05 ₾101
208.32%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.06 $15.06
$9.63 ₾24.92
56.39%
Cappuccino
$6.06 $6.06
$3.46 ₾8.95
75.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.22 $3.22
$1.09 ₾2.82
195.41%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 $2.75
$0.63 ₾1.62
336.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.83 $7.83
$2.77 ₾7.17
182.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.25 $9.25
$3.10 ₾8.04
198.39%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
San Francisco, CA
Tbilisi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 $1.72
$2.25 ₾5.81
-23.56%
White Bread (500g)
$5.39 $5.39
$0.80 ₾2.07
573.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.76 $4.76
$1.76 ₾4.55
170.45%
Eggs
$4.87 $4.87
$2.75 ₾7.11
77.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.10 $16.10
$9.39 ₾24.32
71.46%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$15.32 $15.32
$6.66 ₾17.23
130.03%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.69 $22.69
$12.92 ₾33.45
75.62%
Apples (1kg)
$6.20 $6.20
$1.67 ₾4.31
271.26%
Banana (1kg)
$2.83 $2.83
$1.80 ₾4.65
57.22%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.32 $4.32
$1.92 ₾4.97
125.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.66 $6.66
$2.41 ₾6.24
176.35%
Potato (1kg)
$2.90 $2.90
$0.86 ₾2.23
237.21%
Onion (1kg)
$3.72 $3.72
$0.69 ₾1.80
439.13%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.81 $2.81
$1.40 ₾3.62
100.71%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.59 $2.59
$0.71 ₾1.85
264.79%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.79 $11.79
$3.51 ₾9.08
235.90%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.62 $14.62
$7.61 ₾19.69
92.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.11 $3.11
$1.63 ₾4.21
90.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.56 $3.56
$2.31 ₾5.98
54.11%
🚌 Getting Around
San Francisco, CA
Tbilisi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.91 $2.91
$0.37 ₾0.96
686.49%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$95.8 $95.8
$15.67 ₾40.57
511.10%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.22 $4.22
$1.14 ₾2.95
270.18%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.99 $1.99
$0.79 ₾2.05
151.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$39.06 $39.06
$11.86 ₾30.70
229.34%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 $1.51
$1.40 ₾3.62
7.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.6K $37.6K
$24.8K ₾64.2K
51.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.4K $25.4K
$21.9K ₾56.6K
16.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Francisco, CA
Tbilisi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$214 $214
$89.1 ₾231
140.39%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$62.2 $62.2
$13.21 ₾34.19
370.48%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$76.8 $76.8
$19.76 ₾51.1
288.41%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
San Francisco, CA
Tbilisi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$122 $122
$64.9 ₾168
88.31%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.47 $21.47
$19.02 ₾49.24
12.88%
Cinema Ticket
$17.99 $17.99
$6.57 ₾17.02
173.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
San Francisco, CA
Tbilisi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,943 $2,943
$377 ₾975
681.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$42.7K $42.7K
$10.8K ₾27.9K
295.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
San Francisco, CA
Tbilisi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$76.5 $76.5
$102 ₾265
-25.14%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.33 $47.33
$39.70 ₾103
19.22%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 $101
$118 ₾305
-13.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$140 $140
$123 ₾320
13.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
San Francisco, CA
Tbilisi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,749 $3,749
$666 ₾1,724
462.91%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,617 $2,617
$449 ₾1,163
482.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$5,734 $5,734
$1,284 ₾3,324
346.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$4,530 $4,530
$890 ₾2,303
409.14%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$9,861 $9,861
$2,425 ₾6,276
306.71%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$7,520 $7,520
$1,380 ₾3,573
444.78%
💵 Salaries & Financials
San Francisco, CA
Tbilisi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$6,548 $6,548
$680 ₾1,760
863.34%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.76
12.62
-46.43%

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

Last update for San Francisco, CA: October 10, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
San Francisco, CA
$2.6K
Tbilisi
$449 82.8% $2.2K
Groceries & Markets
San Francisco, CA
$512
Tbilisi
$234 54.3% $278
Eating Out
San Francisco, CA
$416
Tbilisi
$188 54.8% $228
Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Francisco, CA
$353
Tbilisi
$122 65.4% $231
Clothing & Footwear
San Francisco, CA
$164
Tbilisi
$172 5% $8.2
Sport & Entertainment
San Francisco, CA
$158
Tbilisi
$78 50.7% $80
Getting Around
San Francisco, CA
$122
Tbilisi
$22 81.7% $99

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,749 in San Francisco, CA versus $666 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 863% higher in San Francisco, CA, 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 $120 in San Francisco, CA versus $39.00 in Tbilisi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $512 vs $234 – making Tbilisi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 San Francisco, CA
🇬🇪 Tbilisi
🕒 Local time
09:17 9:17 AM
20:17 8:17 PM
11 h ahead of San Francisco, CA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
873,965
1,241,700 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GEL, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.386 USD). 1 EUR = 2.91 GEL (1 GEL = 0.344 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • San Francisco, CA Tbilisi 11,080 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • San Francisco, CA
  • 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
San Francisco, CA vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tbilisi cheaper than San Francisco, CA?
Yes – San Francisco, CA is pricier by about 243%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,513 per month in San Francisco, CA and $1,899 in Tbilisi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
How do food prices compare in San Francisco, CA and in Tbilisi?
Groceries cost about 119% more in San Francisco, CA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is eating out cheaper in San Francisco, CA or in Tbilisi?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $120 in San Francisco, CA and $39.00 in Tbilisi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in San Francisco, CA or in Tbilisi?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tbilisi, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in San Francisco, CA at $4,342. In Tbilisi it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Francisco, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is San Francisco, CA or Tbilisi more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Tbilisi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, San Francisco, CA or Tbilisi?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Tbilisi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, San Francisco, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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