Cost of Living Comparison Between San Francisco and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between San Francisco and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,690 in San Francisco versus $1,247 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,702 in San Francisco versus $2,025 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,714 in San Francisco versus $2,803 in Tbilisi.

Living in San Francisco is roughly 36% more expensive than in Tbilisi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: San Francisco is 24% above, Tbilisi is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.81 ₡4,360

$11.33 ₾29.45

-13.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.0 ₡26.2K

$38.71 ₾101

52.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.99 ₡4,886

$9.52 ₾24.73

15.44%

Cappuccino

$4.36 ₡1,936

$3.41 ₾8.85

27.86%

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

$1.30 ₡577

$1.04 ₾2.71

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 ₡802

$0.64 ₾1.66

181.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 ₡1,510

$2.61 ₾6.79

30.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 ₡1,922

$3.24 ₾8.43

33.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.47 ₡1,097

$2.17 ₾5.65

13.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 ₡1,357

$0.74 ₾1.92

312.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,076

$1.71 ₾4.45

41.52%

Eggs

$3.45 ₡1,533

$2.83 ₾7.36

21.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.69 ₡4,753

$9.22 ₾23.95

15.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.35 ₡4,602

$6.76 ₾17.55

53.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.97 ₡6,211

$12.77 ₾33.17

9.40%

Apples (1kg)

$5.33 ₡2,369

$1.64 ₾4.26

225.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 ₡704

$1.77 ₾4.60

-10.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.72 ₡2,098

$1.87 ₾4.85

152.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.01 ₡1,782

$2.44 ₾6.34

64.34%

Potato (1kg)

$3.89 ₡1,728

$0.87 ₾2.25

347.13%

Onion (1kg)

$3.65 ₡1,620

$0.65 ₾1.70

461.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₡485

$1.40 ₾3.64

-22.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.26 ₡1,449

$0.74 ₾1.93

340.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.04 ₡2,685

$3.41 ₾8.86

77.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.78 ₡9,234

$7.60 ₾19.75

173.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 ₡1,265

$1.70 ₾4.41

67.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 ₡1,596

$2.38 ₾6.20

50.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 ₡563

$0.36 ₾0.94

252.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.7 ₡30.1K

$15.24 ₾39.60

344.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.82 ₡810

$1.18 ₾3.07

54.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 ₡731

$0.76 ₾1.97

117.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.73 ₡3,881

$11.34 ₾29.47

-23.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₡668

$1.33 ₾3.46

12.78%

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

$22.1K ₡9.8M

$24.7K ₾64.2K

-10.71%

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

$35.5K ₡15.8M

$22.0K ₾57.2K

61.02%

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

$78.6 ₡34.9K

$88.9 ₾231

-11.57%

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

$32.85 ₡14.6K

$13.33 ₾34.63

146.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.60 ₡21.6K

$20.12 ₾52.3

141.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.9 ₡32.4K

$68.7 ₾178

6.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.09 ₾47.01

Cinema Ticket

$8.42 ₡3,743

$6.72 ₾17.46

25.30%

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

$986 ₡438.3K

$374 ₾971

163.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ₡7.6M

$10.7K ₾27.8K

59.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.4 ₡31.7K

$101 ₾263

-29.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.7 ₡24.7K

$39.33 ₾102

41.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.8 ₡29.7K

$118 ₾305

-43.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.2 ₡24.5K

$122 ₾318

-54.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$813 ₡361.5K

$682 ₾1,773

19.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$647 ₡287.4K

$456 ₾1,186

41.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,835 ₡815.5K

$1,303 ₾3,385

40.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 ₡577.5K

$899 ₾2,337

44.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,449 ₾6,365

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,452 ₾3,774

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$886 ₡394.0K

$652 ₾1,695

35.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.78

12.62

-30.43%

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

Last update for San Francisco: September 12, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $813 in San Francisco and $682 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Francisco pays 36% 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: $59.0 in San Francisco vs $39.00 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $232 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

San Francisco vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi wins on cost – living expenses run 36% lower than in San Francisco. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tbilisi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 36% higher in San Francisco, 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: $813 in San Francisco versus $682 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tbilisi runs roughly 344% less than in San Francisco. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $986 in San Francisco versus $374 in Tbilisi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,247 in Tbilisi versus $1,690 in San Francisco, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in San Francisco. 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 $1,247 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Tbilisi hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, San Francisco 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 36% less than in San Francisco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.