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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,571 per month in San Jose vs $1,209 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,481 per month in San Jose vs $1,867 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,392 per month in San Jose vs $2,526 in Tbilisi, rent included.

San Jose costs about 30% more than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

San Jose sits 17% above the global median, while Tbilisi is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 ₡4,935

$10.80 ₾28.70

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.5 ₡27.2K

$43.18 ₾115

37.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.15 ₡4,637

$8.29 ₾22.03

22.44%

Cappuccino

$3.88 ₡1,772

$3.00 ₾7.96

29.33%

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

$1.98 ₡906

$0.82 ₾2.17

141.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 ₡758

$0.46 ₾1.21

260.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.02 ₡1,380

$2.23 ₾5.93

35.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 ₡2,171

$2.92 ₾7.75

62.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 ₡908

$1.93 ₾5.11

3.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 ₡1,321

$0.68 ₾1.81

325.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 ₡1,011

$1.88 ₾4.99

17.55%

Eggs

$2.93 ₡1,337

$2.54 ₾6.73

15.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.72 ₡4,439

$7.42 ₾19.70

31.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.05 ₡4,133

$6.19 ₾16.43

46.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.49 ₡6,164

$9.36 ₾24.86

44.12%

Apples (1kg)

$4.40 ₡2,012

$1.22 ₾3.25

260.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 ₡682

$1.66 ₾4.40

-10.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.29 ₡1,959

$1.80 ₾4.78

138.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.45 ₡1,578

$2.24 ₾5.96

54.02%

Potato (1kg)

$3.55 ₡1,623

$0.71 ₾1.89

400.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 ₡1,410

$0.67 ₾1.79

361.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 ₡443

$1.18 ₾3.13

-17.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 ₡1,288

$0.66 ₾1.76

327.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.40 ₡2,468

$2.98 ₾7.91

81.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.19 ₡10.1K

$7.61 ₾20.21

191.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 ₡1,156

$1.54 ₾4.08

64.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₡1,273

$2.25 ₾5.98

24.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 ₡467

$0.36 ₾0.95

183.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.73 ₡19.1K

$14.44 ₾38.36

188.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.82 ₡831

$1.49 ₾3.96

22.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 ₡810

$0.68 ₾1.82

160.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.93 ₡3,625

$7.23 ₾19.19

9.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ₡661

$1.14 ₾3.04

27.19%

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

$37.7K ₡17.2M

$18.5K ₾49.0K

104.41%

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

$32.4K ₡14.8M

$20.0K ₾53.0K

62.12%

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

$92.1 ₡42.1K

$73.7 ₾196

24.93%

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

$26.20 ₡12.0K

$11.64 ₾30.91

125.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.1 ₡27.4K

$17.84 ₾47.39

236.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.7 ₡25.9K

$60.1 ₾160

-5.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.58 ₡17.2K

$16.80 ₾44.63

123.69%

Cinema Ticket

$9.98 ₡4,562

$6.60 ₾17.54

51.21%

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

$560 ₡256.0K

$266 ₾708

110.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.8K ₡5.9M

$5,191 ₾13.8K

146.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.7 ₡29.1K

$77.7 ₾206

-18.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 ₡23.8K

$44.75 ₾119

16.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 ₡57.2K

$117 ₾310

7.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₡48.9K

$113 ₾300

-5.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$879 ₡401.6K

$693 ₾1,839

26.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 ₡247.2K

$462 ₾1,226

17.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,418 ₡647.7K

$1,320 ₾3,505

7.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,017 ₡464.8K

$774 ₾2,056

31.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,258 ₡1.0M

$2,430 ₾6,455

-7.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,806 ₡825.4K

$1,446 ₾3,840

24.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,042 ₡476.1K

$673 ₾1,787

54.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.17

11.89

-14.47%

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

Last update for San Jose: May 31, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $879 in San Jose 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 55% higher in San Jose, 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 $60.0 in San Jose versus $43.00 in Tbilisi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $367 vs $203 – making Tbilisi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Jose vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – San Jose is pricier by about 30%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,356 per month in San Jose 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 $60.0 in San Jose 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 $1,571 in San Jose 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 San Jose at $1,571. In Tbilisi it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Jose it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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