Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Cruz and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Cruz and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,858 in Santa Cruz versus $1,247 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,852 in Santa Cruz versus $2,025 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,845 in Santa Cruz versus $2,803 in Tbilisi.

Living in Santa Cruz is roughly 49% more expensive than in Tbilisi, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Santa Cruz is 36% above, Tbilisi is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.33 ₾29.44

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.71 ₾101

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 ₾24.72

Cappuccino

$3.41 ₾8.85

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

$1.04 ₾2.71

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₾1.66

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 ₾6.79

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ₾8.43

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 AWG 3.92

$2.17 ₾5.65

0.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 AWG 4.75

$0.74 ₾1.92

259.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.47 AWG 7.99

$1.71 ₾4.45

161.40%

Eggs

$4.59 AWG 8.22

$2.83 ₾7.36

62.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.93 AWG 14.19

$9.22 ₾23.94

-13.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.40 AWG 13.24

$6.76 ₾17.55

9.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.83 AWG 12.22

$12.77 ₾33.16

-46.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.47 AWG 8.00

$1.64 ₾4.26

172.56%

Banana (1kg)

$4.53 AWG 8.10

$1.77 ₾4.60

155.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.40 AWG 15.04

$1.87 ₾4.85

349.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.58 AWG 11.78

$2.44 ₾6.34

169.67%

Potato (1kg)

$6.89 AWG 12.33

$0.87 ₾2.25

691.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 AWG 3.38

$0.65 ₾1.70

190.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.11 AWG 5.56

$1.40 ₾3.63

122.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$4.31 AWG 7.71

$0.74 ₾1.93

482.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.20 AWG 18.26

$3.41 ₾8.86

199.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.73 AWG 35.31

$7.60 ₾19.75

159.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 AWG 4.39

$1.70 ₾4.41

44.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 AWG 5.43

$2.38 ₾6.19

27.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.91 AWG 3.42

$0.36 ₾0.94

430.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$154 AWG 276

$15.24 ₾39.59

913.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$19.74 AWG 35.33

$1.18 ₾3.07

1572.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ₾1.97

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.22 AWG 34.39

$11.34 ₾29.46

69.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₾3.46

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

$24.7K ₾64.2K

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

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

$141 AWG 252

$88.9 ₾231

58.20%

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

$71.2 AWG 127

$13.33 ₾34.62

433.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$207 AWG 371

$20.12 ₾52.3

930.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.4 AWG 122

$68.7 ₾178

-0.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.86 AWG 83.9

$18.09 ₾46.99

159.04%

Cinema Ticket

$8.53 AWG 15.27

$6.72 ₾17.45

26.93%

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

$138 AWG 247

$374 ₾970

-63.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.0 AWG 141

$101 ₾263

-21.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$111 AWG 198

$39.33 ₾102

181.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$140 AWG 250

$118 ₾305

18.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 AWG 247

$122 ₾318

12.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 AWG 2,276

$682 ₾1,772

86.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$566 AWG 1,013

$456 ₾1,186

23.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,557 AWG 2,787

$1,303 ₾3,384

19.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,402 AWG 2,510

$899 ₾2,336

55.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,449 ₾6,363

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,452 ₾3,773

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,591 AWG 6,428

$652 ₾1,694

450.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

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

Last update for Santa Cruz: September 14, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,272 in Santa Cruz and $682 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Cruz pays 451% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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

Santa Cruz vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Cruz and Tbilisi differ by about 49% in total monthly costs ($1,858 vs $1,247 including rent). Tbilisi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 451% higher in Santa Cruz, 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: $1,272 in Santa Cruz versus $682 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $138 in Santa Cruz versus $374 in Tbilisi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

A monthly transit pass in Tbilisi runs roughly 913% less than in Santa Cruz. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,247 in Tbilisi versus $1,858 in Santa Cruz, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Santa Cruz. The gap between the two cities makes Tbilisi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Santa Cruz 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 49% less than in Santa Cruz. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.