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: $1,842 in Santa Cruz versus $1,218 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,836 in Santa Cruz versus $1,853 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,829 in Santa Cruz versus $2,489 in Tbilisi.

Living in Santa Cruz is roughly 51% more expensive than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Santa Cruz is 37% above, Tbilisi is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.85 ₾28.75

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.17 ₾117

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 ₾21.94

Cappuccino

$3.02 ₾8.00

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

$0.76 ₾2.02

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.22

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ₾5.93

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.95

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 AWG 3.87

$1.93 ₾5.11

11.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 AWG 4.91

$0.72 ₾1.91

280.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.53 AWG 8.11

$1.84 ₾4.87

146.20%

Eggs

$4.62 AWG 8.28

$2.45 ₾6.48

88.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 AWG 14.82

$7.43 ₾19.67

11.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.41 AWG 13.26

$6.48 ₾17.16

14.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.78 AWG 12.14

$9.70 ₾25.70

-30.10%

Apples (1kg)

$4.37 AWG 7.81

$1.20 ₾3.18

264.17%

Banana (1kg)

$4.56 AWG 8.16

$1.56 ₾4.14

192.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.49 AWG 15.19

$1.79 ₾4.75

374.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.68 AWG 11.96

$2.23 ₾5.90

199.55%

Potato (1kg)

$6.82 AWG 12.21

$0.65 ₾1.73

949.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 AWG 3.40

$0.68 ₾1.79

179.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.98 AWG 5.34

$1.19 ₾3.16

150.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$4.45 AWG 7.97

$0.70 ₾1.86

535.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.44 AWG 18.69

$2.95 ₾7.82

253.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.67 AWG 35.20

$7.33 ₾19.41

168.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 AWG 4.45

$1.52 ₾4.02

63.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 AWG 5.54

$2.25 ₾5.95

37.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 AWG 3.55

$0.36 ₾0.95

450.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$152 AWG 273

$14.60 ₾38.68

942.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$19.34 AWG 34.61

$1.50 ₾3.97

1189.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 ₾1.92

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.23 AWG 34.43

$7.45 ₾19.74

158.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.01

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

$18.5K ₾49.0K

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

$20.3K ₾53.6K

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

$139 AWG 249

$73.9 ₾196

88.22%

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

$72.7 AWG 130

$11.71 ₾31.01

520.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$205 AWG 367

$18.16 ₾48.09

1028.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.5 AWG 123

$61.7 ₾163

10.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.81 AWG 83.8

$16.66 ₾44.12

180.97%

Cinema Ticket

$8.48 AWG 15.18

$6.61 ₾17.50

28.29%

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

$141 AWG 253

$264 ₾700

-46.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,145 ₾13.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.4 AWG 139

$74.9 ₾198

3.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$110 AWG 196

$43.98 ₾117

148.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 AWG 244

$118 ₾312

15.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 AWG 247

$114 ₾301

21.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,282 AWG 2,294

$692 ₾1,833

85.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 AWG 993

$454 ₾1,203

22.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,582 AWG 2,831

$1,323 ₾3,504

19.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,386 AWG 2,481

$789 ₾2,089

75.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,431 ₾6,440

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 ₾3,818

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,569 AWG 6,388

$645 ₾1,709

453.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

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

Last update for Santa Cruz: June 8, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,282 in Santa Cruz and $692 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Cruz pays 453% 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 51% in total monthly costs ($1,842 vs $1,218 including rent). Tbilisi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Santa Cruz pays 453% more on average, 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: $1,282 in Santa Cruz versus $692 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $141 in Santa Cruz versus $264 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 943% less than in Santa Cruz. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,218 in Tbilisi versus $1,842 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 51% less than in Santa Cruz. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.