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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,230 in Santa Cruz, CA versus $1,209 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,908 in Santa Cruz, CA versus $1,867 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,585 in Santa Cruz, CA versus $2,526 in Tbilisi.

Living in Santa Cruz, CA is roughly 250% more expensive than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Santa Cruz, CA is 216% above, Tbilisi is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.29 $22.29

$10.80 ₾28.71

106.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.5 $79.5

$43.18 ₾115

84.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.39 $12.39

$8.29 ₾22.04

49.46%

Cappuccino

$5.76 $5.76

$3.00 ₾7.97

92.00%

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

$3.36 $3.36

$0.82 ₾2.17

309.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$0.46 ₾1.21

441.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 $7.11

$2.23 ₾5.93

218.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.36 $7.36

$2.92 ₾7.75

152.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.93 ₾5.12

-30.05%

White Bread (500g)

$5.02 $5.02

$0.68 ₾1.81

638.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.78 $6.78

$1.88 ₾5.00

260.64%

Eggs

$5.99 $5.99

$2.54 ₾6.74

135.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.34 $23.34

$7.42 ₾19.70

214.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.12 $15.12

$6.19 ₾16.44

144.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.03 $23.03

$9.36 ₾24.87

146.05%

Apples (1kg)

$7.28 $7.28

$1.22 ₾3.25

496.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.66 ₾4.40

67.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$1.80 ₾4.78

181.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.56 $7.56

$2.24 ₾5.96

237.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.78 $3.78

$0.71 ₾1.89

432.39%

Onion (1kg)

$3.98 $3.98

$0.67 ₾1.79

494.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.18 ₾3.13

148.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$0.66 ₾1.76

327.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.81 $13.81

$2.98 ₾7.91

363.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.32 $15.32

$7.61 ₾20.22

101.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$1.54 ₾4.08

35.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 $2.68

$2.25 ₾5.99

19.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.36 ₾0.95

441.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.6 $65.6

$14.44 ₾38.38

354.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.09 $4.09

$1.49 ₾3.97

174.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 $1.92

$0.68 ₾1.82

182.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.29 $39.29

$7.23 ₾19.20

443.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.14 ₾3.04

8.77%

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

$35.4K $35.4K

$18.5K ₾49.1K

91.89%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$20.0K ₾53.1K

29.34%

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

$223 $223

$73.7 ₾196

203.08%

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

$47.72 $47.72

$11.64 ₾30.92

309.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.4 $67.4

$17.84 ₾47.41

277.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.6 $59.6

$60.1 ₾160

-0.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ₾44.65

Cinema Ticket

$17.10 $17.10

$6.60 ₾17.55

159.09%

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

$3,201 $3,201

$266 ₾708

1101.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.3K $37.3K

$5,191 ₾13.8K

618.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 $64.1

$77.7 ₾206

-17.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.58 $45.58

$44.75 ₾119

1.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 $79.4

$117 ₾310

-32.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$113 ₾300

0.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,889 $2,889

$693 ₾1,840

317.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,684 $2,684

$462 ₾1,227

481.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,589 $5,589

$1,320 ₾3,507

323.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,159 $4,159

$774 ₾2,057

437.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,948 $7,948

$2,430 ₾6,458

227.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.3K $11.3K

$1,446 ₾3,842

683.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,597 $5,597

$673 ₾1,788

731.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

11.89

-46.51%

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

Last update for Santa Cruz, CA: June 1, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,889 in Santa Cruz, CA and $693 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Cruz, CA pays 732% 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: $79.0 in Santa Cruz, CA vs $43.00 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $552 vs $203 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

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

Tbilisi wins on cost – living expenses run 250% lower than in Santa Cruz, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tbilisi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Santa Cruz, CA pays 732% 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: $2,889 in Santa Cruz, CA versus $693 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Tbilisi – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $79.0 in Santa Cruz, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $4,230 per month in Santa Cruz, CA versus $1,209 in Tbilisi – a 250% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,209 in Tbilisi versus $4,230 in Santa Cruz, CA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Santa Cruz, CA. 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 $1,209 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Tbilisi hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Santa Cruz, CA 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 250% less than in Santa Cruz, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.