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: $4,197 in Santa Cruz, CA versus $1,286 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,028 in Santa Cruz, CA versus $2,044 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,859 in Santa Cruz, CA versus $2,802 in Tbilisi.

Living in Santa Cruz, CA is roughly 226% more expensive than in Tbilisi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Santa Cruz, CA is 205% above, Tbilisi is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.42 $25.42

$11.72 ₾30.64

116.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$37.88 ₾99.0

167.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.27 $15.27

$9.74 ₾25.48

56.78%

Cappuccino

$5.26 $5.26

$3.41 ₾8.93

54.25%

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

$3.42 $3.42

$1.06 ₾2.77

222.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$0.65 ₾1.69

226.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.84 $7.84

$2.70 ₾7.07

190.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.20 $7.20

$3.10 ₾8.10

132.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 $1.39

$2.20 ₾5.75

-36.82%

White Bread (500g)

$5.09 $5.09

$0.81 ₾2.11

528.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.86 $6.86

$1.64 ₾4.28

318.29%

Eggs

$6.54 $6.54

$2.75 ₾7.20

137.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.20 $22.20

$9.01 ₾23.56

146.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.26 $16.26

$6.55 ₾17.13

148.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.17 $18.17

$12.62 ₾33.00

43.98%

Apples (1kg)

$6.59 $6.59

$1.67 ₾4.37

294.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.81 ₾4.74

18.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.36 $6.36

$1.93 ₾5.04

229.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.13 $6.13

$2.59 ₾6.77

136.68%

Potato (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$0.87 ₾2.26

395.40%

Onion (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$0.65 ₾1.69

383.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.39 ₾3.64

69.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$0.80 ₾2.08

296.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.55 $11.55

$3.36 ₾8.80

243.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.08 $12.08

$7.54 ₾19.71

60.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.61 ₾4.22

30.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 $3.28

$2.25 ₾5.87

45.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.37 ₾0.96

437.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.3 $64.3

$15.11 ₾39.52

325.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 $3.23

$1.17 ₾3.06

176.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 $2.46

$0.80 ₾2.09

207.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.31 $40.31

$11.33 ₾29.63

255.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.33 ₾3.48

13.53%

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

$37.0K $37.0K

$25.0K ₾65.3K

48.13%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$22.4K ₾58.5K

16.13%

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

$384 $384

$89.1 ₾233

331.25%

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

$59.7 $59.7

$13.25 ₾34.64

350.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.2 $68.2

$19.46 ₾50.9

250.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.8 $76.8

$68.4 ₾179

12.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.84 $12.84

$18.68 ₾48.86

-31.26%

Cinema Ticket

$16.77 $16.77

$6.63 ₾17.35

152.94%

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

$2,467 $2,467

$363 ₾951

578.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.0K $30.0K

$10.7K ₾27.9K

180.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.6 $65.6

$104 ₾271

-36.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.4 $55.4

$38.84 ₾102

42.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.1 $90.1

$117 ₾305

-22.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$123 ₾321

16.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,991 $2,991

$682 ₾1,785

338.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,524 $2,524

$447 ₾1,168

465.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,956 $4,956

$1,284 ₾3,358

285.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,223 $4,223

$920 ₾2,406

359.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,941 $7,941

$2,487 ₾6,504

219.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.3K $11.3K

$1,423 ₾3,721

694.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,631 $5,631

$646 ₾1,689

771.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.2

12.73

-51.30%

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

Last update for Santa Cruz, CA: August 31, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,991 in Santa Cruz, CA and $682 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Cruz, CA pays 772% 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: $101 in Santa Cruz, CA vs $38.00 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $531 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

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

Tbilisi wins on cost – living expenses run 226% 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.

Average pay runs 772% higher in Santa Cruz, CA, 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: $2,991 in Santa Cruz, CA versus $682 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 $38.00 versus $101 in Santa Cruz, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $4,197 per month in Santa Cruz, CA versus $1,286 in Tbilisi – a 226% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,286 in Tbilisi versus $4,197 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 $1,286 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 226% less than in Santa Cruz, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.