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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,597 per month in Santa Cruz vs $1,218 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,403 per month in Santa Cruz vs $1,853 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,209 per month in Santa Cruz vs $2,489 in Tbilisi, rent included.

Santa Cruz costs about 31% more than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Santa Cruz sits 19% above the global median, while Tbilisi is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 ₡4,881

$10.85 ₾28.75

-0.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.0 ₡27.1K

$44.17 ₾117

35.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.94 ₡4,489

$8.28 ₾21.94

20.05%

Cappuccino

$3.91 ₡1,766

$3.02 ₾8.00

29.47%

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

$2.04 ₡923

$0.76 ₾2.02

168.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₡717

$0.46 ₾1.22

245.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 ₡1,331

$2.24 ₾5.93

31.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 ₡2,116

$3.00 ₾7.95

56.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 ₡917

$1.93 ₾5.11

5.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 ₡1,309

$0.72 ₾1.91

302.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 ₡972

$1.84 ₾4.87

16.85%

Eggs

$2.98 ₡1,345

$2.45 ₾6.48

21.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.10 ₡4,563

$7.43 ₾19.67

35.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.15 ₡4,135

$6.48 ₾17.16

41.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.85 ₡6,258

$9.70 ₾25.70

42.78%

Apples (1kg)

$4.47 ₡2,018

$1.20 ₾3.18

272.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ₡457

$1.56 ₾4.14

-35.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.38 ₡1,979

$1.79 ₾4.75

144.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.48 ₡1,574

$2.23 ₾5.90

56.05%

Potato (1kg)

$3.48 ₡1,574

$0.65 ₾1.73

435.38%

Onion (1kg)

$3.22 ₡1,455

$0.68 ₾1.79

373.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ₡462

$1.19 ₾3.16

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 ₡1,322

$0.70 ₾1.86

318.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.30 ₡2,396

$2.95 ₾7.82

79.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.85 ₡9,874

$7.33 ₾19.41

198.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 ₡1,135

$1.52 ₾4.02

65.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ₡1,334

$2.25 ₾5.95

31.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 ₡468

$0.36 ₾0.95

188.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.60 ₾38.68

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.80 ₡812

$1.50 ₾3.97

20.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 ₡815

$0.73 ₾1.92

146.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.96 ₡3,598

$7.45 ₾19.74

6.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 ₡638

$1.14 ₾3.01

23.68%

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

$37.8K ₡17.1M

$18.5K ₾49.0K

103.99%

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

$33.2K ₡15.0M

$20.3K ₾53.6K

63.94%

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

$92.0 ₡41.6K

$73.9 ₾196

24.54%

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

$26.19 ₡11.8K

$11.71 ₾31.01

123.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.7 ₡24.7K

$18.16 ₾48.09

201.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.2 ₡25.4K

$61.7 ₾163

-8.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.29 ₡11.0K

$16.66 ₾44.12

45.80%

Cinema Ticket

$5.99 ₡2,707

$6.61 ₾17.50

-9.38%

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

$565 ₡255.4K

$264 ₾700

113.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K ₡5.7M

$5,145 ₾13.6K

144.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.6 ₡28.3K

$74.9 ₾198

-16.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.5 ₡23.3K

$43.98 ₾117

17.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 ₡56.4K

$118 ₾312

6.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 ₡49.4K

$114 ₾301

-3.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$767 ₡346.6K

$692 ₾1,833

10.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$605 ₡273.3K

$454 ₾1,203

33.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,513 ₡683.4K

$1,323 ₾3,504

14.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$977 ₡441.4K

$789 ₾2,089

23.88%

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)

$645 ₾1,709

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 Santa Cruz: June 7, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $767 in Santa Cruz versus $692 in Tbilisi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Santa Cruz versus $44.00 in Tbilisi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $369 vs $204 – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,597 in Santa Cruz, $1,218 in Tbilisi – roughly 31% apart. Santa Cruz costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,395 per month in Santa Cruz and $1,827 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,597 in Santa Cruz and $1,218 in Tbilisi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $565 per month in Santa Cruz and $264 in Tbilisi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tbilisi, where all-in costs run around $1,218, than in Santa Cruz at $1,597. In Tbilisi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santa Cruz it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Santa Cruz has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,218 in Tbilisi to $1,597 in Santa Cruz. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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