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 $1,563 per month in Santa Cruz vs $1,185 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,401 per month in Santa Cruz vs $1,834 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,238 per month in Santa Cruz vs $2,483 in Tbilisi, rent included.

Santa Cruz costs about 32% more than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Santa Cruz sits 17% above the global median, while Tbilisi is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.74 ₡4,885

$11.15 ₾30.00

-3.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.7 ₡26.7K

$43.13 ₾116

36.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 ₡4,503

$8.22 ₾22.11

20.44%

Cappuccino

$3.83 ₡1,741

$3.13 ₾8.42

22.36%

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

$1.99 ₡906

$0.74 ₾2.00

168.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ₡751

$0.45 ₾1.22

266.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 ₡1,348

$2.13 ₾5.74

38.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 ₡2,115

$2.99 ₾8.06

55.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ₡888

$1.89 ₾5.09

3.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 ₡1,258

$0.73 ₾1.97

279.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 ₡969

$1.85 ₾4.98

15.14%

Eggs

$2.98 ₡1,355

$2.45 ₾6.58

21.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 ₡4,641

$7.85 ₾21.12

29.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.14 ₡4,155

$6.25 ₾16.82

46.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.70 ₡6,231

$9.77 ₾26.28

40.23%

Apples (1kg)

$4.59 ₡2,086

$1.21 ₾3.26

279.34%

Banana (1kg)

$0.94 ₡428

$1.59 ₾4.28

-40.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 ₡1,985

$1.79 ₾4.81

144.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.47 ₡1,580

$2.32 ₾6.25

49.57%

Potato (1kg)

$3.54 ₡1,608

$0.71 ₾1.91

398.59%

Onion (1kg)

$3.19 ₡1,450

$0.67 ₾1.81

376.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 ₡433

$1.18 ₾3.16

-19.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 ₡1,290

$0.71 ₾1.92

300.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.21 ₡2,370

$2.92 ₾7.85

78.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.15 ₡10.1K

$7.25 ₾19.50

205.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 ₡1,098

$1.55 ₾4.17

55.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 ₡1,332

$2.31 ₾6.21

26.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ₡445

$0.38 ₾1.03

157.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.81 ₾39.83

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ₡843

$1.48 ₾3.98

25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 ₡817

$0.69 ₾1.86

160.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 ₡3,499

$7.45 ₾20.05

3.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ₡658

$1.15 ₾3.10

26.09%

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

$38.4K ₡17.4M

$18.0K ₾48.4K

112.99%

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

$32.1K ₡14.6M

$19.8K ₾53.4K

61.67%

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

$93.6 ₡42.6K

$73.4 ₾198

27.42%

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

$26.04 ₡11.8K

$11.64 ₾31.32

123.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.8 ₡24.0K

$17.77 ₾47.79

197.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.8 ₡26.3K

$60.6 ₾163

-4.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.68 ₡10.8K

$16.44 ₾44.21

44.04%

Cinema Ticket

$5.99 ₡2,724

$6.51 ₾17.52

-7.99%

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

$579 ₡263.2K

$263 ₾707

120.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K ₡5.8M

$5,136 ₾13.8K

147.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 ₡28.5K

$77.7 ₾209

-19.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.9 ₡23.1K

$44.39 ₾119

14.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 ₡57.2K

$118 ₾317

6.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ₡48.8K

$114 ₾307

-6.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$776 ₡352.8K

$693 ₾1,865

11.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$590 ₡268.5K

$462 ₾1,244

27.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,495 ₡679.7K

$1,337 ₾3,597

11.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$951 ₡432.6K

$779 ₾2,096

22.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,530 ₾6,805

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,430 ₾3,847

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$633 ₾1,702

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $776 in Santa Cruz versus $693 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 $59.0 in Santa Cruz versus $43.00 in Tbilisi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $366 vs $206 – 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: $1,563 in Santa Cruz, $1,185 in Tbilisi – roughly 32% apart. Santa Cruz costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,345 per month in Santa Cruz and $1,777 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 $1,563 in Santa Cruz and $1,185 in Tbilisi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $579 per month in Santa Cruz and $263 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 $1,185, than in Santa Cruz at $1,563. 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 $1,185 in Tbilisi to $1,563 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.