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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,269 in Santa Maria, CA versus $1,209 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,426 in Santa Maria, CA versus $1,867 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,583 in Santa Maria, CA versus $2,526 in Tbilisi.

Living in Santa Maria, CA is roughly 170% more expensive than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Santa Maria, CA is 144% above, Tbilisi is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.17 $20.17

$10.80 ₾28.71

86.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 $70.0

$43.18 ₾115

62.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.52 $11.52

$8.29 ₾22.04

38.96%

Cappuccino

$4.87 $4.87

$3.00 ₾7.97

62.33%

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

$2.44 $2.44

$0.82 ₾2.17

197.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$0.46 ₾1.21

352.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.83 $5.83

$2.23 ₾5.93

161.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.05 $8.05

$2.92 ₾7.75

175.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.93 ₾5.12

-49.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 $2.85

$0.68 ₾1.81

319.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.94 $4.94

$1.88 ₾5.00

162.77%

Eggs

$3.58 $3.58

$2.54 ₾6.74

40.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.29 $10.29

$7.42 ₾19.70

38.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.63 $8.63

$6.19 ₾16.44

39.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.30 $17.30

$9.36 ₾24.87

84.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.85 $3.85

$1.22 ₾3.25

215.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.66 ₾4.40

-1.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 $3.58

$1.80 ₾4.78

98.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$2.24 ₾5.96

50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.98 $2.98

$0.71 ₾1.89

319.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.67 ₾1.79

204.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.18 ₾3.13

44.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 $1.32

$0.66 ₾1.76

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.08 $11.08

$2.98 ₾7.91

271.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.73 $14.73

$7.61 ₾20.22

93.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.54 ₾4.08

14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.25 ₾5.99

50.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.36 ₾0.95

463.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 ₾38.38

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 $3.37

$1.49 ₾3.97

126.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 $1.90

$0.68 ₾1.82

179.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.22 $25.22

$7.23 ₾19.20

248.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.14 ₾3.04

7.89%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$18.5K ₾49.1K

95.22%

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

$29.9K $29.9K

$20.0K ₾53.1K

49.62%

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

$167 $167

$73.7 ₾196

126.93%

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

$49.54 $49.54

$11.64 ₾30.92

325.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.2 $84.2

$17.84 ₾47.41

371.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.33 $43.33

$60.1 ₾160

-27.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ₾44.65

Cinema Ticket

$14.40 $14.40

$6.60 ₾17.55

118.18%

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

$981 $981

$266 ₾708

268.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K $13.2K

$5,191 ₾13.8K

153.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.1 $56.1

$77.7 ₾206

-27.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.82 $39.82

$44.75 ₾119

-11.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.8 $73.8

$117 ₾310

-36.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 $78.8

$113 ₾300

-30.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,199 $2,199

$693 ₾1,840

217.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,043 $2,043

$462 ₾1,227

342.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,356 $3,356

$1,320 ₾3,507

154.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,114 $3,114

$774 ₾2,057

302.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,519 $8,519

$2,430 ₾6,458

250.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,609 $8,609

$1,446 ₾3,842

495.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,147 $4,147

$673 ₾1,788

516.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

11.89

-45.25%

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

Last update for Santa Maria, CA: June 2, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,199 in Santa Maria, CA and $693 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Maria, CA pays 516% 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: $70.0 in Santa Maria, CA vs $43.00 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $339 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 Maria, CA vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi wins on cost – living expenses run 170% lower than in Santa Maria, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tbilisi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Santa Maria, CA pays 516% 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: $2,199 in Santa Maria, CA versus $693 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 67% higher in Santa Maria, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,269 per month in Santa Maria, CA versus $1,209 in Tbilisi – a 170% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,209 in Tbilisi versus $3,269 in Santa Maria, CA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Santa Maria, 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 Maria, 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 170% less than in Santa Maria, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.