Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Monica, CA and Tbilisi

For one person, living is cheaper in Tbilisi: $1,266 a month against $4,430 in Santa Monica, CA, rent and utilities included – about $38,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

214

Cost of Living Index in Santa Monica, CA
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Santa Monica, CA Living Index
62

Cost of Living Index in Tbilisi
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Tbilisi Living Index

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Santa Monica, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,430

/mo nomad

Tbilisi

🇬🇪 Georgia

$1,266

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Santa Monica, CA and in Tbilisi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Santa Monica, CA and in Tbilisi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,430 per month in Santa Monica, CA vs $1,266 in Tbilisi, rent included.

Santa Monica, CA $4,430
Tbilisi $1,266

A couple spends around $6,581 per month in Santa Monica, CA vs $2,007 in Tbilisi, rent included.

Santa Monica, CA $6,581
Tbilisi $2,007

A family of three spends $8,732 per month in Santa Monica, CA vs $2,749 in Tbilisi, rent included.

Santa Monica, CA $8,732
Tbilisi $2,749

Santa Monica, CA costs about 250% more than Tbilisi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Santa Monica, CA sits 228% above the global median, while Tbilisi is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.77 $26.77

$11.34 ₾29.35

136.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$39.05 ₾101

202.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.88 $14.88

$9.63 ₾24.92

54.52%

Cappuccino

$5.93 $5.93

$3.46 ₾8.95

71.39%

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

$3.26 $3.26

$1.09 ₾2.82

199.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 $2.40

$0.63 ₾1.62

280.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.13 $8.13

$2.77 ₾7.17

193.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.95 $9.95

$3.10 ₾8.04

220.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 $1.34

$2.25 ₾5.81

-40.44%

White Bread (500g)

$4.57 $4.57

$0.80 ₾2.07

471.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.65 $4.65

$1.76 ₾4.55

164.20%

Eggs

$5.73 $5.73

$2.75 ₾7.11

108.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.77 $15.77

$9.39 ₾24.32

67.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.21 $14.21

$6.66 ₾17.23

113.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.80 $19.80

$12.92 ₾33.45

53.25%

Apples (1kg)

$4.76 $4.76

$1.67 ₾4.31

185.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.80 ₾4.65

27.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.95 $3.95

$1.92 ₾4.97

105.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.45 $5.45

$2.41 ₾6.24

126.14%

Potato (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$0.86 ₾2.23

284.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 $2.83

$0.69 ₾1.80

310.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.40 ₾3.62

52.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$0.71 ₾1.85

249.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.56 $11.56

$3.51 ₾9.08

229.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.25 $15.25

$7.61 ₾19.69

100.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.63 ₾4.21

49.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.31 ₾5.98

32.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.52 $2.52

$0.37 ₾0.96

581.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.0 $67.0

$15.67 ₾40.57

327.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 $3.15

$1.14 ₾2.95

176.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 $1.90

$0.79 ₾2.05

140.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.68 $32.68

$11.86 ₾30.70

175.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.40 ₾3.62

3.57%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$24.8K ₾64.2K

48.44%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$21.9K ₾56.6K

16.99%

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

$218 $218

$89.1 ₾231

144.39%

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

$46.37 $46.37

$13.21 ₾34.19

251.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.1 $65.1

$19.76 ₾51.1

229.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.7 $70.7

$64.9 ₾168

8.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.11 $44.11

$19.02 ₾49.24

131.91%

Cinema Ticket

$19.36 $19.36

$6.57 ₾17.02

194.67%

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

$1,694 $1,694

$377 ₾975

349.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.5K $32.5K

$10.8K ₾27.9K

200.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.9 $88.9

$102 ₾265

-12.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.8 $54.8

$39.70 ₾103

37.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$118 ₾305

-11.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$123 ₾320

-1.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,328 $3,328

$666 ₾1,724

399.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,860 $2,860

$449 ₾1,163

536.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,804 $5,804

$1,284 ₾3,324

351.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,048 $5,048

$890 ₾2,303

467.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.9K $10.9K

$2,425 ₾6,276

348.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,924 $7,924

$1,380 ₾3,573

474.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,900 $6,900

$680 ₾1,760

915.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

12.62

-47.54%

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

Last update for Santa Monica, CA: October 10, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Santa Monica, CA

$2.9K 64.6%

Tbilisi

$449 35.5% 84.3% $2.4K

Groceries & Markets

Santa Monica, CA

$462 10.4%

Tbilisi

$234 18.5% 49.4% $228

Eating Out

Santa Monica, CA

$413 9.3%

Tbilisi

$188 14.9% 54.5% $225

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Santa Monica, CA

$329 7.4%

Tbilisi

$122 9.7% 62.9% $207

Clothing & Footwear

Santa Monica, CA

$166 3.8%

Tbilisi

$172 13.6% 3.8% $6.3

Sport & Entertainment

Santa Monica, CA

$109 2.5%

Tbilisi

$78 6.2% 28.6% $31

Getting Around

Santa Monica, CA

$90 2%

Tbilisi

$22 1.8% 75.2% $68

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,328 in Santa Monica, CA versus $666 in Tbilisi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 915% higher in Santa Monica, CA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $118 in Santa Monica, CA versus $39.00 in Tbilisi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $462 vs $234 – making Tbilisi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Santa Monica, CA

🇬🇪 Tbilisi

🕒 Local time

17:16 5:16 PM

04:16 4:16 AM

11 h ahead of Santa Monica, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

89,736

1,241,700 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Georgian Lari GEL ₾

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 GEL = 0.386 USD

1 GEL = 0.344 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

GEL, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇬🇪 Georgian Lari (₾)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.386 USD). 1 EUR = 2.91 GEL (1 GEL = 0.344 EUR).

GEL to USD in detail →

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Santa Monica, CA Tbilisi 11,420 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Santa Monica, CA
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Yes – Santa Monica, CA is pricier by about 250%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,645 per month in Santa Monica, CA and $1,899 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.

Kindergarten costs $1,694 per month in Santa Monica, CA and $377 in Tbilisi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 98% more in Santa Monica, CA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tbilisi, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Santa Monica, CA at $4,430. In Tbilisi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santa Monica, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tbilisi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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