Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Shkoder and Tbilisi

For one person, living is cheaper in Shkoder: $980 a month against $1,269 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Shkoder, Albania
Tbilisi, Georgia
Shkoder
🇦🇱 Albania
$980
/mo nomad
Tbilisi
🇬🇪 Georgia
$1,269
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Shkoder 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 Shkoder and in Tbilisi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $980 per month in Shkoder vs $1,269 in Tbilisi, rent included.

  • Shkoder $980
  • Tbilisi $1,269

A couple spends around $1,474 per month in Shkoder vs $2,016 in Tbilisi, rent included.

  • Shkoder $1,474
  • Tbilisi $2,016

A family of three spends $1,969 per month in Shkoder vs $2,763 in Tbilisi, rent included.

  • Shkoder $1,969
  • Tbilisi $2,763

Shkoder is about 23% cheaper than Tbilisi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Shkoder and Tbilisi are more affordable than the global median – Shkoder 28% lower, Tbilisi 7% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Shkoder
Tbilisi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.30 ALL 755
$11.63 ₾30.07
-20.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.93 ALL 3,162
$37.83 ₾97.8
2.91%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.21 ALL 504
$9.66 ₾24.98
-35.71%
Cappuccino
$1.93 ALL 157
$3.57 ₾9.24
-45.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 ALL 149
$1.08 ₾2.78
69.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.65 ALL 52.7
$0.56 ₾1.45
16.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.84 ALL 149
$2.62 ₾6.78
-29.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18 ALL 258
$3.04 ₾7.85
4.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Shkoder
Tbilisi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.89 ALL 153
$2.17 ₾5.60
-12.90%
White Bread (500g)
$0.97 ALL 79.1
$0.80 ₾2.06
21.25%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.01 ALL 164
$1.74 ₾4.51
15.52%
Eggs
$2.60 ALL 211
$2.83 ₾7.31
-8.13%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.23 ALL 587
$9.31 ₾24.07
-22.34%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.11 ALL 415
$6.52 ₾16.85
-21.63%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.81 ALL 878
$12.95 ₾33.50
-16.53%
Apples (1kg)
$1.65 ALL 134
$1.68 ₾4.33
-1.79%
Banana (1kg)
$2.35 ALL 191
$1.85 ₾4.79
27.03%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.72 ALL 139
$1.97 ₾5.10
-12.69%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.45 ALL 118
$2.42 ₾6.25
-40.08%
Potato (1kg)
$1.02 ALL 82.9
$0.82 ₾2.11
24.39%
Onion (1kg)
$1.23 ALL 99.6
$0.74 ₾1.91
66.22%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 ALL 92.5
$1.34 ₾3.47
-14.93%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 ALL 62.7
$0.77 ₾2.00
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.23 ALL 343
$3.57 ₾9.24
18.49%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.14 ALL 499
$7.67 ₾19.83
-19.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.51 ALL 122
$1.70 ₾4.39
-11.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 ALL 148
$2.40 ₾6.21
-23.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Shkoder
Tbilisi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.49 ALL 39.91
$0.40 ₾1.05
22.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.12 ALL 903
$15.23 ₾39.38
-26.99%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.72 ALL 302
$1.14 ₾2.95
226.32%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.85 ALL 313
$0.78 ₾2.02
393.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.71 ALL 1,519
$11.83 ₾30.58
58.16%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.17 ALL 177
$1.45 ₾3.75
49.66%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.7K ALL 2.7M
$24.6K ₾63.6K
36.96%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.7K ALL 2.0M
$22.3K ₾57.8K
10.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Shkoder
Tbilisi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$61.7 ALL 5,009
$88.8 ₾230
-30.55%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.47 ALL 1,338
$13.12 ₾33.93
25.53%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.10 ALL 1,389
$19.67 ₾50.9
-13.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Shkoder
Tbilisi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.68 ALL 3,467
$64.1 ₾166
-33.36%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.53 ALL 1,018
$19.04 ₾49.24
-34.19%
Cinema Ticket
$7.20 ALL 585
$7.12 ₾18.42
1.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Shkoder
Tbilisi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$91.1 ALL 7,399
$375 ₾971
-75.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,835 ALL 149.0K
$10.5K ₾27.1K
-82.48%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Shkoder
Tbilisi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.16 ALL 3,992
$104 ₾268
-52.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$12.34 ALL 1,002
$39.26 ₾102
-68.57%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.0 ALL 6,008
$117 ₾303
-36.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$147 ALL 11.9K
$122 ₾315
20.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Shkoder
Tbilisi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$489 ALL 39.7K
$695 ₾1,798
-29.66%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$317 ALL 25.8K
$451 ₾1,167
-29.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$484 ALL 39.3K
$1,355 ₾3,504
-64.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$412 ALL 33.5K
$906 ₾2,343
-54.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,866 ALL 151.6K
$2,295 ₾5,934
-18.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,232 ALL 100.1K
$1,345 ₾3,478
-8.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Shkoder
Tbilisi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$567 ALL 46.0K
$664 ₾1,718
-14.70%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
12.62
-60.38%

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

Last update for Shkoder: October 26, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Shkoder
$317
Tbilisi
$451 42.2% $134
Groceries & Markets
Shkoder
$206
Tbilisi
$234 13.6% $28
Eating Out
Shkoder
$142
Tbilisi
$191 34.5% $49
Clothing & Footwear
Shkoder
$127
Tbilisi
$172 35.4% $45
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Shkoder
$95
Tbilisi
$122 27.7% $26
Sport & Entertainment
Shkoder
$57
Tbilisi
$78 37.2% $21
Getting Around
Shkoder
$36
Tbilisi
$22 39.3% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $489 in Shkoder versus $695 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 17% higher in Tbilisi, 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 $39 in Shkoder versus $38 in Tbilisi. Groceries tell a different story – $206 in Shkoder vs $234 in Tbilisi – so Shkoder wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇦🇱 Shkoder
🇬🇪 Tbilisi
🕒 Local time
07:59 7:59 AM
10:59 10:59 AM
3 h ahead of Shkoder
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
77,075
1,241,700 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GEL, USD, EUR to ALL – Albanian Lek Converter

Albanian Lek exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 81.22 ALL (100 ALL = 1.23 USD). 1 EUR = 90.69 ALL (100 ALL = 1.1 EUR).

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.387 USD). 1 EUR = 2.89 GEL (1 GEL = 0.346 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Shkoder Tbilisi 2,090 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Shkoder
  • Tbilisi

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
Shkoder vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Shkoder and in Tbilisi compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $980 in Shkoder, $1,269 in Tbilisi – Shkoder comes out roughly 23% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Shkoder compared to Tbilisi?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,470 per month in Shkoder and $1,904 in Tbilisi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Shkoder and Tbilisi?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Shkoder, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $489 there versus $695 in Tbilisi.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $39 in Shkoder and $38 in Tbilisi. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Shkoder or Tbilisi?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $980 in Shkoder and $1,269 in Tbilisi. That makes Shkoder about 23% cheaper.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Shkoder, where all-in costs run around $980, than in Tbilisi at $1,269. In Shkoder it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Shkoder or Tbilisi?
Families tend to lean toward Shkoder – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between Shkoder and Tbilisi?
If budget matters most, go with Shkoder. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tbilisi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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