Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Skien and Tbilisi

For one person, living is cheaper in Tbilisi: $1,266 a month against $2,336 in Skien, rent and utilities included – about $12,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Skien
🇳🇴 Norway
$2,336
/mo nomad
Tbilisi
🇬🇪 Georgia
$1,266
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,336 per month in Skien vs $1,266 in Tbilisi, rent included.

  • Skien $2,336
  • Tbilisi $1,266

A couple spends around $3,267 per month in Skien vs $2,007 in Tbilisi, rent included.

  • Skien $3,267
  • Tbilisi $2,007

A family of three spends $4,197 per month in Skien vs $2,749 in Tbilisi, rent included.

  • Skien $4,197
  • Tbilisi $2,749

Skien costs about 85% more than Tbilisi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Skien sits 73% above the global median, while Tbilisi is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Skien
Tbilisi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.21 NOK 200
$11.34 ₾29.35
87.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$103 NOK 971
$39.05 ₾101
164.05%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.47 NOK 146
$9.63 ₾24.92
60.64%
Cappuccino
$5.11 NOK 48.11
$3.46 ₾8.95
47.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.36 NOK 41.01
$1.09 ₾2.82
300.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 NOK 27.96
$0.63 ₾1.62
371.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$11.89 NOK 112
$2.77 ₾7.17
329.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$12.33 NOK 116
$3.10 ₾8.04
297.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Skien
Tbilisi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.11 NOK 19.84
$2.25 ₾5.81
-6.22%
White Bread (500g)
$3.92 NOK 36.90
$0.80 ₾2.07
390.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.57 NOK 42.98
$1.76 ₾4.55
159.66%
Eggs
$5.66 NOK 53.3
$2.75 ₾7.11
105.82%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.16 NOK 124
$9.39 ₾24.32
40.15%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$15.17 NOK 143
$6.66 ₾17.23
127.78%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.79 NOK 205
$12.92 ₾33.45
68.65%
Apples (1kg)
$3.35 NOK 31.49
$1.67 ₾4.31
100.60%
Banana (1kg)
$2.70 NOK 25.42
$1.80 ₾4.65
50.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.49 NOK 32.86
$1.92 ₾4.97
81.77%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.95 NOK 56.0
$2.41 ₾6.24
146.89%
Potato (1kg)
$2.24 NOK 21.04
$0.86 ₾2.23
160.47%
Onion (1kg)
$2.78 NOK 26.12
$0.69 ₾1.80
302.90%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.04 NOK 28.63
$1.40 ₾3.62
117.14%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.48 NOK 23.33
$0.71 ₾1.85
249.30%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$19.02 NOK 179
$3.51 ₾9.08
441.88%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.76 NOK 148
$7.61 ₾19.69
107.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.35 NOK 31.58
$1.63 ₾4.21
105.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.33 NOK 40.76
$2.31 ₾5.98
87.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Skien
Tbilisi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.26 NOK 30.64
$0.37 ₾0.96
781.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$47.91 NOK 451
$15.67 ₾40.57
205.74%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$11.13 NOK 105
$1.14 ₾2.95
876.32%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.81 NOK 17.02
$0.79 ₾2.05
129.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$70.8 NOK 667
$11.86 ₾30.70
496.96%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.27 NOK 21.39
$1.40 ₾3.62
62.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$47.5K NOK 447.3K
$24.8K ₾64.2K
91.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$43.4K NOK 408.1K
$21.9K ₾56.6K
98.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Skien
Tbilisi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$93.9 NOK 884
$89.1 ₾231
5.32%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.89 NOK 319
$13.21 ₾34.19
156.55%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.6 NOK 504
$19.76 ₾51.1
171.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Skien
Tbilisi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.10 NOK 406
$64.9 ₾168
-33.60%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.02 ₾49.24
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.29 NOK 144
$6.57 ₾17.02
132.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Skien
Tbilisi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$239 NOK 2,247
$377 ₾975
-36.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.7K NOK 148.1K
$10.8K ₾27.9K
45.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Skien
Tbilisi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.7 NOK 600
$102 ₾265
-37.65%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$60.4 NOK 568
$39.70 ₾103
52.02%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$87.9 NOK 827
$118 ₾305
-25.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$153 NOK 1,442
$123 ₾320
24.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Skien
Tbilisi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,042 NOK 9,811
$666 ₾1,724
56.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$975 NOK 9,183
$449 ₾1,163
117.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,035 NOK 9,746
$1,284 ₾3,324
-19.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$939 NOK 8,841
$890 ₾2,303
5.56%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,395 NOK 32.0K
$2,425 ₾6,276
40.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,149 NOK 29.6K
$1,380 ₾3,573
128.11%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Skien
Tbilisi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,236 NOK 39.9K
$680 ₾1,760
523.21%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.37
12.62
-65.37%

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

Last update for Skien: October 12, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Skien
$975
Tbilisi
$449 53.9% $526
Groceries & Markets
Skien
$470
Tbilisi
$234 50.2% $236
Eating Out
Skien
$391
Tbilisi
$188 51.9% $203
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Skien
$181
Tbilisi
$122 32.7% $59
Clothing & Footwear
Skien
$164
Tbilisi
$172 4.9% $8.1
Getting Around
Skien
$81
Tbilisi
$22 72.6% $59
Sport & Entertainment
Skien
$74
Tbilisi
$78 5.9% $4.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,042 in Skien 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 523% higher in Skien, 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 $103 in Skien versus $39.00 in Tbilisi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $470 vs $234 – making Tbilisi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇳🇴 Skien
🇬🇪 Tbilisi
🕒 Local time
17:10 5:10 PM
19:10 7:10 PM
2 h ahead of Skien
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
56,769
1,241,700 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GEL, USD, EUR to NOK – Norwegian Krone Converter

Norwegian Krone exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 9.41 NOK (1 NOK = 0.106 USD). 1 EUR = 10.58 NOK (100 NOK = 9.45 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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Skien Tbilisi 3,110 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Skien
  • 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
Skien vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tbilisi cheaper than Skien?
Yes – Skien is pricier by about 85%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,504 per month in Skien and $1,899 in Tbilisi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Is eating out cheaper in Skien or in Tbilisi?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $103 in Skien and $39.00 in Tbilisi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Skien and in Tbilisi?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,336 in Skien and $1,266 in Tbilisi. That's a gap of about 85%.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Skien or in Tbilisi?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tbilisi, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Skien at $2,336. In Tbilisi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Skien it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Skien or Tbilisi more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Skien or Tbilisi?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Tbilisi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Skien makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Skien vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?