Cost of Living Comparison Between Southern Cross and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Southern Cross and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,203 in Southern Cross versus $1,185 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,236 in Southern Cross versus $1,834 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,270 in Southern Cross versus $2,483 in Tbilisi.

Living in Southern Cross is roughly 86% more expensive than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Southern Cross is 64% above, Tbilisi is 12% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.87 A$24.84

$11.15 ₾30.00

60.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.8 A$78.9

$43.13 ₾116

31.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.81 A$13.64

$8.22 ₾22.11

19.34%

Cappuccino

$3.22 A$4.47

$3.13 ₾8.42

2.88%

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

$2.23 A$3.09

$0.74 ₾2.00

201.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 A$2.29

$0.45 ₾1.22

266.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.34 A$8.81

$2.13 ₾5.74

197.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.69 A$10.69

$2.99 ₾8.06

157.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 A$2.06

$1.89 ₾5.09

-21.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 A$3.24

$0.73 ₾1.97

219.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 A$2.73

$1.85 ₾4.98

6.49%

Eggs

$2.56 A$3.56

$2.45 ₾6.58

4.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.59 A$11.94

$7.85 ₾21.12

9.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.18 A$11.38

$6.25 ₾16.82

30.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.65 A$18.98

$9.77 ₾26.28

39.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 A$4.60

$1.21 ₾3.26

173.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.85 A$3.96

$1.59 ₾4.28

79.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 A$4.17

$1.79 ₾4.81

67.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 A$5.82

$2.32 ₾6.25

80.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 A$3.51

$0.71 ₾1.91

256.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 A$2.91

$0.67 ₾1.81

213.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 A$2.94

$1.18 ₾3.16

78.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 A$2.11

$0.71 ₾1.92

114.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$32.87 A$45.70

$2.92 ₾7.85

1025.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.40 A$20.01

$7.25 ₾19.50

98.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.63 A$6.43

$1.55 ₾4.17

198.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.39 A$7.49

$2.31 ₾6.21

133.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 A$3.54

$0.38 ₾1.03

571.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.1 A$89.1

$14.81 ₾39.83

333.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 A$4.83

$1.48 ₾3.98

135.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 A$2.22

$0.69 ₾1.86

131.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.25 A$46.22

$7.45 ₾20.05

346.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 A$1.62

$1.15 ₾3.10

1.74%

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

$28.4K A$39.5K

$18.0K ₾48.4K

57.98%

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

$22.2K A$30.8K

$19.8K ₾53.4K

11.75%

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

$186 A$258

$73.4 ₾198

152.71%

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

$27.76 A$38.59

$11.64 ₾31.32

138.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 A$72.4

$17.77 ₾47.79

193.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.66 A$67.6

$60.6 ₾163

-19.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.50 A$21.54

$16.44 ₾44.21

-5.72%

Cinema Ticket

$12.97 A$18.03

$6.51 ₾17.52

99.23%

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

$1,643 A$2,284

$263 ₾707

525.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K A$16.9K

$5,136 ₾13.8K

136.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.3 A$96.4

$77.7 ₾209

-10.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 A$70.6

$44.39 ₾119

14.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 A$140

$118 ₾317

-14.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 A$152

$114 ₾307

-4.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 A$1,732

$693 ₾1,865

79.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,079 A$1,500

$462 ₾1,244

133.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,043 A$2,839

$1,337 ₾3,597

52.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,669 A$2,320

$779 ₾2,096

114.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,752 A$9,385

$2,530 ₾6,805

166.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,770 A$6,630

$1,430 ₾3,847

233.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,062 A$9,817

$633 ₾1,702

1016.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

11.89

-47.43%

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

Last update for Southern Cross: April 26, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,246 in Southern Cross and $693 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Southern Cross pays 1016% 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: $57.0 in Southern Cross vs $43.00 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $332 vs $206 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

Southern Cross vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Southern Cross and Tbilisi differ by about 86% in total monthly costs ($2,203 vs $1,185 including rent). Tbilisi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Southern Cross pays 1016% 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: $1,246 in Southern Cross versus $693 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Tbilisi – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $57.0 in Southern Cross. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,203 per month in Southern Cross versus $1,185 in Tbilisi – a 86% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,185 in Tbilisi versus $2,203 in Southern Cross, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Southern Cross. The gap between the two cities makes Tbilisi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Southern Cross 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 86% less than in Southern Cross. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.