Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Southern Cross and Tbilisi

For one person, living is cheaper in Tbilisi: $1,278 a month against $2,532 in Southern Cross, rent and utilities included – about $15,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Southern Cross, Australia
Tbilisi, Georgia
Southern Cross
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,532
/mo nomad
Tbilisi
🇬🇪 Georgia
$1,278
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,532 in Southern Cross versus $1,278 in Tbilisi.

  • Southern Cross $2,532
  • Tbilisi $1,278

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,583 in Southern Cross versus $2,017 in Tbilisi.

  • Southern Cross $3,583
  • Tbilisi $2,017

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,635 in Southern Cross versus $2,755 in Tbilisi.

  • Southern Cross $4,635
  • Tbilisi $2,755

Living in Southern Cross is roughly 98% more expensive than in Tbilisi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Southern Cross is 87% above, Tbilisi is 5% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Southern Cross
Tbilisi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.39 A$27.64
$11.62 ₾30.07
66.87%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.2 A$87.2
$38.41 ₾99.4
59.23%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.68 A$15.22
$9.74 ₾25.20
9.65%
Cappuccino
$3.47 A$4.95
$3.56 ₾9.21
-2.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 A$3.42
$1.08 ₾2.80
122.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 A$2.53
$0.56 ₾1.46
216.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.93 A$9.88
$2.73 ₾7.05
153.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.36 A$11.91
$3.13 ₾8.09
167.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Southern Cross
Tbilisi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.58 A$2.26
$2.14 ₾5.55
-26.17%
White Bread (500g)
$2.72 A$3.88
$0.75 ₾1.95
262.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.22 A$3.17
$1.80 ₾4.66
23.33%
Eggs
$2.76 A$3.94
$2.80 ₾7.25
-1.43%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.26 A$13.20
$9.43 ₾24.41
-1.80%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.44 A$13.46
$7.00 ₾18.10
34.86%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.66 A$20.90
$12.69 ₾32.83
15.52%
Apples (1kg)
$3.87 A$5.52
$1.63 ₾4.22
137.42%
Banana (1kg)
$3.00 A$4.27
$1.84 ₾4.77
63.04%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.16 A$4.51
$1.97 ₾5.09
60.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.63 A$6.61
$2.47 ₾6.39
87.45%
Potato (1kg)
$2.62 A$3.74
$0.75 ₾1.95
249.33%
Onion (1kg)
$2.44 A$3.48
$0.67 ₾1.74
264.18%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.34 A$3.33
$1.41 ₾3.66
65.96%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.55 A$2.21
$0.72 ₾1.86
115.28%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$35.49 A$50.6
$3.51 ₾9.08
911.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.19 A$20.22
$7.89 ₾20.40
79.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.75 A$6.77
$1.70 ₾4.41
179.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.35 A$7.63
$2.37 ₾6.12
125.74%
🚌 Getting Around
Southern Cross
Tbilisi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.71 A$3.86
$0.38 ₾0.98
613.16%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$85.7 A$122
$15.29 ₾39.56
460.69%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.56 A$5.07
$1.19 ₾3.08
199.16%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.57 A$2.24
$0.74 ₾1.91
112.16%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$39.44 A$56.2
$11.89 ₾30.76
231.71%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 A$1.81
$1.46 ₾3.77
-13.01%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.9K A$41.2K
$25.0K ₾64.6K
15.75%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K A$38.2K
$22.8K ₾59.1K
17.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Southern Cross
Tbilisi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$208 A$296
$88.1 ₾228
135.79%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.83 A$39.67
$12.71 ₾32.87
118.96%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$57.5 A$81.9
$19.79 ₾51.2
190.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Southern Cross
Tbilisi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.8 A$81.0
$64.3 ₾166
-11.65%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.03 A$25.70
$19.17 ₾49.59
-5.95%
Cinema Ticket
$14.09 A$20.08
$6.65 ₾17.20
111.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Southern Cross
Tbilisi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,165 A$3,087
$371 ₾961
483.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.6K A$29.4K
$9,163 ₾23.7K
125.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Southern Cross
Tbilisi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$76.2 A$109
$102 ₾264
-25.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.4 A$79.0
$39.65 ₾103
39.80%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$109 A$155
$118 ₾306
-7.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 A$174
$120 ₾310
1.91%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Southern Cross
Tbilisi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,377 A$1,964
$690 ₾1,784
99.69%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,227 A$1,749
$461 ₾1,193
166.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,255 A$3,215
$1,362 ₾3,523
65.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,829 A$2,608
$897 ₾2,321
103.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,968 A$8,508
$2,277 ₾5,891
162.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,897 A$6,981
$1,378 ₾3,564
255.43%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Southern Cross
Tbilisi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$7,095 A$10.1K
$710 ₾1,836
899.48%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.25
12.53
-50.12%

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

Last update for Southern Cross: November 1, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Southern Cross
$1.2K
Tbilisi
$461 62.4% $766
Groceries & Markets
Southern Cross
$359
Tbilisi
$235 34.4% $124
Eating Out
Southern Cross
$297
Tbilisi
$191 35.5% $106
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Southern Cross
$293
Tbilisi
$121 58.8% $172
Clothing & Footwear
Southern Cross
$163
Tbilisi
$171 4.7% $7.7
Getting Around
Southern Cross
$108
Tbilisi
$22 79.9% $86
Sport & Entertainment
Southern Cross
$85
Tbilisi
$78 8.7% $7.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,377 in Southern Cross and $690 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Southern Cross pays about 10 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $61 in Southern Cross vs $38 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $359 vs $235 per month, with Tbilisi cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Southern Cross
🇬🇪 Tbilisi
🕒 Local time
06:30 6:30 AM
02:30 2:30 AM
4 h behind Southern Cross
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
700
1,241,700 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GEL, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 AUD (1 AUD = 0.701 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 AUD (1 AUD = 0.623 EUR).

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.387 USD). 1 EUR = 2.91 GEL (1 GEL = 0.343 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Southern Cross Tbilisi 11,120 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Southern Cross
  • 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
Southern Cross vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Southern Cross and in Tbilisi?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $2,532 in Southern Cross and $1,278 in Tbilisi, so Tbilisi is about 50% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Southern Cross or Tbilisi?
Average pay in Southern Cross is about 10 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Southern Cross and in Tbilisi?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,377 in Southern Cross versus $690 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Tbilisi – a meal for two runs $38 versus $61 in Southern Cross. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Southern Cross or Tbilisi?
All in, you’ll spend $2,532 per month in Southern Cross versus $1,278 in Tbilisi – Tbilisi is about 50% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,278 in Tbilisi versus $2,532 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.
How does quality of life compare between Southern Cross and Tbilisi?
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.
Is Southern Cross or Tbilisi safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Southern Cross and Tbilisi are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Where should expats move: Southern Cross or Tbilisi?
Expats usually find Tbilisi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Southern Cross. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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