Cost of Living Comparison Between St John and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between St John and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,096 in St John versus $1,191 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,732 in St John versus $1,856 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,368 in St John versus $2,522 in Tbilisi.

Living in St John is roughly 160% more expensive than in Tbilisi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: St John is 133% above, Tbilisi is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.26 $17.26

$10.91 ₾28.56

58.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$163 $163

$43.19 ₾113

276.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.48 $8.48

$8.53 ₾22.31

-0.59%

Cappuccino

$6.53 $6.53

$2.99 ₾7.81

118.39%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$0.81 ₾2.12

280.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.42 ₾1.09

371.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.41 $6.41

$2.16 ₾5.65

196.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.95 $6.95

$2.88 ₾7.52

141.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.94 ₾5.08

42.27%

White Bread (500g)

$5.88 $5.88

$0.68 ₾1.77

764.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.85 ₾4.83

-20.54%

Eggs

$6.39 $6.39

$2.53 ₾6.62

152.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.97 $17.97

$7.53 ₾19.69

138.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$25.97 $25.97

$6.26 ₾16.39

314.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.59 ₾25.09

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 ₾3.04

Banana (1kg)

$4.99 $4.99

$1.64 ₾4.29

204.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.93

Tomato (1kg)

$8.89 $8.89

$2.23 ₾5.84

298.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ₾1.83

Onion (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$0.64 ₾1.68

606.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.10 $5.10

$1.18 ₾3.09

332.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.83

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 ₾7.78

Wine (Bottle)

$7.43 ₾19.45

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.03

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.98 $5.98

$2.28 ₾5.98

162.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.11 $6.11

$0.36 ₾0.93

1597.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$138 $138

$14.73 ₾38.54

839.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ₾3.71

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.15 $3.15

$0.69 ₾1.81

356.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.27 ₾19.02

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.09 ₾2.86

50.46%

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

$18.3K ₾47.9K

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

$22.4K $22.4K

$20.5K ₾53.6K

9.49%

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

$244 $244

$74.4 ₾195

227.68%

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

$11.71 ₾30.63

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.1 $60.1

$17.60 ₾46.06

241.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.3 ₾158

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.29 ₾42.63

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.03

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

$269 ₾704

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K $13.6K

$5,154 ₾13.5K

164.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 $101

$77.1 ₾202

31.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.8 $58.8

$43.48 ₾114

35.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.18 $49.18

$118 ₾310

-58.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.15 $49.15

$113 ₾295

-56.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,207 $2,207

$709 ₾1,856

211.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,790 $1,790

$465 ₾1,215

285.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 ₾3,442

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,965 $2,965

$767 ₾2,007

286.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.7K $12.7K

$2,492 ₾6,522

410.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,442 ₾3,773

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,033 $4,033

$663 ₾1,735

508.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.05

11.89

-40.71%

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

Last update for St John: July 28, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,207 in St John and $709 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

St John pays 508% 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: $163 in St John vs $43.00 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $417 vs $204 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

St John vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

St John and Tbilisi differ by about 160% in total monthly costs ($3,096 vs $1,191 including rent). Tbilisi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 508% higher in St John, 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: $2,207 in St John versus $709 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 104% higher in St John. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,096 per month in St John versus $1,191 in Tbilisi – a 160% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,191 in Tbilisi versus $3,096 in St John, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in St John. 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, St John 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 160% less than in St John. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.