Cost of Living Comparison Between Tartu and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Tartu and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,589 per month in Tartu vs $1,218 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,421 per month in Tartu vs $1,853 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,252 per month in Tartu vs $2,489 in Tbilisi, rent included.

Tartu costs about 30% more than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Tartu sits 18% above the global median, while Tbilisi is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.38 €14.97

$10.85 ₾28.75

60.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.5 €60.7

$44.17 ₾117

59.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 €8.53

$8.28 ₾21.94

19.57%

Cappuccino

$3.82 €3.29

$3.02 ₾8.00

26.49%

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

$2.49 €2.15

$0.76 ₾2.02

227.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 €2.37

$0.46 ₾1.22

497.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.27 €4.54

$2.24 ₾5.93

135.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.76 €4.96

$3.00 ₾7.95

92.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.10

$1.93 ₾5.11

-33.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 €1.32

$0.72 ₾1.91

112.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 €2.03

$1.84 ₾4.87

28.26%

Eggs

$2.88 €2.48

$2.45 ₾6.48

17.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.54 €10.80

$7.43 ₾19.67

68.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 €7.69

$6.48 ₾17.16

37.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.12 €9.59

$9.70 ₾25.70

14.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 €1.71

$1.20 ₾3.18

65.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 €1.33

$1.56 ₾4.14

-0.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.46 €2.12

$1.79 ₾4.75

37.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 €2.03

$2.23 ₾5.90

5.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 €0.86

$0.65 ₾1.73

53.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 €0.95

$0.68 ₾1.79

63.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 €1.79

$1.19 ₾3.16

74.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 €0.90

$0.70 ₾1.86

48.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.24 €5.38

$2.95 ₾7.82

111.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 €9.00

$7.33 ₾19.41

42.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 €1.75

$1.52 ₾4.02

34.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 €1.80

$2.25 ₾5.95

-7.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 €1.48

$0.36 ₾0.95

377.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.12 €26.81

$14.60 ₾38.68

113.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 €2.83

$1.50 ₾3.97

119.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 €0.60

$0.73 ₾1.92

-4.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.62 €17.76

$7.45 ₾19.74

176.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 €1.66

$1.14 ₾3.01

68.42%

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

$29.2K €25.2K

$18.5K ₾49.0K

57.68%

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

$30.7K €26.4K

$20.3K ₾53.6K

51.52%

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

$271 €234

$73.9 ₾196

266.89%

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

$22.61 €19.48

$11.71 ₾31.01

93.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.96 €30.99

$18.16 ₾48.09

98.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.00 €42.22

$61.7 ₾163

-20.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.65 €27.27

$16.66 ₾44.12

89.98%

Cinema Ticket

$11.50 €9.91

$6.61 ₾17.50

73.98%

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

$115 €99.2

$264 ₾700

-56.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,243 €7,103

$5,145 ₾13.6K

60.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$118 €102

$74.9 ₾198

57.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.01 €33.61

$43.98 ₾117

-11.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.0 €85.3

$118 ₾312

-15.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 €94.2

$114 ₾301

-3.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 €587

$692 ₾1,833

-1.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$442 €381

$454 ₾1,203

-2.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,080 €931

$1,323 ₾3,504

-18.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$792 €683

$789 ₾2,089

0.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,587 €3,090

$2,431 ₾6,440

47.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,687 €2,315

$1,441 ₾3,818

86.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,992 €1,716

$645 ₾1,709

208.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.3

11.89

-63.84%

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

Last update for Tartu: June 8, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $682 in Tartu versus $692 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 209% higher in Tartu, 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 $70.0 in Tartu versus $44.00 in Tbilisi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $204 – making Tbilisi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Tartu vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,589 in Tartu, $1,218 in Tbilisi – roughly 30% apart. Tartu costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,384 per month in Tartu and $1,827 in Tbilisi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,589 in Tartu and $1,218 in Tbilisi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 113% less in Tbilisi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tbilisi, where all-in costs run around $1,218, than in Tartu at $1,589. In Tbilisi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tartu it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Tbilisi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,218 in Tbilisi to $1,589 in Tartu. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Tbilisi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tartu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.