Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Addis Ababa Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Addis Ababa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,279 in Tbilisi versus $1,310 in Addis Ababa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,011 in Tbilisi versus $1,940 in Addis Ababa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,743 in Tbilisi versus $2,571 in Addis Ababa.

Living in Tbilisi costs roughly 2% less than in Addis Ababa, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 7% lower, Addis Ababa 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.43 ₾29.72

$3.93 ETB 632

190.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.16 ₾99.2

$41.97 ETB 6,747

-9.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.40 ₾24.45

$6.40 ETB 1,028

46.88%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ₾8.78

$0.96 ETB 155

252.08%

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

$1.04 ₾2.70

$0.63 ETB 102

65.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₾1.56

$0.69 ETB 110

-13.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 ₾7.05

$0.78 ETB 125

247.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ₾7.90

$2.21 ETB 355

37.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 ₾5.90

$1.05 ETB 169

116.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ₾2.04

$1.21 ETB 195

-34.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ₾4.21

$2.10 ETB 337

-22.86%

Eggs

$2.74 ₾7.13

$1.74 ETB 279

57.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.30 ₾24.19

$7.32 ETB 1,177

27.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.79 ₾17.65

$10.07 ETB 1,618

-32.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.01 ₾33.84

$9.13 ETB 1,467

42.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.27

$5.30 ETB 852

-69.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ₾4.77

$0.68 ETB 110

169.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 ₾4.94

$2.15 ETB 346

-11.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 ₾6.68

$0.66 ETB 106

289.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 ₾2.19

$0.49 ETB 79.5

71.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$1.10 ETB 176

-40.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₾3.54

$0.68 ETB 110

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₾2.07

$0.56 ETB 90.8

42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ₾8.85

$7.82 ETB 1,256

-56.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.67 ₾19.94

$5.52 ETB 887

38.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₾4.36

$0.72 ETB 116

133.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.18

$1.21 ETB 195

96.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ₾1.02

$0.51 ETB 82.5

-23.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.55 ₾40.44

$21.23 ETB 3,413

-26.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.96

$1.34 ETB 216

-14.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$0.29 ETB 47.08

155.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.32 ₾29.42

$2.01 ETB 323

463.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 ₾3.60

$0.94 ETB 152

46.81%

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

$24.6K ₾63.9K

$55.7K ETB 9.0M

-55.87%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$56.5K ETB 9.1M

-61.09%

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

$88.7 ₾231

$204 ETB 32.8K

-56.48%

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

$13.18 ₾34.26

$7.41 ETB 1,191

77.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.68 ₾51.2

$209 ETB 33.6K

-90.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 ₾177

$43.33 ETB 6,965

57.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.94 ₾46.65

$36.34 ETB 5,842

-50.63%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ₾16.70

$3.81 ETB 612

68.50%

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

$372 ₾967

$135 ETB 21.6K

176.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K ₾28.1K

$30.2K ETB 4.9M

-64.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₾272

$33.41 ETB 5,371

212.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.83 ₾101

$70.5 ETB 11.3K

-44.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₾299

$78.8 ETB 12.7K

45.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$81.9 ETB 13.2K

49.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 ₾1,770

$703 ETB 113.0K

-3.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,185

$396 ETB 63.7K

14.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 ₾3,410

$2,262 ETB 363.6K

-42.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$892 ₾2,321

$764 ETB 122.8K

16.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,391 ₾6,216

$1,975 ETB 317.5K

21.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,425 ₾3,704

$1,016 ETB 163.3K

40.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$640 ₾1,663

$201 ETB 32.4K

217.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

18.5

-31.78%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: September 5, 2026

Last update for Addis Ababa: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $681 in Tbilisi and $703 in Addis Ababa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 218% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $38.00 in Tbilisi vs $42.00 in Addis Ababa. Groceries flip the comparison at $236 vs $210, with Addis Ababa cheaper for home cooking.

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

Tbilisi vs Addis Ababa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi and Addis Ababa differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($1,279 vs $1,310 including rent). Tbilisi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 218% higher in Tbilisi, 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: $681 in Tbilisi versus $703 in Addis Ababa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,279 per month in Tbilisi versus $1,310 in Addis Ababa – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Tbilisi runs roughly 37% less than in Addis Ababa. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,279 in Tbilisi versus $1,310 in Addis Ababa, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Addis Ababa. 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, Tbilisi and Addis Ababa 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 2% less than in Addis Ababa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.