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: $1,209 in Tbilisi versus $1,383 in Addis Ababa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,867 in Tbilisi versus $2,083 in Addis Ababa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,526 in Tbilisi versus $2,783 in Addis Ababa.

Living in Tbilisi costs roughly 13% less than in Addis Ababa, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tbilisi is 10% below, Addis Ababa is 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 ₾28.71

$4.55 ETB 718

137.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.18 ₾115

$35.04 ETB 5,522

23.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.29 ₾22.04

$6.41 ETB 1,010

29.33%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ₾7.97

$1.24 ETB 196

141.94%

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

$0.82 ₾2.17

$0.69 ETB 109

18.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.21

$0.43 ETB 67.7

6.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 ₾5.93

$0.99 ETB 156

125.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.75

$2.97 ETB 468

-1.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.12

$1.44 ETB 228

34.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.81

$1.33 ETB 210

-48.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 ₾5.00

$2.17 ETB 343

-13.36%

Eggs

$2.54 ₾6.74

$2.43 ETB 383

4.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 ₾19.70

$7.29 ETB 1,148

1.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ₾16.44

$13.73 ETB 2,164

-54.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ₾24.87

$13.09 ETB 2,063

-28.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 ₾3.25

$6.68 ETB 1,053

-81.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ₾4.40

$0.98 ETB 154

69.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.78

$2.19 ETB 345

-17.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 ₾5.96

$0.99 ETB 157

126.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.89

$0.68 ETB 107

4.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.79

$1.81 ETB 286

-62.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.13

$0.68 ETB 108

73.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.76

$0.64 ETB 101

3.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ₾7.91

$4.02 ETB 633

-25.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₾20.22

$5.77 ETB 909

31.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.08

$0.99 ETB 156

55.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.99

$1.89 ETB 298

19.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$0.43 ETB 67.9

-16.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 ₾38.38

$12.21 ETB 1,925

18.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ₾3.97

$1.48 ETB 234

0.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.82

$0.27 ETB 42.16

151.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 ₾19.20

$2.05 ETB 323

252.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.04

$1.24 ETB 195

-8.06%

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

$18.5K ₾49.1K

$55.4K ETB 8.7M

-66.70%

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

$20.0K ₾53.1K

$54.0K ETB 8.5M

-63.03%

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

$73.7 ₾196

$157 ETB 24.8K

-53.11%

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

$11.64 ₾30.92

$12.11 ETB 1,908

-3.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.84 ₾47.41

$129 ETB 20.3K

-86.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 ₾160

$69.5 ETB 11.0K

-13.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ₾44.65

$36.71 ETB 5,786

-54.24%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ₾17.55

$5.86 ETB 923

12.63%

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

$266 ₾708

$81.1 ETB 12.8K

228.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,191 ₾13.8K

$41.1K ETB 6.5M

-87.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾206

$46.81 ETB 7,377

65.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.75 ₾119

$74.1 ETB 11.7K

-39.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾310

$93.3 ETB 14.7K

25.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾300

$115 ETB 18.2K

-2.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,840

$758 ETB 119.5K

-8.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,227

$495 ETB 78.0K

-6.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 ₾3,507

$1,819 ETB 286.7K

-27.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₾2,057

$890 ETB 140.2K

-12.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,430 ₾6,458

$1,981 ETB 312.2K

22.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 ₾3,842

$1,009 ETB 159.0K

43.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 ₾1,788

$206 ETB 32.5K

225.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

-30.06%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Addis Ababa: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $693 in Tbilisi and $758 in Addis Ababa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 226% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $43.00 in Tbilisi vs $35.00 in Addis Ababa. Groceries flip the comparison at $203 vs $265, with Tbilisi 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 14% in total monthly costs ($1,209 vs $1,383 including rent). Tbilisi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Tbilisi pays 226% 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: $693 in Tbilisi versus $758 in Addis Ababa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,209 per month in Tbilisi versus $1,383 in Addis Ababa – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Tbilisi runs roughly 18% less than in Addis Ababa. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,209 in Tbilisi versus $1,383 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 14% less than in Addis Ababa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.