Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Alba Iulia Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Alba Iulia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,185 in Tbilisi versus $953 in Alba Iulia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,834 in Tbilisi versus $1,460 in Alba Iulia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,483 in Tbilisi versus $1,967 in Alba Iulia.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 24% more expensive than Alba Iulia, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 12% lower, Alba Iulia 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.15 ₾30.00

$8.96 RON 39.07

24.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.13 ₾116

$34.49 RON 150

25.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 ₾22.11

$6.39 RON 27.88

28.64%

Cappuccino

$3.13 ₾8.42

$2.42 RON 10.54

29.34%

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

$0.74 ₾2.00

$1.90 RON 8.26

-61.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₾1.22

$1.60 RON 6.95

-71.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ₾5.74

$2.16 RON 9.40

-1.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ₾8.06

$2.36 RON 10.30

26.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₾5.09

$1.39 RON 6.07

35.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₾1.97

$1.24 RON 5.42

-41.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.98

$1.59 RON 6.94

16.35%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.58

$2.93 RON 12.76

-16.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.85 ₾21.12

$8.50 RON 37.04

-7.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ₾16.82

$6.79 RON 29.61

-7.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.77 ₾26.28

$11.95 RON 52.1

-18.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 ₾3.26

$1.01 RON 4.42

19.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₾4.28

$1.49 RON 6.50

6.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.81

$1.40 RON 6.08

27.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 ₾6.25

$2.42 RON 10.56

-4.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.91

$0.77 RON 3.36

-7.79%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.81

$0.65 RON 2.84

3.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.16

$0.92 RON 4.02

28.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₾1.92

$0.70 RON 3.07

1.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.85

$5.59 RON 24.37

-47.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.25 ₾19.50

$4.54 RON 19.78

59.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₾4.17

$1.10 RON 4.80

40.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.21

$1.36 RON 5.92

69.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.03

$0.78 RON 3.40

-51.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.81 ₾39.83

$17.54 RON 76.5

-15.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ₾3.98

$0.73 RON 3.18

102.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.86

$0.70 RON 3.06

-1.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾20.05

$5.11 RON 22.30

45.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₾3.10

$1.57 RON 6.83

-26.75%

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

$18.0K ₾48.4K

$27.9K RON 121.8K

-35.54%

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

$19.8K ₾53.4K

$27.8K RON 121.2K

-28.62%

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

$73.4 ₾198

$139 RON 607

-47.25%

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

$11.64 ₾31.32

$8.14 RON 35.49

43.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.77 ₾47.79

$9.10 RON 39.66

95.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 ₾163

$32.44 RON 141

86.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 ₾44.21

$34.02 RON 148

-51.68%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.52

$5.60 RON 24.40

16.25%

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

$263 ₾707

$454 RON 1,978

-42.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,136 ₾13.8K

$6,638 RON 28.9K

-22.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾209

$43.44 RON 189

78.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.39 ₾119

$26.33 RON 115

68.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾317

$82.2 RON 358

43.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾307

$68.1 RON 297

67.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,865

$312 RON 1,362

121.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,244

$274 RON 1,196

68.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 ₾3,597

$547 RON 2,386

144.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$779 ₾2,096

$446 RON 1,943

74.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,530 ₾6,805

$1,777 RON 7,746

42.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,430 ₾3,847

$1,534 RON 6,687

-6.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$633 ₾1,702

$984 RON 4,289

-35.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

7.7

54.42%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: April 26, 2026

Last update for Alba Iulia: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $693 in Tbilisi and $312 in Alba Iulia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alba Iulia pays 56% 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 $34.00 in Alba Iulia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $204 per month, with Alba Iulia 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

Tbilisi vs Alba Iulia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alba Iulia is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Alba Iulia earns 56% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $693 in Tbilisi versus $312 in Alba Iulia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,185 per month in Tbilisi versus $953 in Alba Iulia – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

At $953 in Alba Iulia versus $1,185 in Tbilisi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Alba Iulia but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Alba Iulia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Alba Iulia is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tbilisi, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Alba Iulia 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 Alba Iulia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.