Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Ardabil

For one person, living is cheaper in Ardabil: $508 a month against $1,269 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $9,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

61

Cost of Living Index in Tbilisi
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Tbilisi Living Index
26

Cost of Living Index in Ardabil
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Ardabil Living Index

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Tbilisi

🇬🇪 Georgia

$1,269

/mo nomad

Ardabil

🇮🇷 Iran

$508

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Ardabil

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tbilisi and in Ardabil actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,269 in Tbilisi versus $508 in Ardabil.

Tbilisi $1,269
Ardabil $508

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,016 in Tbilisi versus $807 in Ardabil.

Tbilisi $2,016
Ardabil $807

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,763 in Tbilisi versus $1,106 in Ardabil.

Tbilisi $2,763
Ardabil $1,106

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 150% more expensive than in Ardabil, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 7% lower, Ardabil 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.63 ₾30.07

$2.89 $2.89

302.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.83 ₾97.8

$14.95 $14.95

153.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.66 ₾24.98

$3.92 $3.92

146.43%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.70 $0.70

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 $1.00

Cappuccino

$3.57 ₾9.24

$1.20 $1.20

197.50%

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

$1.08 ₾2.78

$0.51 $0.51

111.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₾1.45

$1.03 $1.03

-45.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 ₾6.78

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ₾7.85

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₾5.60

$0.65 $0.65

233.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 ₾2.06

$0.49 $0.49

63.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 ₾4.51

$2.03 $2.03

-14.29%

Eggs

$2.83 ₾7.31

$1.15 $1.15

146.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.31 ₾24.07

$4.49 $4.49

107.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.52 ₾16.85

$3.32 $3.32

96.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.95 ₾33.50

$10.23 $10.23

26.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 ₾4.34

$1.17 $1.17

43.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.79

$1.41 $1.41

31.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 ₾5.10

$0.87 $0.87

126.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.42 ₾6.25

$0.53 $0.53

356.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ₾2.11

$0.50 $0.50

64.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 ₾1.91

$0.47 $0.47

57.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ₾3.47

$0.47 $0.47

185.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₾2.00

$0.23 $0.23

234.78%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.85 $0.85

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 $0.53

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 $1.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.57 ₾9.24

$2.25 $2.25

58.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.67 ₾19.83

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₾4.39

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₾6.21

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ₾1.05

$0.15 $0.15

166.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.23 ₾39.38

$8.58 $8.58

77.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.95

$0.43 $0.43

165.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ₾2.02

$0.30 $0.30

160.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.83 ₾30.58

$2.32 $2.32

409.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ₾3.75

$0.10 $0.10

1350.00%

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

$24.6K ₾63.6K

$42.9K $42.9K

-42.74%

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

$22.3K ₾57.8K

$40.4K $40.4K

-44.69%

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

$88.8 ₾230

$14.32 $14.32

520.11%

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

$13.12 ₾33.93

$1.70 $1.70

671.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.67 ₾50.9

$3.40 $3.40

478.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.1 ₾166

$15.84 $15.84

304.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 ₾49.24

$14.71 $14.71

29.44%

Cinema Ticket

$7.12 ₾18.42

$1.98 $1.98

259.60%

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

$375 ₾971

$93.6 $93.6

301.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ₾27.1K

$2,121 $2,121

393.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ₾268

$21.25 $21.25

387.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.26 ₾102

$25.29 $25.29

55.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾303

$96.5 $96.5

21.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾315

$65.6 $65.6

85.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 ₾1,798

$292 $292

138.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 ₾1,167

$196 $196

130.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 ₾3,504

$775 $775

74.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$906 ₾2,343

$339 $339

167.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,295 ₾5,934

$1,188 $1,188

93.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,345 ₾3,478

$506 $506

165.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 ₾1,718

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

24.3

-48.07%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: October 27, 2026

Last update for Ardabil: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Tbilisi

$451 35.6%

Ardabil

$196 38.6% 56.6% $255

Groceries & Markets

Tbilisi

$234 18.4%

Ardabil

$112 22.1% 52% $122

Eating Out

Tbilisi

$191 15%

Ardabil

$55 10.9% 70.9% $135

Clothing & Footwear

Tbilisi

$172 13.5%

Ardabil

$94 18.5% 45.4% $78

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tbilisi

$122 9.6%

Ardabil

$19 3.8% 84% $102

Sport & Entertainment

Tbilisi

$78 6.2%

Ardabil

$20 3.9% 74.7% $59

Getting Around

Tbilisi

$22 1.7%

Ardabil

$11 2.2% 49.4% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $695 in Tbilisi and $292 in Ardabil. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $38 in Tbilisi vs $15 in Ardabil for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $112 per month, with Ardabil cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇬🇪 Tbilisi

🇮🇷 Ardabil

🕒 Local time

01:06 1:06 AM

00:36 12:36 AM

30 min behind Tbilisi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,241,700 Capital

482,632

💱 Currency

Georgian Lari GEL ₾

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

1 GEL = 0.387 USD

1 GEL = 0.347 EUR

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇬🇪 Georgian Lari (₾)

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.387 USD). 1 EUR = 2.88 GEL (1 GEL = 0.347 EUR).

USD exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

USD to GEL in detail →

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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 Ardabil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ardabil is about 60% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $1,904 in Tbilisi and $762 in Ardabil to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $695 in Tbilisi versus $292 in Ardabil. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ardabil runs roughly 44% less than in Tbilisi. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Childcare runs $375 in Tbilisi versus $94 in Ardabil. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $508 in Ardabil versus $1,269 in Tbilisi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ardabil but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Ardabil 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 Ardabil are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Ardabil gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.