Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Arlington, VA

For one person, living is cheaper in Tbilisi: $1,270 a month against $3,582 in Arlington, VA, rent and utilities included – about $27,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

61

Cost of Living Index in Tbilisi
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Tbilisi Living Index
173

Cost of Living Index in Arlington, VA
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Arlington, VA Living Index

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Tbilisi

🇬🇪 Georgia

$1,270

/mo nomad

Arlington, VA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,582

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Arlington, VA

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 Arlington, VA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,270 per month in Tbilisi vs $3,582 in Arlington, VA, rent included.

Tbilisi $1,270
Arlington, VA $3,582

A couple spends around $2,008 per month in Tbilisi vs $5,415 in Arlington, VA, rent included.

Tbilisi $2,008
Arlington, VA $5,415

A family of three spends $2,745 per month in Tbilisi vs $7,249 in Arlington, VA, rent included.

Tbilisi $2,745
Arlington, VA $7,249

Tbilisi is about 65% cheaper than Arlington, VA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Tbilisi sits 6% below the global median, while Arlington, VA is 164% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.51 ₾29.79

$23.99 $23.99

-52.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.27 ₾99.1

$101 $101

-62.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.80 ₾25.36

$10.93 $10.93

-10.34%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ₾9.19

$5.78 $5.78

-38.58%

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

$1.06 ₾2.74

$2.98 $2.98

-64.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₾1.60

$2.43 $2.43

-74.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 ₾7.16

$8.14 $8.14

-66.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.77

$8.81 $8.81

-65.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ₾5.59

$1.25 $1.25

72.80%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 ₾1.96

$4.39 $4.39

-82.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 ₾4.51

$5.21 $5.21

-66.60%

Eggs

$2.79 ₾7.21

$5.07 $5.07

-44.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 ₾23.83

$21.53 $21.53

-57.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 ₾16.89

$15.69 $15.69

-58.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 ₾33.17

$22.56 $22.56

-43.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 ₾4.31

$5.57 $5.57

-70.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.79

$1.88 $1.88

-1.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ₾5.13

$4.56 $4.56

-56.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 ₾6.49

$5.75 $5.75

-56.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.26

$3.26 $3.26

-73.31%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 ₾1.89

$3.75 $3.75

-80.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 ₾3.67

$2.26 $2.26

-37.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₾1.88

$2.44 $2.44

-70.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ₾8.74

$9.73 $9.73

-65.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 ₾20.31

$17.20 $17.20

-54.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ₾4.19

$2.83 $2.83

-42.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.15

$2.83 $2.83

-15.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ₾0.96

$2.74 $2.74

-86.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.52 ₾40.16

$121 $121

-87.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.94

$3.93 $3.93

-70.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 ₾2.05

$1.21 $1.21

-34.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.57 ₾29.96

$24.92 $24.92

-53.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₾3.87

$1.05 $1.05

42.86%

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

$24.6K ₾63.7K

$29.2K $29.2K

-15.57%

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

$22.4K ₾57.9K

$25.7K $25.7K

-12.90%

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

$88.3 ₾228

$162 $162

-45.43%

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

$13.08 ₾33.86

$51.5 $51.5

-74.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.53 ₾50.6

$61.7 $61.7

-68.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.2 ₾166

$71.4 $71.4

-10.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.18 ₾49.66

$19.14 $19.14

0.21%

Cinema Ticket

$6.99 ₾18.10

$16.58 $16.58

-57.84%

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

$373 ₾966

$1,572 $1,572

-76.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.7K

$35.5K $35.5K

-69.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 ₾266

$55.3 $55.3

85.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.48 ₾105

$62.2 $62.2

-34.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ₾301

$104 $104

12.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾316

$163 $163

-25.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$677 ₾1,753

$2,452 $2,452

-72.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₾1,176

$2,010 $2,010

-77.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,277 ₾3,305

$4,832 $4,832

-73.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$890 ₾2,304

$3,600 $3,600

-75.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,410 ₾6,238

$5,750 $5,750

-58.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,418 ₾3,670

$4,742 $4,742

-70.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$703 ₾1,819

$6,973 $6,973

-89.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

6.79

85.86%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: October 17, 2026

Last update for Arlington, VA: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Tbilisi

$454 35.8%

Arlington, VA

$2K 56.1% 343% $1.6K

Groceries & Markets

Tbilisi

$233 18.3%

Arlington, VA

$504 14.1% 117% $271

Eating Out

Tbilisi

$191 15%

Arlington, VA

$374 10.4% 96.2% $183

Clothing & Footwear

Tbilisi

$172 13.5%

Arlington, VA

$173 4.8% 0.6% $1

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tbilisi

$121 9.5%

Arlington, VA

$275 7.7% 128% $154

Sport & Entertainment

Tbilisi

$78 6.2%

Arlington, VA

$105 2.9% 33.8% $26

Getting Around

Tbilisi

$22 1.7%

Arlington, VA

$142 4% 542% $120

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $677 in Tbilisi versus $2,452 in Arlington, VA. 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 892% higher in Arlington, VA, 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 $38.00 in Tbilisi versus $101 in Arlington, VA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $233 vs $504 – making Tbilisi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇬🇪 Tbilisi

🇺🇸 Arlington, VA

🕒 Local time

23:14 11:14 PM

15:14 3:14 PM

8 h behind Tbilisi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,241,700 Capital

365,438

💱 Currency

Georgian Lari GEL ₾

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 GEL = 0.386 USD

1 GEL = 0.344 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 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 20, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.386 USD). 1 EUR = 2.91 GEL (1 GEL = 0.344 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to GEL in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Tbilisi Arlington, VA 9,300 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Tbilisi
Arlington, VA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Arlington, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arlington, VA costs about 182% more than Tbilisi, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Tbilisi and $5,373 in Arlington, VA. 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.

Groceries cost about 117% more in Arlington, VA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Tbilisi and $101 in Arlington, VA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tbilisi, where all-in costs run around $1,270, than in Arlington, VA at $3,582. In Tbilisi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arlington, VA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tbilisi costs $1,270 versus $3,582 in Arlington, VA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Arlington, VA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.