Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Asmara Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Asmara

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,286 in Tbilisi versus $1,400 in Asmara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,044 in Tbilisi versus $2,194 in Asmara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,802 in Tbilisi versus $2,988 in Asmara.

Living in Tbilisi costs roughly 8% less than in Asmara, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tbilisi is 6% below, Asmara is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 ₾30.55

$21.28 ERN 320

-44.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.88 ₾98.8

$33.91 ERN 510

11.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.74 ₾25.41

$6.15 ERN 92.6

58.37%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ₾8.90

$0.83 ERN 12.46

310.84%

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

$1.06 ₾2.76

$0.98 ERN 14.80

8.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 ₾1.69

$0.99 ERN 14.88

-34.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 ₾7.05

$0.58 ERN 8.78

365.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 ₾8.08

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 ₾5.73

$1.58 ERN 23.85

39.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 ₾2.10

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.26

$2.37 ERN 35.61

-30.80%

Eggs

$2.75 ₾7.18

$4.26 ERN 64.1

-35.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.01 ₾23.50

$2.93 ERN 44.08

207.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 ₾17.09

$27.34 ERN 411

-76.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.62 ₾32.91

$9.91 ERN 149

27.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 ₾4.36

$12.25 ERN 184

-86.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ₾4.73

$1.25 ERN 18.80

44.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 ₾5.03

$1.97 ERN 29.69

-2.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.59 ₾6.76

$1.14 ERN 17.13

127.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.26

$1.85 ERN 27.79

-52.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.68

$0.91 ERN 13.63

-28.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ₾3.63

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₾2.08

$2.27 ERN 34.24

-64.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.36 ₾8.78

Wine (Bottle)

$7.54 ₾19.66

$12.11 ERN 182

-37.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ₾4.21

$1.02 ERN 15.38

57.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.86

$0.98 ERN 14.79

129.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ₾0.96

$0.11 ERN 1.67

236.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.11 ₾39.41

$7.82 ERN 118

93.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ₾3.05

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 ₾2.09

$0.59 ERN 8.83

35.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.33 ₾29.55

$9.97 ERN 150

13.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₾3.47

$2.52 ERN 37.99

-47.22%

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

$25.0K ₾65.2K

$66.8K ERN 1.0M

-62.58%

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

$22.4K ₾58.4K

$70.8K ERN 1.1M

-68.40%

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

$89.1 ₾232

$25.04 ERN 377

255.87%

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

$13.25 ₾34.55

$69.0 ERN 1,038

-80.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.46 ₾50.8

$198 ERN 2,978

-90.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.4 ₾178

$26.53 ERN 399

157.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.68 ₾48.73

$4.90 ERN 73.7

281.22%

Cinema Ticket

$6.63 ₾17.30

$1.22 ERN 18.30

443.44%

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

$363 ₾948

$25.05 ERN 377

1351.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.8K

$2,644 ERN 39.8K

303.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ₾270

$135 ERN 2,037

-23.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.84 ₾101

$118 ERN 1,772

-67.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾304

$202 ERN 3,037

-42.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 ₾320

$151 ERN 2,270

-18.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 ₾1,780

$249 ERN 3,743

174.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$447 ₾1,165

$200 ERN 3,006

123.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 ₾3,349

$445 ERN 6,698

188.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$920 ₾2,399

$418 ERN 6,297

119.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,487 ₾6,486

$1,271 ERN 19.1K

95.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,423 ₾3,711

$2,529 ERN 38.1K

-43.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$646 ₾1,684

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.73

6.08%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: August 31, 2026

Last update for Asmara: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $682 in Tbilisi and $249 in Asmara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $38.00 in Tbilisi vs $34.00 in Asmara. Groceries flip the comparison at $232 vs $366, 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 Asmara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi and Asmara differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($1,286 vs $1,400 including rent). Tbilisi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,929 in Tbilisi and $2,100 in Asmara 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: $682 in Tbilisi versus $249 in Asmara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tbilisi runs roughly 93% less than in Asmara. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $363 in Tbilisi versus $25.05 in Asmara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,286 in Tbilisi versus $1,400 in Asmara, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Asmara. 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 Asmara 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 9% less than in Asmara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.