Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Assela

For one person, living is cheaper in Assela: $835 a month against $1,266 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Tbilisi
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Tbilisi Living Index
41

Cost of Living Index in Assela
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Assela Living Index

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Tbilisi

🇬🇪 Georgia

$1,266

/mo nomad

Assela

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

$835

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Assela

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Tbilisi versus $835 in Assela.

Tbilisi $1,266
Assela $835

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,007 in Tbilisi versus $1,203 in Assela.

Tbilisi $2,007
Assela $1,203

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,749 in Tbilisi versus $1,571 in Assela.

Tbilisi $2,749
Assela $1,571

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 52% more expensive than in Assela, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 6% lower, Assela 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.34 ₾29.35

$3.96 ETB 636

186.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.05 ₾101

$42.32 ETB 6,793

-7.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.63 ₾24.92

$6.66 ETB 1,069

44.59%

Cappuccino

$3.46 ₾8.95

$0.96 ETB 153

260.42%

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

$1.09 ₾2.82

$0.64 ETB 102

70.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₾1.62

$0.68 ETB 109

-7.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.77 ₾7.17

$0.83 ETB 133

233.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 ₾8.04

$2.20 ETB 353

40.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 ₾5.81

$1.05 ETB 169

114.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 ₾2.07

$1.17 ETB 188

-31.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 ₾4.55

$2.22 ETB 357

-20.72%

Eggs

$2.75 ₾7.11

$1.78 ETB 286

54.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.39 ₾24.32

$7.18 ETB 1,152

30.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.66 ₾17.23

$10.17 ETB 1,632

-34.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.92 ₾33.45

$9.17 ETB 1,471

40.89%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 ₾4.31

$5.43 ETB 871

-69.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.65

$0.68 ETB 109

164.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 ₾4.97

$2.17 ETB 348

-11.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 ₾6.24

$0.66 ETB 106

265.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 ₾2.23

$0.47 ETB 75.4

82.98%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 ₾1.80

$1.05 ETB 169

-34.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 ₾3.62

$0.66 ETB 106

112.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₾1.85

$0.60 ETB 96.9

18.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.51 ₾9.08

$8.03 ETB 1,290

-56.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₾19.69

$5.49 ETB 881

38.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ₾4.21

$0.66 ETB 106

146.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾5.98

$1.22 ETB 196

89.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ₾0.96

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.67 ₾40.57

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.95

$1.29 ETB 207

-11.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 ₾2.05

$0.29 ETB 46.58

172.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.86 ₾30.70

$2.03 ETB 325

484.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 ₾3.62

$0.90 ETB 144

55.56%

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

$24.8K ₾64.2K

$54.3K ETB 8.7M

-54.34%

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

$21.9K ₾56.6K

$56.5K ETB 9.1M

-61.29%

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

$89.1 ₾231

$201 ETB 32.2K

-55.65%

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

$13.21 ₾34.19

$7.11 ETB 1,141

85.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.76 ₾51.1

$209 ETB 33.5K

-90.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.9 ₾168

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.02 ₾49.24

Cinema Ticket

$6.57 ₾17.02

$3.83 ETB 614

71.54%

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

$377 ₾975

$137 ETB 22.1K

174.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K ₾27.9K

$30.2K ETB 4.8M

-64.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 ₾265

$33.25 ETB 5,337

207.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.70 ₾103

$70.9 ETB 11.4K

-43.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾305

$77.7 ETB 12.5K

51.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 ₾320

$82.6 ETB 13.3K

49.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 ₾1,724

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$449 ₾1,163

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 ₾3,324

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$890 ₾2,303

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,425 ₾6,276

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,380 ₾3,573

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$680 ₾1,760

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

18.5

-31.78%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: October 12, 2026

Last update for Assela: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Tbilisi

$449 35.5%

Assela

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Tbilisi

$234 18.5%

Assela

$211 25.3% 9.5% $22

Eating Out

Tbilisi

$188 14.9%

Assela

$77 9.2% 59.1% $111

Clothing & Footwear

Tbilisi

$172 13.6%

Assela

$119 14.3% 31% $53

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tbilisi

$122 9.7%

Assela

$417 50% 242% $295

Sport & Entertainment

Tbilisi

$78 6.2%

Assela

$7.7 * 0.9% 90.2% $70

Getting Around

Tbilisi

$22 1.8%

Assela

$2.7 * 0.3% 87.7% $20

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $39.00 in Tbilisi vs $42.00 in Assela. Groceries flip the comparison at $234 vs $211, with Assela cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇬🇪 Tbilisi

🇪🇹 Assela

🕒 Local time

20:45 8:45 PM

19:45 7:45 PM

1 h behind Tbilisi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,241,700 Capital

139,500

💱 Currency

Georgian Lari GEL ₾

Ethiopian Birr ETB Br

📈 Exchange rate

1 GEL = 0.386 USD

1 GEL = 0.344 EUR

1,000 ETB = 6.23 USD

1,000 ETB = 5.54 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ETB, USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇬🇪 Georgian Lari (₾)

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.386 USD). 1 EUR = 2.91 GEL (1 GEL = 0.344 EUR).

Ethiopian Birr exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 160 ETB (1,000 ETB = 6.23 USD). 1 EUR = 180 ETB (1,000 ETB = 5.54 EUR).

USD to GEL in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Tbilisi Assela 3,790 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Tbilisi
Assela

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 Assela: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Assela is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 52% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,899 in Tbilisi and $1,252 in Assela 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.

Childcare runs $377 in Tbilisi versus $137 in Assela. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Assela – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $39.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $835 in Assela versus $1,266 in Tbilisi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Assela but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Assela the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Assela 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 Assela 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 Assela gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.