Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Assela Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Assela

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,209 in Tbilisi versus $806 in Assela.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,867 in Tbilisi versus $1,237 in Assela.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,526 in Tbilisi versus $1,669 in Assela.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 50% more expensive than Assela, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 10% lower, Assela 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 ₾28.71

$4.60 ETB 725

134.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.18 ₾115

$35.67 ETB 5,622

21.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.29 ₾22.04

$6.32 ETB 996

31.17%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ₾7.97

$1.29 ETB 203

132.56%

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

$0.82 ₾2.17

$0.64 ETB 101

28.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.21

$0.43 ETB 68.3

6.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 ₾5.93

$0.98 ETB 154

127.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.75

$2.93 ETB 462

-0.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.12

$1.44 ETB 228

34.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.81

$1.32 ETB 209

-48.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 ₾5.00

$2.17 ETB 343

-13.36%

Eggs

$2.54 ₾6.74

$2.46 ETB 388

3.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 ₾19.70

$7.00 ETB 1,104

6.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ₾16.44

$13.87 ETB 2,185

-55.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ₾24.87

$13.40 ETB 2,112

-30.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 ₾3.25

$6.84 ETB 1,078

-82.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ₾4.40

$1.03 ETB 162

61.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.78

$2.19 ETB 345

-17.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 ₾5.96

$0.97 ETB 153

130.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.89

$0.63 ETB 99.6

12.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.79

$1.88 ETB 296

-64.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.13

$0.70 ETB 110

68.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.76

$0.69 ETB 108

-4.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ₾7.91

$4.03 ETB 636

-26.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₾20.22

$5.70 ETB 899

33.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.08

$0.99 ETB 156

55.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.99

$1.84 ETB 290

22.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 ₾38.38

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ₾3.97

$1.45 ETB 228

2.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.82

$0.27 ETB 42.53

151.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 ₾19.20

$1.98 ETB 312

265.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.04

$1.29 ETB 204

-11.63%

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

$18.5K ₾49.1K

$55.2K ETB 8.7M

-66.53%

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

$20.0K ₾53.1K

$54.6K ETB 8.6M

-63.40%

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

$73.7 ₾196

$159 ETB 25.0K

-53.59%

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

$11.64 ₾30.92

$11.83 ETB 1,864

-1.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.84 ₾47.41

$131 ETB 20.6K

-86.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 ₾160

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ₾44.65

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ₾17.55

$5.77 ETB 910

14.38%

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

$266 ₾708

$79.9 ETB 12.6K

233.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,191 ₾13.8K

$41.0K ETB 6.5M

-87.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾206

$46.94 ETB 7,398

65.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.75 ₾119

$75.1 ETB 11.8K

-40.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾310

$94.1 ETB 14.8K

24.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾300

$115 ETB 18.1K

-1.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,840

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,227

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 ₾3,507

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₾2,057

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,430 ₾6,458

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 ₾3,842

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 ₾1,788

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

-30.06%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Assela: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $43.00 in Tbilisi vs $36.00 in Assela. Groceries flip the comparison at $203 vs $268, 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 Assela: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Assela is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 50% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,813 in Tbilisi and $1,208 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 $266 in Tbilisi versus $79.9 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 $36.00 versus $43.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $806 in Assela versus $1,209 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 50% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.