Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Ba'qubah Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Ba'qubah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,185 in Tbilisi versus $638 in Ba'qubah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,834 in Tbilisi versus $985 in Ba'qubah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,483 in Tbilisi versus $1,333 in Ba'qubah.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 86% more expensive than Ba'qubah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 12% lower, Ba'qubah 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.15 ₾30.00

$5.03 IQD 6,593

121.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.13 ₾116

$15.37 IQD 20.1K

180.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 ₾22.11

$6.35 IQD 8,318

29.45%

Cappuccino

$3.13 ₾8.42

$1.13 IQD 1,478

176.99%

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

$0.74 ₾2.00

$0.48 IQD 628

54.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₾1.22

$0.18 IQD 242

150.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ₾5.74

$1.93 IQD 2,534

10.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ₾8.06

$2.06 IQD 2,697

45.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₾5.09

$1.13 IQD 1,485

67.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₾1.97

$0.55 IQD 726

32.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.98

$1.12 IQD 1,473

65.18%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.58

$1.41 IQD 1,852

73.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.85 ₾21.12

$2.26 IQD 2,964

247.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ₾16.82

$2.52 IQD 3,298

148.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.77 ₾26.28

$10.77 IQD 14.1K

-9.29%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 ₾3.26

$0.92 IQD 1,202

31.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₾4.28

$1.13 IQD 1,480

40.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.81

$0.99 IQD 1,291

80.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 ₾6.25

$0.60 IQD 782

286.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.91

$0.56 IQD 729

26.79%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.81

$0.69 IQD 901

-2.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.16

$0.47 IQD 612

151.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₾1.92

$0.21 IQD 281

238.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.85

$2.71 IQD 3,557

7.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.25 ₾19.50

$12.24 IQD 16.0K

-40.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₾4.17

$1.43 IQD 1,873

8.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.21

$2.03 IQD 2,655

13.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.03

$0.40 IQD 522

-5.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.81 ₾39.83

$31.61 IQD 41.4K

-53.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ₾3.98

$2.37 IQD 3,100

-37.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.86

$2.10 IQD 2,751

-67.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾20.05

$5.32 IQD 6,973

40.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₾3.10

$0.33 IQD 427

248.48%

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

$18.0K ₾48.4K

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

-5.20%

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

$19.8K ₾53.4K

$20.9K IQD 27.4M

-5.02%

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

$73.4 ₾198

$59.3 IQD 77.7K

23.82%

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

$11.64 ₾31.32

$17.97 IQD 23.5K

-35.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.77 ₾47.79

$27.11 IQD 35.5K

-34.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 ₾163

$18.94 IQD 24.8K

219.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 ₾44.21

$16.61 IQD 21.8K

-1.02%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.52

$3.82 IQD 4,999

70.42%

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

$263 ₾707

$27.30 IQD 35.8K

862.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,136 ₾13.8K

$632 IQD 827.6K

713.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾209

$18.99 IQD 24.9K

309.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.39 ₾119

$18.97 IQD 24.9K

134.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾317

$83.8 IQD 109.8K

40.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾307

$27.25 IQD 35.7K

318.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,865

$244 IQD 320.3K

183.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,244

$182 IQD 238.6K

153.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 ₾3,597

$570 IQD 746.3K

134.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$779 ₾2,096

$345 IQD 451.5K

126.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,530 ₾6,805

$768 IQD 1.0M

229.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,430 ₾3,847

$188 IQD 246.7K

659.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$633 ₾1,702

$730 IQD 956.4K

-13.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

5.67

109.70%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: April 26, 2026

Last update for Ba'qubah: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $693 in Tbilisi and $244 in Ba'qubah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ba'qubah pays 15% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $43.00 in Tbilisi vs $15.00 in Ba'qubah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $140 per month, with Ba'qubah cheaper across the board.

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 Ba'qubah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ba'qubah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 86% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Ba'qubah earns 15% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $693 in Tbilisi versus $244 in Ba'qubah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 47% higher in Tbilisi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ba'qubah – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $43.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $638 in Ba'qubah versus $1,185 in Tbilisi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ba'qubah but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Ba'qubah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ba'qubah 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 Ba'qubah 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 Ba'qubah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.