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: $1,218 in Tbilisi versus $658 in Ba'qubah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,853 in Tbilisi versus $989 in Ba'qubah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,489 in Tbilisi versus $1,320 in Ba'qubah.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 85% more expensive than Ba'qubah, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 9% lower, Ba'qubah 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.85 ₾28.75

$4.84 IQD 6,342

124.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.17 ₾117

$15.44 IQD 20.2K

186.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 ₾21.94

$6.45 IQD 8,452

28.37%

Cappuccino

$3.02 ₾8.00

$1.16 IQD 1,521

160.34%

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

$0.76 ₾2.02

$0.52 IQD 682

46.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.22

$0.22 IQD 286

109.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ₾5.93

$1.93 IQD 2,523

16.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.95

$2.13 IQD 2,786

40.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.11

$1.18 IQD 1,546

63.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 ₾1.91

$0.59 IQD 772

22.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 ₾4.87

$1.12 IQD 1,461

64.29%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.48

$1.41 IQD 1,852

73.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₾19.67

$2.23 IQD 2,923

233.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 ₾17.16

$2.52 IQD 3,297

157.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 ₾25.70

$10.81 IQD 14.2K

-10.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 ₾3.18

$0.99 IQD 1,296

21.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₾4.14

$1.18 IQD 1,542

32.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.75

$0.98 IQD 1,283

82.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.90

$0.55 IQD 721

305.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.73

$0.55 IQD 714

18.18%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 ₾1.79

$0.65 IQD 846

4.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.16

$0.46 IQD 606

158.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.86

$0.17 IQD 216

311.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₾7.82

$2.62 IQD 3,425

12.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 ₾19.41

$12.21 IQD 16.0K

-39.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₾4.02

$1.37 IQD 1,798

10.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.95

$2.02 IQD 2,649

11.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$0.40 IQD 518

-10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.60 ₾38.68

$31.03 IQD 40.6K

-52.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.97

$2.35 IQD 3,072

-36.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 ₾1.92

$2.12 IQD 2,774

-65.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾19.74

$5.24 IQD 6,865

42.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.01

$0.35 IQD 464

225.71%

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

$18.5K ₾49.0K

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

-2.70%

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

$20.3K ₾53.6K

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

-0.53%

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

$73.9 ₾196

$59.3 IQD 77.6K

24.63%

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

$11.71 ₾31.01

$17.34 IQD 22.7K

-32.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.16 ₾48.09

$26.66 IQD 34.9K

-31.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 ₾163

$19.45 IQD 25.5K

217.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.66 ₾44.12

$16.98 IQD 22.2K

-1.88%

Cinema Ticket

$6.61 ₾17.50

$3.85 IQD 5,040

71.69%

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

$264 ₾700

$26.46 IQD 34.6K

898.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,145 ₾13.6K

$638 IQD 835.2K

706.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 ₾198

$18.99 IQD 24.9K

294.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.98 ₾117

$19.30 IQD 25.3K

127.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾312

$81.1 IQD 106.2K

45.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾301

$26.36 IQD 34.5K

331.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 ₾1,833

$245 IQD 321.3K

182.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₾1,203

$181 IQD 236.6K

151.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 ₾3,504

$573 IQD 750.2K

130.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,089

$350 IQD 458.1K

125.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,431 ₾6,440

$772 IQD 1.0M

215.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 ₾3,818

$193 IQD 252.4K

647.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$645 ₾1,709

$718 IQD 940.5K

-10.19%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Ba'qubah: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $692 in Tbilisi and $245 in Ba'qubah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ba'qubah pays 11% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $44.00 in Tbilisi vs $15.00 in Ba'qubah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 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 85% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Ba'qubah earns 11% 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: $692 in Tbilisi versus $245 in Ba'qubah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 46% 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 $44.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $658 in Ba'qubah versus $1,218 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 85% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.