Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Baia Mare

For one person, living is cheaper in Baia Mare: $935 a month against $1,269 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Tbilisi, Georgia
Baia Mare, Romania
Tbilisi
🇬🇪 Georgia
$1,269
/mo nomad
Baia Mare
🇷🇴 Romania
$935
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Baia Mare

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,269 in Tbilisi versus $935 in Baia Mare.

  • Tbilisi $1,269
  • Baia Mare $935

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,016 in Tbilisi versus $1,452 in Baia Mare.

  • Tbilisi $2,016
  • Baia Mare $1,452

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,763 in Tbilisi versus $1,969 in Baia Mare.

  • Tbilisi $2,763
  • Baia Mare $1,969

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 36% more expensive than in Baia Mare, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 7% lower, Baia Mare 31% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tbilisi
Baia Mare
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.63 ₾30.10
$12.61 RON 60.1
-7.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.83 ₾97.9
$32.99 RON 157
14.67%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.66 ₾25.01
$8.16 RON 38.92
18.38%
Cappuccino
$3.57 ₾9.25
$2.07 RON 9.86
72.46%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.08 ₾2.78
$1.81 RON 8.64
-40.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₾1.45
$1.39 RON 6.63
-59.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.62 ₾6.79
$1.61 RON 7.67
62.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04 ₾7.86
$2.15 RON 10.23
41.40%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
Baia Mare
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.17 ₾5.61
$1.45 RON 6.91
49.66%
White Bread (500g)
$0.80 ₾2.06
$1.40 RON 6.70
-42.86%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.74 ₾4.52
$1.54 RON 7.33
12.99%
Eggs
$2.83 ₾7.32
$2.82 RON 13.45
0.35%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.31 ₾24.10
$5.92 RON 28.24
57.26%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.52 ₾16.87
$6.82 RON 32.50
-4.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.95 ₾33.54
$10.77 RON 51.3
20.24%
Apples (1kg)
$1.68 ₾4.34
$1.08 RON 5.16
55.56%
Banana (1kg)
$1.85 ₾4.80
$1.47 RON 6.99
25.85%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.97 ₾5.11
$1.37 RON 6.52
43.80%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.42 ₾6.26
$2.61 RON 12.45
-7.28%
Potato (1kg)
$0.82 ₾2.12
$0.92 RON 4.39
-10.87%
Onion (1kg)
$0.74 ₾1.91
$1.08 RON 5.16
-31.48%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.34 ₾3.47
$1.11 RON 5.30
20.72%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 ₾2.01
$0.81 RON 3.85
-4.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.57 ₾9.25
$6.12 RON 29.15
-41.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.67 ₾19.86
$4.52 RON 21.53
69.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 ₾4.39
$1.05 RON 4.98
61.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 ₾6.21
$1.62 RON 7.72
48.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Tbilisi
Baia Mare
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.40 ₾1.05
$0.71 RON 3.37
-43.66%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.23 ₾39.43
$14.38 RON 68.6
5.91%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.14 ₾2.95
$0.77 RON 3.66
48.05%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ₾2.02
$0.75 RON 3.55
4.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.83 ₾30.62
$5.94 RON 28.34
99.16%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ₾3.75
$1.73 RON 8.27
-16.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.6K ₾63.6K
$28.5K RON 136.0K
-13.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.3K ₾57.8K
$25.2K RON 119.9K
-11.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
Baia Mare
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.8 ₾230
$102 RON 488
-13.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.12 ₾33.98
$15.11 RON 72.0
-13.17%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.67 ₾50.9
$11.75 RON 56.0
67.40%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
Baia Mare
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$64.1 ₾166
$37.40 RON 178
71.26%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04 ₾49.30
$16.21 RON 77.3
17.46%
Cinema Ticket
$7.12 ₾18.44
$10.01 RON 47.70
-28.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tbilisi
Baia Mare
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$375 ₾972
$520 RON 2,480
-27.83%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.5K ₾27.1K
$5,441 RON 25.9K
92.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
Baia Mare
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 ₾268
$37.34 RON 178
177.56%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.26 ₾102
$42.05 RON 200
-6.63%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$117 ₾304
$62.3 RON 297
88.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 ₾315
$74.7 RON 356
62.97%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
Baia Mare
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$695 ₾1,800
$368 RON 1,753
89.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$451 ₾1,168
$255 RON 1,215
76.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,355 ₾3,508
$582 RON 2,774
132.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$906 ₾2,346
$440 RON 2,096
106.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,295 ₾5,942
$2,187 RON 10.4K
4.95%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,345 ₾3,482
$1,477 RON 7,041
-8.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tbilisi
Baia Mare
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$664 ₾1,720
$853 RON 4,069
-22.17%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.62
7.48
68.72%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: October 27, 2026

Last update for Baia Mare: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
$451
Baia Mare
$255 43.5% $196
Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
$234
Baia Mare
$199 14.7% $35
Eating Out
Tbilisi
$191
Baia Mare
$175 8% $15
Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
$172
Baia Mare
$97 43.4% $75
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
$122
Baia Mare
$129 6.3% $7.6
Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
$78
Baia Mare
$57 26.7% $21
Getting Around
Tbilisi
$22
Baia Mare
$22 0.9% $0.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $695 in Tbilisi and $368 in Baia Mare. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baia Mare pays 28% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $38 in Tbilisi vs $33 in Baia Mare for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $199 per month, with Baia Mare cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇪 Tbilisi
🇷🇴 Baia Mare
🕒 Local time
14:38 2:38 PM
12:38 12:38 PM
2 h behind Tbilisi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,241,700 Capital
123,738
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

RON, USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.386 USD). 1 EUR = 2.9 GEL (1 GEL = 0.345 EUR).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 4.77 RON (1 RON = 0.21 USD). 1 EUR = 5.34 RON (1 RON = 0.187 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tbilisi Baia Mare 1,800 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Tbilisi
  • Baia Mare

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 Baia Mare: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Baia Mare cheaper than Tbilisi?
Baia Mare is about 26% cheaper overall, especially in clothing, groceries, and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Tbilisi or Baia Mare?
On paper, salaries run 22% lower in Tbilisi. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Tbilisi and Baia Mare?
Rent for a central apartment: $695 in Tbilisi versus $368 in Baia Mare. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $375 in Tbilisi versus $520 in Baia Mare. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Tbilisi and in Baia Mare?
Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Tbilisi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is it better to live in Tbilisi or in Baia Mare?
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.
Which city is safer, Tbilisi or Baia Mare?
Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Baia Mare are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Baia Mare gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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