Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Balga Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Balga

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,209 in Tbilisi versus $2,225 in Balga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,867 in Tbilisi versus $3,270 in Balga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,526 in Tbilisi versus $4,314 in Balga.

Living in Tbilisi costs roughly 46% less than in Balga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tbilisi is 10% below, Balga is 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 ₾28.71

$16.18 A$22.55

-33.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.18 ₾115

$77.8 A$108

-44.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.29 ₾22.04

$10.32 A$14.39

-19.67%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ₾7.97

$3.60 A$5.02

-16.67%

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

$0.82 ₾2.17

$2.44 A$3.41

-66.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.21

$2.00 A$2.79

-77.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 ₾5.93

$7.67 A$10.69

-70.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.75

$6.37 A$8.88

-54.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.12

$1.46 A$2.04

32.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.81

$2.43 A$3.39

-72.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 ₾5.00

$2.03 A$2.83

-7.39%

Eggs

$2.54 ₾6.74

$4.51 A$6.29

-43.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 ₾19.70

$8.62 A$12.01

-13.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ₾16.44

$8.53 A$11.88

-27.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ₾24.87

$13.69 A$19.07

-31.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 ₾3.25

$3.50 A$4.88

-65.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ₾4.40

$2.99 A$4.16

-44.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.78

$2.84 A$3.96

-36.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 ₾5.96

$4.72 A$6.58

-52.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.89

$2.43 A$3.39

-70.78%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.79

$1.70 A$2.37

-60.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.13

$1.98 A$2.76

-40.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.76

$1.49 A$2.08

-55.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ₾7.91

$32.28 A$44.98

-90.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₾20.22

$12.98 A$18.09

-41.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.08

$3.86 A$5.38

-60.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.99

$4.24 A$5.91

-46.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$2.54 A$3.54

-85.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 ₾38.38

$64.9 A$90.5

-77.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ₾3.97

$3.95 A$5.51

-62.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.82

$2.16 A$3.00

-68.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 ₾19.20

$49.42 A$68.9

-85.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.04

$1.12 A$1.56

1.79%

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

$18.5K ₾49.1K

$29.0K A$40.4K

-36.31%

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

$20.0K ₾53.1K

$24.4K A$33.9K

-18.04%

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

$73.7 ₾196

$156 A$217

-52.73%

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

$11.64 ₾30.92

$28.26 A$39.38

-58.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.84 ₾47.41

$54.7 A$76.2

-67.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 ₾160

$48.52 A$67.6

23.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ₾44.65

$15.57 A$21.69

7.90%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ₾17.55

$16.10 A$22.43

-59.01%

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

$266 ₾708

$1,813 A$2,527

-85.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,191 ₾13.8K

$11.9K A$16.5K

-56.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾206

$69.6 A$97.0

11.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.75 ₾119

$48.31 A$67.3

-7.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾310

$102 A$142

14.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾300

$104 A$145

8.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,840

$1,254 A$1,748

-44.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,227

$1,048 A$1,460

-55.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 ₾3,507

$1,982 A$2,762

-33.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₾2,057

$1,690 A$2,356

-54.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,430 ₾6,458

$6,258 A$8,721

-61.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 ₾3,842

$4,502 A$6,274

-67.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 ₾1,788

$3,402 A$4,741

-80.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

6.42

85.20%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Balga: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $693 in Tbilisi and $1,254 in Balga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Balga pays 406% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $43.00 in Tbilisi vs $78.0 in Balga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $335 per month, with Tbilisi 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 Balga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi and Balga differ by about 84% in total monthly costs ($1,209 vs $2,225 including rent). Tbilisi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Balga earns 406% 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 $1,254 in Balga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Tbilisi – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $78.0 in Balga. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,209 per month in Tbilisi versus $2,225 in Balga – a 84% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,209 in Tbilisi versus $2,225 in Balga, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Balga. The gap between the two cities makes Tbilisi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Balga 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 Tbilisi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 84% less than in Balga. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.