Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Balikpapan

For one person, living is cheaper in Balikpapan: $669 a month against $1,269 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

61

Cost of Living Index in Tbilisi
Learn more

Tbilisi Living Index
32

Cost of Living Index in Balikpapan
Learn more

Balikpapan Living Index

Jump to prices

Tbilisi

🇬🇪 Georgia

$1,269

/mo nomad

Balikpapan

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$669

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Balikpapan

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,269 in Tbilisi versus $669 in Balikpapan.

Tbilisi $1,269
Balikpapan $669

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,016 in Tbilisi versus $1,057 in Balikpapan.

Tbilisi $2,016
Balikpapan $1,057

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,763 in Tbilisi versus $1,444 in Balikpapan.

Tbilisi $2,763
Balikpapan $1,444

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 90% more expensive than in Balikpapan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 7% lower, Balikpapan 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.63 ₾30.10

$1.40 Rp 25.4K

730.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.83 ₾97.9

$10.88 Rp 197.7K

247.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.66 ₾25.01

$3.02 Rp 54.8K

219.87%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ₾9.25

$1.34 Rp 24.4K

166.42%

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

$1.08 ₾2.78

$0.35 Rp 6,320

208.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₾1.45

$0.39 Rp 7,034

43.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 ₾6.79

$2.25 Rp 40.8K

16.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ₾7.86

$3.51 Rp 63.7K

-13.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₾5.61

$1.13 Rp 20.5K

92.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 ₾2.06

$1.05 Rp 19.1K

-23.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 ₾4.52

$1.17 Rp 21.3K

48.72%

Eggs

$2.83 ₾7.32

$2.43 Rp 44.1K

16.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.31 ₾24.10

$7.14 Rp 129.7K

30.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.52 ₾16.87

$2.98 Rp 54.1K

118.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.95 ₾33.54

$8.63 Rp 156.8K

50.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 ₾4.34

$2.18 Rp 39.6K

-22.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.80

$1.31 Rp 23.7K

41.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 ₾5.11

$1.54 Rp 28.0K

27.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.42 ₾6.26

$1.19 Rp 21.6K

103.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ₾2.12

$1.20 Rp 21.8K

-31.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 ₾1.91

$1.95 Rp 35.5K

-62.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ₾3.47

$0.84 Rp 15.3K

59.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₾2.01

$0.72 Rp 13.0K

6.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.57 ₾9.25

$1.78 Rp 32.2K

100.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.67 ₾19.86

$21.12 Rp 383.5K

-63.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₾4.39

$1.79 Rp 32.6K

-5.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₾6.21

$2.98 Rp 54.0K

-19.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ₾1.05

$0.23 Rp 4,151

73.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.23 ₾39.43

$11.50 Rp 208.8K

32.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.95

$1.11 Rp 20.2K

2.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ₾2.02

$0.29 Rp 5,189

168.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.83 ₾30.62

$2.81 Rp 51.0K

321.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ₾3.75

$0.75 Rp 13.7K

93.33%

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

$24.6K ₾63.6K

$23.2K Rp 420.9M

6.06%

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

$22.3K ₾57.8K

$31.4K Rp 570.2M

-28.86%

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

$88.8 ₾230

$64.1 Rp 1.2M

38.49%

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

$13.12 ₾33.98

$4.19 Rp 76.1K

213.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.67 ₾50.9

$29.48 Rp 535.4K

-33.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.1 ₾166

$23.84 Rp 432.9K

168.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 ₾49.30

$8.27 Rp 150.3K

130.23%

Cinema Ticket

$7.12 ₾18.44

$2.82 Rp 51.3K

152.48%

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

$375 ₾972

$91.6 Rp 1.7M

310.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ₾27.1K

$9,145 Rp 166.1M

14.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ₾268

$37.81 Rp 686.7K

174.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.26 ₾102

$18.66 Rp 338.9K

110.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾304

$140 Rp 2.5M

-16.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾315

$70.6 Rp 1.3M

72.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 ₾1,800

$197 Rp 3.6M

253.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 ₾1,168

$143 Rp 2.6M

215.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 ₾3,508

$559 Rp 10.2M

142.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$906 ₾2,346

$362 Rp 6.6M

150.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,295 ₾5,942

$1,323 Rp 24.0M

73.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,345 ₾3,482

$777 Rp 14.1M

72.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 ₾1,720

$238 Rp 4.3M

179.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

9.46

33.40%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: October 27, 2026

Last update for Balikpapan: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Tbilisi

$451 35.6%

Balikpapan

$143 21.4% 68.3% $308

Groceries & Markets

Tbilisi

$234 18.4%

Balikpapan

$206 30.8% 12% $28

Eating Out

Tbilisi

$191 15%

Balikpapan

$58 8.6% 69.8% $133

Clothing & Footwear

Tbilisi

$172 13.5%

Balikpapan

$120 18% 30.1% $52

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tbilisi

$122 9.6%

Balikpapan

$98 14.6% 19.6% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Tbilisi

$78 6.2%

Balikpapan

$29 4.4% 62.3% $49

Getting Around

Tbilisi

$22 1.7%

Balikpapan

$15 2.2% 31.7% $7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $695 in Tbilisi and $197 in Balikpapan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays about 2.8 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $38 in Tbilisi vs $11 in Balikpapan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $206 per month, with Balikpapan cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇬🇪 Tbilisi

🇮🇩 Balikpapan

🕒 Local time

09:49 9:49 AM

13:49 1:49 PM

4 h ahead of Tbilisi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,241,700 Capital

701,066

💱 Currency

Georgian Lari GEL ₾

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

📈 Exchange rate

1 GEL = 0.386 USD

1 GEL = 0.345 EUR

100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.91 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇬🇪 Georgian Lari (₾)

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).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 18,161 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,355 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.91 EUR).

USD to GEL in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Tbilisi Balikpapan 8,620 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Tbilisi
Balikpapan

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 Balikpapan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,269 in Tbilisi and $669 in Balikpapan, so Balikpapan is about 47% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay in Tbilisi is about 2.8 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $695 in Tbilisi versus $197 in Balikpapan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Balikpapan runs roughly 24% less than in Tbilisi. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Childcare runs $375 in Tbilisi versus $92 in Balikpapan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $669 in Balikpapan versus $1,269 in Tbilisi, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Balikpapan but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Balikpapan 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 Balikpapan are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Balikpapan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.