Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Ballito Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Ballito

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,247 in Tbilisi versus $633 in Ballito.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,025 in Tbilisi versus $982 in Ballito.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,803 in Tbilisi versus $1,331 in Ballito.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 97% more expensive than in Ballito, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 9% lower, Ballito 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.33 ₾29.45

$6.33 R 104

78.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.71 ₾101

$40.38 R 661

-4.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 ₾24.73

$6.19 R 101

53.80%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ₾8.85

$2.78 R 45.50

22.66%

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

$1.04 ₾2.71

$1.15 R 18.80

-9.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₾1.66

$0.88 R 14.34

-27.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 ₾6.79

$1.97 R 32.23

32.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ₾8.43

$2.66 R 43.61

21.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₾5.65

$1.04 R 17.01

108.65%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ₾1.92

$0.93 R 15.23

-20.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 ₾4.45

$1.54 R 25.24

11.04%

Eggs

$2.83 ₾7.36

$2.51 R 41.09

12.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 ₾23.95

$7.48 R 123

23.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 ₾17.55

$4.81 R 78.8

40.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.77 ₾33.17

$7.38 R 121

73.04%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.26

$1.56 R 25.51

5.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ₾4.60

$1.93 R 31.66

-8.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾4.85

$1.50 R 24.60

24.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 ₾6.34

$1.69 R 27.62

44.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.25

$1.11 R 18.21

-21.62%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$1.44 R 23.58

-54.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 ₾3.64

$1.24 R 20.25

12.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$1.22 R 20.02

-39.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 ₾8.86

$3.63 R 59.5

-6.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.60 ₾19.75

$4.78 R 78.3

59.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₾4.41

$1.40 R 22.91

21.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.20

$1.89 R 31.01

25.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.94

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.24 ₾39.60

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₾3.07

$0.45 R 7.35

162.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ₾1.97

$0.75 R 12.32

1.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.34 ₾29.47

$7.76 R 127

46.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₾3.46

$1.33 R 21.77

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

$24.7K ₾64.2K

$35.7K R 584.1K

-30.67%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$32.4K R 531.5K

-32.12%

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

$88.9 ₾231

$141 R 2,312

-37.05%

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

$13.33 ₾34.63

$22.77 R 373

-41.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ₾52.3

$37.43 R 613

-46.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.7 ₾178

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.09 ₾47.01

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 ₾17.46

$5.98 R 97.9

12.37%

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

$374 ₾971

$326 R 5,334

14.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.8K

$7,835 R 128.3K

36.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₾263

$43.77 R 717

131.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.33 ₾102

$29.90 R 490

31.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾305

$60.7 R 994

93.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$87.4 R 1,432

39.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 ₾1,773

$455 R 7,446

50.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,186

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 ₾3,385

$1,525 R 25.0K

-14.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 ₾2,337

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,449 ₾6,365

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,452 ₾3,774

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 ₾1,695

$1,501 R 24.6K

-56.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

11.81

6.86%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: September 13, 2026

Last update for Ballito: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $682 in Tbilisi and $455 in Ballito. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ballito pays 130% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $39.00 in Tbilisi vs $40.00 in Ballito. Groceries flip the comparison at $232 vs $185, with Ballito cheaper for home cooking.

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 Ballito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ballito is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 97% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 130% lower in Ballito. 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: $682 in Tbilisi versus $455 in Ballito. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $374 in Tbilisi versus $326 in Ballito. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ballito – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $39.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $633 in Ballito versus $1,247 in Tbilisi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ballito but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Ballito the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ballito 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 Ballito 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 Ballito gentler on the wallet – expenses run 97% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.