Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Berkeley, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Tbilisi: $1,266 a month against $3,878 in Berkeley, CA, rent and utilities included – about $31,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Tbilisi
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Tbilisi Living Index
188

Cost of Living Index in Berkeley, CA
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Berkeley, CA Living Index

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Tbilisi

🇬🇪 Georgia

$1,266

/mo nomad

Berkeley, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,878

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Berkeley, CA

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

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Tbilisi vs $3,878 in Berkeley, CA, rent included.

Tbilisi $1,266
Berkeley, CA $3,878

A couple spends around $2,007 per month in Tbilisi vs $5,546 in Berkeley, CA, rent included.

Tbilisi $2,007
Berkeley, CA $5,546

A family of three spends $2,749 per month in Tbilisi vs $7,215 in Berkeley, CA, rent included.

Tbilisi $2,749
Berkeley, CA $7,215

Tbilisi is about 67% cheaper than Berkeley, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Tbilisi sits 6% below the global median, while Berkeley, CA is 187% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.34 ₾29.35

$22.39 $22.39

-49.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.05 ₾101

$80.3 $80.3

-51.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.63 ₾24.92

$10.52 $10.52

-8.46%

Cappuccino

$3.46 ₾8.95

$6.07 $6.07

-43.00%

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

$1.09 ₾2.82

$3.25 $3.25

-66.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₾1.62

$3.08 $3.08

-79.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.77 ₾7.17

$5.90 $5.90

-53.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 ₾8.04

$7.65 $7.65

-59.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 ₾5.81

$2.00 $2.00

12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 ₾2.07

$4.54 $4.54

-82.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 ₾4.55

$5.74 $5.74

-69.34%

Eggs

$2.75 ₾7.11

$6.07 $6.07

-54.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.39 ₾24.32

$26.78 $26.78

-64.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.66 ₾17.23

$16.58 $16.58

-59.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.92 ₾33.45

$21.69 $21.69

-40.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 ₾4.31

$7.14 $7.14

-76.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.65

$2.57 $2.57

-29.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 ₾4.97

$6.21 $6.21

-69.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 ₾6.24

$10.45 $10.45

-76.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 ₾2.23

$3.58 $3.58

-75.98%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 ₾1.80

$4.84 $4.84

-85.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 ₾3.62

$2.53 $2.53

-44.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₾1.85

$3.08 $3.08

-76.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.51 ₾9.08

$11.57 $11.57

-69.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₾19.69

$12.82 $12.82

-40.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ₾4.21

$2.06 $2.06

-20.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾5.98

$2.78 $2.78

-16.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ₾0.96

$2.47 $2.47

-85.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.67 ₾40.57

$93.1 $93.1

-83.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.95

$3.41 $3.41

-66.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 ₾2.05

$1.89 $1.89

-58.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.86 ₾30.70

$39.52 $39.52

-69.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 ₾3.62

$1.47 $1.47

-4.76%

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

$24.8K ₾64.2K

$37.7K $37.7K

-34.16%

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

$21.9K ₾56.6K

$26.1K $26.1K

-16.14%

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

$89.1 ₾231

$180 $180

-50.55%

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

$13.21 ₾34.19

$61.7 $61.7

-78.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.76 ₾51.1

$76.7 $76.7

-74.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.9 ₾168

$49.54 $49.54

31.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.02 ₾49.24

$7.94 $7.94

139.55%

Cinema Ticket

$6.57 ₾17.02

$15.27 $15.27

-56.97%

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

$377 ₾975

$2,565 $2,565

-85.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K ₾27.9K

$35.2K $35.2K

-69.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 ₾265

$71.2 $71.2

43.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.70 ₾103

$70.5 $70.5

-43.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾305

$96.2 $96.2

22.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 ₾320

$235 $235

-47.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 ₾1,724

$2,594 $2,594

-74.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$449 ₾1,163

$2,219 $2,219

-79.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 ₾3,324

$4,778 $4,778

-73.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$890 ₾2,303

$3,487 $3,487

-74.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,425 ₾6,276

$8,047 $8,047

-69.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,380 ₾3,573

$7,245 $7,245

-80.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$680 ₾1,760

$6,775 $6,775

-89.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

6.62

90.63%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: October 12, 2026

Last update for Berkeley, CA: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Tbilisi

$449 35.5%

Berkeley, CA

$2.2K 57.2% 394% $1.8K

Groceries & Markets

Tbilisi

$234 18.5%

Berkeley, CA

$578 14.9% 147% $345

Eating Out

Tbilisi

$188 14.9%

Berkeley, CA

$354 9.1% 88.1% $166

Clothing & Footwear

Tbilisi

$172 13.6%

Berkeley, CA

$213 5.5% 23.4% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tbilisi

$122 9.7%

Berkeley, CA

$319 8.2% 161% $197

Sport & Entertainment

Tbilisi

$78 6.2%

Berkeley, CA

$80 2.1% 2.6% $2

Getting Around

Tbilisi

$22 1.8%

Berkeley, CA

$116 3% 421% $94

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $666 in Tbilisi versus $2,594 in Berkeley, CA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 897% higher in Berkeley, CA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Tbilisi versus $80.0 in Berkeley, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $578 – making Tbilisi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇬🇪 Tbilisi

🇺🇸 Berkeley, CA

🕒 Local time

06:50 6:50 AM

19:50 7:50 PM

11 h behind Tbilisi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,241,700 Capital

121,363

💱 Currency

Georgian Lari GEL ₾

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 GEL = 0.386 USD

1 GEL = 0.344 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇬🇪 Georgian Lari (₾)

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.386 USD). 1 EUR = 2.91 GEL (1 GEL = 0.344 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to GEL in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Tbilisi Berkeley, CA 11,070 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Tbilisi
Berkeley, CA

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 Berkeley, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Berkeley, CA is pricier by about 206%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Tbilisi and $5,817 in Berkeley, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tbilisi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 494% less in Tbilisi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $377 per month in Tbilisi and $2,565 in Berkeley, CA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tbilisi, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Berkeley, CA at $3,878. In Tbilisi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Berkeley, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tbilisi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Tbilisi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Berkeley, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.