Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Bethesda, MD

For one person, living is cheaper in Tbilisi: $1,269 a month against $3,184 in Bethesda, MD, rent and utilities included – about $23,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Tbilisi, Georgia
Bethesda, MD, United States
Tbilisi
🇬🇪 Georgia
$1,269
/mo nomad
Bethesda, MD
🇺🇸 United States
$3,184
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Bethesda, MD

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

A single person spends $1,269 per month in Tbilisi vs $3,184 in Bethesda, MD, rent included.

  • Tbilisi $1,269
  • Bethesda, MD $3,184

A couple spends around $2,016 per month in Tbilisi vs $4,988 in Bethesda, MD, rent included.

  • Tbilisi $2,016
  • Bethesda, MD $4,988

A family of three spends $2,763 per month in Tbilisi vs $6,792 in Bethesda, MD, rent included.

  • Tbilisi $2,763
  • Bethesda, MD $6,792

Tbilisi is about 60% cheaper than Bethesda, MD, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Tbilisi sits 7% below the global median, while Bethesda, MD is 134% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tbilisi
Bethesda, MD
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.63 ₾30.07
$22.45 $22.45
-48.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.83 ₾97.8
$101 $101
-62.51%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.66 ₾24.98
$10.79 $10.79
-10.47%
Cappuccino
$3.57 ₾9.24
$5.39 $5.39
-33.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.08 ₾2.78
$2.95 $2.95
-63.39%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₾1.45
$2.42 $2.42
-76.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.62 ₾6.78
$7.07 $7.07
-62.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04 ₾7.85
$8.77 $8.77
-65.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
Bethesda, MD
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.17 ₾5.60
$1.21 $1.21
79.34%
White Bread (500g)
$0.80 ₾2.06
$4.18 $4.18
-80.86%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.74 ₾4.51
$3.94 $3.94
-55.84%
Eggs
$2.83 ₾7.31
$4.59 $4.59
-38.34%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.31 ₾24.07
$16.66 $16.66
-44.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.52 ₾16.85
$15.83 $15.83
-58.81%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.95 ₾33.50
$23.19 $23.19
-44.16%
Apples (1kg)
$1.68 ₾4.33
$5.70 $5.70
-70.53%
Banana (1kg)
$1.85 ₾4.79
$1.35 $1.35
37.04%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.97 ₾5.10
$4.21 $4.21
-53.21%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.42 ₾6.25
$4.16 $4.16
-41.83%
Potato (1kg)
$0.82 ₾2.11
$2.23 $2.23
-63.23%
Onion (1kg)
$0.74 ₾1.91
$2.61 $2.61
-71.65%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.34 ₾3.47
$2.36 $2.36
-43.22%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 ₾2.00
$2.45 $2.45
-68.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.57 ₾9.24
$9.45 $9.45
-62.22%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.67 ₾19.83
$18.13 $18.13
-57.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 ₾4.39
$1.70 $1.70
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 ₾6.21
$2.91 $2.91
-17.53%
🚌 Getting Around
Tbilisi
Bethesda, MD
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.40 ₾1.05
$3.02 $3.02
-86.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.23 ₾39.38
$102 $102
-85.02%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.14 ₾2.95
$3.99 $3.99
-71.43%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ₾2.02
$1.27 $1.27
-38.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.83 ₾30.58
$24.51 $24.51
-51.73%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ₾3.75
$0.91 $0.91
59.34%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.6K ₾63.6K
$23.0K $23.0K
6.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.3K ₾57.8K
$24.0K $24.0K
-6.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
Bethesda, MD
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.8 ₾230
$162 $162
-45.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.12 ₾33.93
$38.86 $38.86
-66.24%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.67 ₾50.9
$61.1 $61.1
-67.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
Bethesda, MD
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$64.1 ₾166
$106 $106
-39.40%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04 ₾49.24
$30.35 $30.35
-37.27%
Cinema Ticket
$7.12 ₾18.42
$16.29 $16.29
-56.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tbilisi
Bethesda, MD
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$375 ₾971
$1,830 $1,830
-79.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.5K ₾27.1K
$35.4K $35.4K
-70.40%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
Bethesda, MD
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 ₾268
$54.3 $54.3
90.97%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.26 ₾102
$56.2 $56.2
-30.12%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$117 ₾303
$102 $102
15.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 ₾315
$152 $152
-19.69%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
Bethesda, MD
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$695 ₾1,798
$2,260 $2,260
-69.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$451 ₾1,167
$1,683 $1,683
-73.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,355 ₾3,504
$3,962 $3,962
-65.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$906 ₾2,343
$3,285 $3,285
-72.42%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,295 ₾5,934
$5,989 $5,989
-61.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,345 ₾3,478
$5,359 $5,359
-74.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tbilisi
Bethesda, MD
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$664 ₾1,718
$8,610 $8,610
-92.29%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.62
6.79
85.86%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: October 27, 2026

Last update for Bethesda, MD: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
$451
Bethesda, MD
$1.7K 273% $1.2K
Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
$234
Bethesda, MD
$462 97.6% $228
Eating Out
Tbilisi
$191
Bethesda, MD
$351 84.1% $160
Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
$172
Bethesda, MD
$164 4.7% $8.1
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
$122
Bethesda, MD
$262 115% $140
Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
$78
Bethesda, MD
$138 76.6% $60
Getting Around
Tbilisi
$22
Bethesda, MD
$124 467% $102

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $695 in Tbilisi versus $2,260 in Bethesda, MD. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Bethesda, MD are about 13 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38 in Tbilisi versus $101 in Bethesda, MD. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $462 – making Tbilisi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇪 Tbilisi
🇺🇸 Bethesda, MD
🕒 Local time
03:23 3:23 AM
18:23 6:23 PM
9 h behind Tbilisi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,241,700 Capital
60,858
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.387 USD). 1 EUR = 2.89 GEL (1 GEL = 0.346 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tbilisi Bethesda, MD 9,300 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Tbilisi
  • Bethesda, MD

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 Bethesda, MD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tbilisi cheaper than Bethesda, MD?
Yes – Bethesda, MD is pricier by about 151%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,904 per month in Tbilisi and $4,777 in Bethesda, MD. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Tbilisi, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $695 there versus $2,260 in Bethesda, MD.
Is eating out cheaper in Tbilisi or in Bethesda, MD?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $38 in Tbilisi and $101 in Bethesda, MD. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Tbilisi and in Bethesda, MD?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,269 in Tbilisi and $3,184 in Bethesda, MD. That makes Tbilisi about 60% cheaper.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Tbilisi or in Bethesda, MD?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tbilisi, where all-in costs run around $1,269, than in Bethesda, MD at $3,184. In Tbilisi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bethesda, MD it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Tbilisi or Bethesda, MD more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Tbilisi. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bethesda, MD makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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