Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Bistrita Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Bistrita

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,279 per month in Tbilisi vs $862 in Bistrita, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,033 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,368 in Bistrita, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,787 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,875 in Bistrita, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 48% more than Bistrita, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tbilisi and Bistrita are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 7% lower, Bistrita 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.68 ₾30.42

$7.26 RON 32.61

60.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.79 ₾98.4

$43.83 RON 197

-13.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.34 ₾24.31

$6.62 RON 29.74

41.09%

Cappuccino

$3.45 ₾9.00

$2.65 RON 11.92

30.19%

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

$1.09 ₾2.84

$1.65 RON 7.40

-33.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₾1.55

$1.43 RON 6.44

-58.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.82 ₾7.35

$2.23 RON 10.02

26.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ₾9.71

$3.24 RON 14.57

15.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ₾5.71

$1.41 RON 6.34

55.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$1.13 RON 5.06

-34.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 ₾4.29

$1.09 RON 4.90

51.38%

Eggs

$2.76 ₾7.20

$3.27 RON 14.69

-15.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.64 ₾25.09

$6.74 RON 30.26

43.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.89 ₾17.94

$6.27 RON 28.16

9.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 ₾34.23

$8.05 RON 36.18

63.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 ₾4.46

$0.96 RON 4.32

78.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ₾4.49

$1.62 RON 7.26

6.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾4.87

$1.50 RON 6.72

24.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.49 ₾6.49

$2.13 RON 9.59

16.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ₾2.11

$0.69 RON 3.08

17.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 ₾1.72

$0.64 RON 2.89

3.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 ₾3.60

$1.04 RON 4.65

32.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ₾1.94

$0.97 RON 4.35

-22.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.36 ₾8.75

$5.94 RON 26.69

-43.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.81 ₾20.34

$8.01 RON 35.98

-2.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₾4.34

$0.97 RON 4.34

72.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₾6.10

$1.08 RON 4.86

116.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ₾0.96

$0.46 RON 2.07

-19.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.56 ₾40.52

$22.43 RON 101

-30.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.97

$0.76 RON 3.40

50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ₾2.03

$0.73 RON 3.30

6.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.51 ₾29.97

$7.62 RON 34.22

51.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₾3.47

$1.60 RON 7.20

-16.88%

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

$24.8K ₾64.7K

$29.6K RON 133.0K

-16.07%

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

$22.2K ₾57.8K

$25.3K RON 113.5K

-12.13%

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

$90.3 ₾235

$120 RON 540

-24.89%

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

$13.19 ₾34.35

$7.53 RON 33.84

75.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.73 ₾51.4

$6.21 RON 27.89

217.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.3 ₾173

$42.61 RON 191

55.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.64 ₾51.1

$33.52 RON 151

-41.41%

Cinema Ticket

$6.73 ₾17.53

$6.57 RON 29.49

2.44%

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

$356 ₾928

$465 RON 2,090

-23.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K ₾27.6K

$6,998 RON 31.4K

51.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₾263

$61.0 RON 274

65.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.62 ₾103

$31.03 RON 139

27.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₾299

$66.6 RON 299

72.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 ₾314

$88.8 RON 399

35.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$703 ₾1,830

$229 RON 1,028

207.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 ₾1,173

$193 RON 867

133.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 ₾3,321

$411 RON 1,845

210.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$891 ₾2,320

$333 RON 1,495

167.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,530 ₾6,587

$1,579 RON 7,094

60.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,466 ₾3,818

$1,209 RON 5,431

21.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$651 ₾1,696

$1,069 RON 4,803

-39.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.73

6.73

89.15%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: August 16, 2026

Last update for Bistrita: August 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $703 in Tbilisi versus $229 in Bistrita. 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 64% higher in Bistrita, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Tbilisi versus $44.00 in Bistrita. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Tbilisi vs $192 in Bistrita – so Bistrita wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Bistrita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi costs about 48% more than Bistrita, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,918 per month in Tbilisi and $1,292 in Bistrita. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 23% more in Tbilisi, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Tbilisi and $44.00 in Bistrita. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bistrita, where all-in costs run around $862, than in Tbilisi at $1,279. In Bistrita it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bistrita costs $862 versus $1,279 in Tbilisi. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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