Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Bortala Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Bortala

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,218 in Tbilisi versus $704 in Bortala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,853 in Tbilisi versus $1,125 in Bortala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,489 in Tbilisi versus $1,546 in Bortala.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 73% more expensive than Bortala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 9% lower, Bortala 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.85 ₾28.75

$2.73 ¥18.44

297.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.17 ₾117

$20.68 ¥140

113.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 ₾21.94

$4.77 ¥32.24

73.58%

Cappuccino

$3.02 ₾8.00

$2.93 ¥19.81

3.07%

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

$0.76 ₾2.02

$0.43 ¥2.90

76.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.22

$0.29 ¥1.99

58.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ₾5.93

$0.89 ¥6.04

151.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.95

$2.05 ¥13.85

46.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.11

$1.78 ¥12.07

8.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 ₾1.91

$1.60 ¥10.85

-55.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 ₾4.87

$0.89 ¥6.03

106.74%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.48

$1.59 ¥10.73

54.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₾19.67

$12.81 ¥86.7

-42.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 ₾17.16

$3.14 ¥21.20

106.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 ₾25.70

$10.06 ¥68.0

-3.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 ₾3.18

$1.80 ¥12.18

-33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₾4.14

$1.26 ¥8.52

23.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.75

$1.41 ¥9.52

26.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.90

$1.13 ¥7.65

97.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.73

$0.69 ¥4.64

-5.80%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 ₾1.79

$0.91 ¥6.14

-25.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.16

$0.56 ¥3.79

112.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.86

$0.52 ¥3.49

34.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₾7.82

$3.07 ¥20.73

-3.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 ₾19.41

$9.86 ¥66.7

-25.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₾4.02

$0.80 ¥5.40

90.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.95

$1.60 ¥10.80

40.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$0.27 ¥1.81

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.60 ₾38.68

$16.58 ¥112

-11.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.97

$1.38 ¥9.33

8.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 ₾1.92

$0.33 ¥2.23

121.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾19.74

$6.65 ¥44.99

12.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.01

$1.17 ¥7.89

-2.56%

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

$18.5K ₾49.0K

$19.5K ¥131.6K

-4.86%

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

$20.3K ₾53.6K

$16.5K ¥111.7K

22.60%

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

$73.9 ₾196

$46.69 ¥316

58.24%

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

$11.71 ₾31.01

$9.90 ¥67.0

18.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.16 ₾48.09

$11.40 ¥77.1

59.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 ₾163

$42.09 ¥285

46.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.66 ₾44.12

$13.86 ¥93.7

20.20%

Cinema Ticket

$6.61 ₾17.50

$6.39 ¥43.19

3.44%

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

$264 ₾700

$340 ¥2,300

-22.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,145 ₾13.6K

$17.0K ¥114.9K

-69.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 ₾198

$42.78 ¥289

74.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.98 ₾117

$30.75 ¥208

43.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾312

$72.3 ¥489

62.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾301

$73.6 ¥497

54.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 ₾1,833

$277 ¥1,874

149.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₾1,203

$188 ¥1,271

141.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 ₾3,504

$596 ¥4,028

122.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,089

$359 ¥2,425

119.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,431 ₾6,440

$2,970 ¥20.1K

-18.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 ₾3,818

$1,619 ¥10.9K

-10.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$645 ₾1,709

$620 ¥4,192

4.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

3.87

207.24%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: June 9, 2026

Last update for Bortala: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $692 in Tbilisi and $277 in Bortala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 4% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $44.00 in Tbilisi vs $21.00 in Bortala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 vs $195 per month, with Bortala cheaper across the board.

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 Bortala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bortala wins on cost – living expenses run 73% lower than in Tbilisi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bortala the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Tbilisi pays 4% more on average, 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: $692 in Tbilisi versus $277 in Bortala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,218 per month in Tbilisi versus $704 in Bortala – a 73% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bortala runs roughly 14% less than in Tbilisi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $704 in Bortala versus $1,218 in Tbilisi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bortala but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Bortala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bortala delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $704 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bortala hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Bortala 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 Bortala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.