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: $1,247 in Tbilisi versus $733 in Bortala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,025 in Tbilisi versus $1,173 in Bortala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,803 in Tbilisi versus $1,613 in Bortala.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 70% more expensive than in Bortala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 9% lower, Bortala 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.33 ₾29.45

$3.06 ¥20.48

270.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.71 ₾101

$22.45 ¥150

72.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 ₾24.73

$5.13 ¥34.37

85.58%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ₾8.85

$2.68 ¥17.95

27.24%

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

$1.04 ₾2.71

$0.50 ¥3.33

108.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₾1.66

$0.30 ¥2.01

113.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 ₾6.80

$1.00 ¥6.72

161.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ₾8.43

$2.04 ¥13.64

58.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₾5.65

$1.88 ¥12.60

15.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ₾1.92

$1.67 ¥11.17

-55.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 ₾4.45

$0.92 ¥6.18

85.87%

Eggs

$2.83 ₾7.36

$1.58 ¥10.60

79.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 ₾23.96

$13.47 ¥90.3

-31.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 ₾17.56

$3.49 ¥23.39

93.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.77 ₾33.18

$11.15 ¥74.7

14.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.26

$1.82 ¥12.21

-9.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ₾4.60

$1.26 ¥8.44

40.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾4.85

$1.52 ¥10.21

23.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 ₾6.35

$1.30 ¥8.73

87.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.25

$0.71 ¥4.78

22.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$0.96 ¥6.45

-32.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 ₾3.64

$0.63 ¥4.23

122.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$0.55 ¥3.69

34.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 ₾8.86

$3.62 ¥24.28

-5.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.60 ₾19.76

$9.79 ¥65.6

-22.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₾4.41

$0.79 ¥5.29

115.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.20

$1.62 ¥10.82

46.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.94

$0.32 ¥2.12

12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.24 ₾39.61

$18.32 ¥123

-16.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₾3.07

$1.43 ¥9.57

-17.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ₾1.97

$0.35 ¥2.37

117.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.34 ₾29.47

$6.44 ¥43.12

76.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₾3.46

$1.23 ¥8.22

8.13%

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

$24.7K ₾64.3K

$19.7K ¥132.0K

25.50%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$18.5K ¥124.1K

18.88%

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

$88.9 ₾231

$57.2 ¥383

55.43%

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

$13.33 ₾34.64

$8.38 ¥56.2

59.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ₾52.3

$11.27 ¥75.5

78.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.7 ₾178

$40.54 ¥272

69.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.09 ₾47.02

$14.57 ¥97.7

24.16%

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 ₾17.46

$6.40 ¥42.90

5.00%

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

$374 ₾971

$452 ¥3,026

-17.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.8K

$18.7K ¥125.0K

-42.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₾263

$41.90 ¥281

141.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.33 ₾102

$29.12 ¥195

35.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾305

$73.1 ¥489

60.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$80.9 ¥542

51.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 ₾1,773

$264 ¥1,770

158.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,186

$171 ¥1,149

166.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 ₾3,386

$575 ¥3,856

126.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 ₾2,338

$328 ¥2,197

174.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,449 ₾6,366

$3,413 ¥22.9K

-28.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,452 ₾3,775

$1,747 ¥11.7K

-16.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 ₾1,695

$634 ¥4,246

2.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

3.38

273.37%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: September 13, 2026

Last update for Bortala: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $682 in Tbilisi and $264 in Bortala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 3% 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: $39.00 in Tbilisi vs $22.00 in Bortala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $206 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 70% 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.

Average pay runs 3% higher in Tbilisi, 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: $682 in Tbilisi versus $264 in Bortala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,247 per month in Tbilisi versus $733 in Bortala – a 70% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bortala runs roughly 20% less than in Tbilisi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $733 in Bortala versus $1,247 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 $733 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 70% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.