Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Butare Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Butare

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,185 in Tbilisi versus $476 in Butare.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,834 in Tbilisi versus $734 in Butare.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,483 in Tbilisi versus $993 in Butare.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 149% more expensive than Butare, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 12% lower, Butare 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.15 ₾30.00

$1.78 RWF 2,604

526.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.13 ₾116

$21.03 RWF 30.8K

105.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 ₾22.11

$5.48 RWF 8,030

50.00%

Cappuccino

$3.13 ₾8.42

$1.71 RWF 2,508

83.04%

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

$0.74 ₾2.00

$0.53 RWF 779

39.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₾1.22

$0.36 RWF 533

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ₾5.74

$0.66 RWF 971

222.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ₾8.06

$1.01 RWF 1,485

196.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₾5.09

$0.40 RWF 579

372.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₾1.97

$0.90 RWF 1,323

-18.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.98

$0.96 RWF 1,404

92.71%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.58

$1.47 RWF 2,153

66.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.85 ₾21.12

$2.28 RWF 3,331

244.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ₾16.82

$3.01 RWF 4,405

107.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.77 ₾26.28

$2.78 RWF 4,065

251.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 ₾3.26

$2.22 RWF 3,246

-45.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₾4.28

$0.88 RWF 1,285

80.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.81

$1.17 RWF 1,718

52.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 ₾6.25

$0.78 RWF 1,149

197.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.91

$0.34 RWF 500

108.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.81

$0.43 RWF 627

55.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.16

$0.35 RWF 510

237.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₾1.92

$0.58 RWF 846

22.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.85

$1.25 RWF 1,836

133.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.25 ₾19.50

$10.35 RWF 15.2K

-29.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₾4.17

$0.90 RWF 1,315

72.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.21

$1.37 RWF 2,006

68.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.03

$0.29 RWF 429

31.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.81 ₾39.83

$9.97 RWF 14.6K

48.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ₾3.98

$2.12 RWF 3,101

-30.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.86

$0.91 RWF 1,326

-24.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾20.05

$3.92 RWF 5,737

90.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₾3.10

$0.71 RWF 1,044

61.97%

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

$18.0K ₾48.4K

$16.6K RWF 24.4M

8.16%

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

$19.8K ₾53.4K

$8,748 RWF 12.8M

126.72%

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

$73.4 ₾198

$37.09 RWF 54.3K

98.00%

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

$11.64 ₾31.32

$8.97 RWF 13.1K

29.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.77 ₾47.79

$17.85 RWF 26.1K

-0.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 ₾163

$25.27 RWF 37.0K

139.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 ₾44.21

$5.57 RWF 8,155

195.15%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.52

$3.44 RWF 5,036

89.24%

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

$263 ₾707

$93.2 RWF 136.4K

181.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,136 ₾13.8K

$1,321 RWF 1.9M

288.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾209

$13.64 RWF 20.0K

469.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.39 ₾119

$19.17 RWF 28.1K

131.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾317

$24.28 RWF 35.5K

384.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾307

$30.80 RWF 45.1K

270.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,865

$207 RWF 302.9K

235.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,244

$138 RWF 202.3K

234.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 ₾3,597

$313 RWF 457.9K

327.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$779 ₾2,096

$239 RWF 350.3K

225.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,530 ₾6,805

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,430 ₾3,847

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$633 ₾1,702

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

16.2

-26.60%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: April 26, 2026

Last update for Butare: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $693 in Tbilisi and $207 in Butare. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Tbilisi vs $21.00 in Butare for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $116 per month, with Butare 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 Butare: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Butare wins on cost – living expenses run 149% lower than in Tbilisi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Butare the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,777 in Tbilisi and $714 in Butare to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $693 in Tbilisi versus $207 in Butare. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Butare – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $43.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,185 per month in Tbilisi versus $476 in Butare – a 149% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $476 in Butare versus $1,185 in Tbilisi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Butare but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Butare the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Butare delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $476 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Butare hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Butare 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 Butare gentler on the wallet – expenses run 149% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.