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: $1,178 in Tbilisi versus $465 in Butare.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,848 in Tbilisi versus $713 in Butare.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,518 in Tbilisi versus $961 in Butare.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 153% more expensive than in Butare, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 12% lower, Butare 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.09 ₾29.33

$1.72 RWF 2,509

544.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.24 ₾114

$21.14 RWF 30.9K

104.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 ₾22.62

$5.49 RWF 8,012

55.74%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ₾7.86

$1.77 RWF 2,583

67.80%

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

$0.76 ₾2.01

$0.58 RWF 842

31.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.22

$0.36 RWF 531

27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ₾5.87

$0.67 RWF 983

231.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.72

$1.06 RWF 1,549

175.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 ₾5.21

$0.39 RWF 571

405.13%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₾1.94

$0.96 RWF 1,407

-23.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 ₾4.81

$0.97 RWF 1,420

87.63%

Eggs

$2.49 ₾6.60

$1.41 RWF 2,059

76.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.66 ₾20.26

$2.30 RWF 3,355

233.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.27 ₾16.58

$3.11 RWF 4,539

101.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.50 ₾25.12

$2.74 RWF 3,993

246.72%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 ₾3.24

$2.25 RWF 3,289

-45.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.32

$0.89 RWF 1,306

84.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾4.95

$1.18 RWF 1,718

58.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 ₾6.01

$0.80 RWF 1,163

183.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.77

$0.34 RWF 500

97.06%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.78

$0.47 RWF 686

42.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ₾3.23

$0.35 RWF 509

248.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.85

$0.57 RWF 835

22.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.72

$1.23 RWF 1,798

137.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.72 ₾20.40

$10.15 RWF 14.8K

-23.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₾4.09

$0.90 RWF 1,309

72.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 ₾5.86

$1.43 RWF 2,087

55.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ₾1.02

$0.29 RWF 427

34.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.67 ₾38.78

$9.64 RWF 14.1K

52.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 ₾3.82

$2.06 RWF 3,002

-30.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.81

$0.86 RWF 1,249

-19.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 ₾19.50

$3.85 RWF 5,626

91.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.03

$0.73 RWF 1,070

56.16%

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

$18.2K ₾48.0K

$17.0K RWF 24.8M

7.12%

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

$20.4K ₾54.1K

$8,847 RWF 12.9M

131.06%

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

$73.6 ₾195

$36.28 RWF 53.0K

102.98%

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

$11.64 ₾30.78

$8.72 RWF 12.7K

33.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.63 ₾46.62

$18.21 RWF 26.6K

-3.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.4 ₾162

$25.90 RWF 37.8K

136.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.85 ₾44.55

$5.67 RWF 8,281

197.18%

Cinema Ticket

$6.69 ₾17.69

$3.51 RWF 5,129

90.60%

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

$264 ₾698

$94.5 RWF 137.9K

179.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,169 ₾13.7K

$1,353 RWF 2.0M

282.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.1 ₾199

$13.67 RWF 20.0K

449.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.26 ₾114

$19.60 RWF 28.6K

120.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾311

$24.61 RWF 35.9K

377.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾295

$31.13 RWF 45.5K

258.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$706 ₾1,866

$204 RWF 298.5K

245.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$461 ₾1,220

$139 RWF 203.5K

231.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,318 ₾3,486

$307 RWF 448.4K

329.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$781 ₾2,064

$239 RWF 348.4K

227.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,463 ₾6,512

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,409 ₾3,725

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$672 ₾1,778

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Butare: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $706 in Tbilisi and $204 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 $117 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 153% 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 $1,767 in Tbilisi and $698 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: $706 in Tbilisi versus $204 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 $1,178 per month in Tbilisi versus $465 in Butare – a 153% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $465 in Butare versus $1,178 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 $465 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 153% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.