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: $1,279 in Tbilisi versus $371 in Butare.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,033 in Tbilisi versus $584 in Butare.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,787 in Tbilisi versus $798 in Butare.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 245% more expensive than in Butare, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 7% lower, Butare 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.68 ₾30.42

$2.34 RWF 3,423

399.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.79 ₾98.4

$27.10 RWF 39.7K

39.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.34 ₾24.31

$7.00 RWF 10.3K

33.43%

Cappuccino

$3.45 ₾9.00

$2.31 RWF 3,384

49.35%

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

$1.09 ₾2.84

$0.81 RWF 1,184

34.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 ₾1.55

$0.51 RWF 753

15.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.82 ₾7.35

$1.00 RWF 1,462

182.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ₾9.71

$2.60 RWF 3,815

43.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ₾5.71

$0.32 RWF 473

584.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$0.81 RWF 1,182

-8.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 ₾4.29

$0.98 RWF 1,438

68.37%

Eggs

$2.76 ₾7.20

$1.65 RWF 2,414

67.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.64 ₾25.09

$1.72 RWF 2,526

460.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.89 ₾17.94

$2.44 RWF 3,580

182.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 ₾34.23

$3.05 RWF 4,464

331.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 ₾4.46

$2.06 RWF 3,011

-16.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ₾4.49

$0.86 RWF 1,263

100.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾4.87

$1.14 RWF 1,673

64.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.49 ₾6.49

$0.85 RWF 1,239

192.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ₾2.11

$0.39 RWF 571

107.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 ₾1.72

$0.26 RWF 376

153.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 ₾3.60

$0.14 RWF 205

885.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ₾1.94

$0.79 RWF 1,163

-5.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.36 ₾8.75

$2.02 RWF 2,964

66.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.81 ₾20.34

$10.05 RWF 14.7K

-22.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 ₾4.34

$0.87 RWF 1,273

91.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₾6.10

$1.63 RWF 2,386

43.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ₾0.96

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.56 ₾40.52

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.97

$2.68 RWF 3,924

-57.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ₾2.03

$2.08 RWF 3,045

-62.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.51 ₾29.97

$3.44 RWF 5,043

234.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₾3.47

$1.78 RWF 2,606

-25.28%

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

$24.8K ₾64.7K

$25.8K RWF 37.7M

-3.51%

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

$22.2K ₾57.8K

$30.3K RWF 44.4M

-26.73%

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

$90.3 ₾235

$83.6 RWF 122.5K

8.03%

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

$13.19 ₾34.35

$7.06 RWF 10.3K

86.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.73 ₾51.4

$21.15 RWF 31.0K

-6.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.3 ₾173

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.64 ₾51.1

Cinema Ticket

$6.73 ₾17.53

$3.36 RWF 4,928

100.30%

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

$356 ₾928

$115 RWF 168.6K

209.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K ₾27.6K

$6,574 RWF 9.6M

61.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₾263

$17.38 RWF 25.5K

481.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.62 ₾103

$15.78 RWF 23.1K

151.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₾299

$22.12 RWF 32.4K

418.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 ₾314

$34.53 RWF 50.6K

248.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$703 ₾1,830

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 ₾1,173

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 ₾3,321

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$891 ₾2,320

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,530 ₾6,587

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,466 ₾3,818

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$651 ₾1,696

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.73

16.2

-21.42%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: August 16, 2026

Last update for Butare: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $38.00 in Tbilisi vs $27.00 in Butare for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $112 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 245% 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 $1,918 in Tbilisi and $556 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 110% higher in Tbilisi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,279 per month in Tbilisi versus $371 in Butare – a 245% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $371 in Butare versus $1,279 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 $371 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 245% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.