Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Cahul Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Cahul

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,209 in Tbilisi versus $697 in Cahul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,867 in Tbilisi versus $1,101 in Cahul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,526 in Tbilisi versus $1,505 in Cahul.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 73% more expensive than Cahul, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 10% lower, Cahul 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 ₾28.71

$8.63 MDL 148

25.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.18 ₾115

$36.47 MDL 627

18.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.29 ₾22.04

$7.53 MDL 129

10.09%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ₾7.97

$1.88 MDL 32.31

59.57%

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

$0.82 ₾2.17

$0.98 MDL 16.93

-16.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.21

$0.68 MDL 11.73

-32.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 ₾5.93

$1.78 MDL 30.60

25.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.75

$2.32 MDL 39.87

25.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.12

$1.29 MDL 22.13

49.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.81

$0.52 MDL 8.96

30.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 ₾5.00

$1.45 MDL 24.88

29.66%

Eggs

$2.54 ₾6.74

$2.59 MDL 44.56

-1.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 ₾19.70

$10.47 MDL 180

-29.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ₾16.44

$5.54 MDL 95.3

11.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ₾24.87

$9.04 MDL 155

3.54%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 ₾3.25

$0.90 MDL 15.55

35.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ₾4.40

$1.82 MDL 31.30

-8.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.78

$1.73 MDL 29.66

4.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 ₾5.96

$2.14 MDL 36.73

4.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.89

$0.83 MDL 14.20

-14.46%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.79

$0.59 MDL 10.12

13.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.13

$1.35 MDL 23.25

-12.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.76

$0.82 MDL 14.05

-19.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ₾7.91

$3.15 MDL 54.1

-5.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₾20.22

$4.75 MDL 81.7

60.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.08

$1.26 MDL 21.62

22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.99

$1.98 MDL 34.10

13.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 ₾38.38

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ₾3.97

$2.08 MDL 35.83

-28.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.82

$0.27 MDL 4.67

151.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 ₾19.20

$5.21 MDL 89.5

38.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.04

$1.41 MDL 24.32

-19.15%

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

$18.5K ₾49.1K

$31.7K MDL 544.5K

-41.73%

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

$20.0K ₾53.1K

$31.3K MDL 538.5K

-36.26%

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

$73.7 ₾196

$173 MDL 2,969

-57.34%

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

$11.64 ₾30.92

$7.41 MDL 127

57.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.84 ₾47.41

$10.80 MDL 186

65.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 ₾160

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ₾44.65

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ₾17.55

$7.49 MDL 129

-11.88%

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

$266 ₾708

$384 MDL 6,606

-30.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,191 ₾13.8K

$7,544 MDL 129.7K

-31.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾206

$65.6 MDL 1,128

18.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.75 ₾119

$54.5 MDL 937

-17.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾310

$115 MDL 1,972

1.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾300

$123 MDL 2,113

-8.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,840

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,227

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 ₾3,507

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₾2,057

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,430 ₾6,458

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 ₾3,842

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 ₾1,788

$523 MDL 8,999

28.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

9.24

28.68%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cahul: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Tbilisi pays 29% 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: $43.00 in Tbilisi vs $36.00 in Cahul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $192 per month, with Cahul 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 Cahul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

Tbilisi pays 29% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Tbilisi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,209 per month in Tbilisi versus $697 in Cahul – a 73% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $697 in Cahul versus $1,209 in Tbilisi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cahul but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Cahul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cahul delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $697 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cahul hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Cahul 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 Cahul 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.