Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Calama Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Calama

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,197 in Tbilisi versus $1,083 in Calama.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,868 in Tbilisi versus $1,617 in Calama.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,538 in Tbilisi versus $2,150 in Calama.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 11% more expensive than in Calama, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 10% lower, Calama 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.82 ₾28.38

$8.15 CLP 7,611

32.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.85 ₾115

$33.33 CLP 31.1K

31.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.31 ₾21.79

$7.90 CLP 7,375

5.19%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ₾7.78

$2.11 CLP 1,968

40.76%

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

$0.77 ₾2.01

$0.98 CLP 917

-21.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.20

$0.93 CLP 867

-50.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ₾5.63

$3.29 CLP 3,075

-34.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ₾7.52

$4.15 CLP 3,872

-30.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₾4.99

$1.23 CLP 1,151

54.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 ₾1.86

$1.52 CLP 1,423

-53.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 ₾5.00

$1.89 CLP 1,760

1.06%

Eggs

$2.48 ₾6.52

$3.51 CLP 3,276

-29.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 ₾20.29

$10.63 CLP 9,922

-27.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 ₾16.20

$6.53 CLP 6,099

-5.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.57 ₾25.11

$11.08 CLP 10.3K

-13.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 ₾3.06

$1.90 CLP 1,770

-38.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₾4.34

$1.51 CLP 1,408

9.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.84

$1.52 CLP 1,423

21.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 ₾6.11

$1.45 CLP 1,352

60.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.85

$1.24 CLP 1,156

-42.74%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.76

$1.39 CLP 1,300

-51.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.12

$1.22 CLP 1,144

-2.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.72

$1.17 CLP 1,094

-43.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.65

$5.28 CLP 4,933

-44.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.69 ₾20.17

$5.92 CLP 5,526

29.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₾4.18

$1.60 CLP 1,491

-0.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.06

$2.22 CLP 2,076

4.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.01

$0.59 CLP 549

-35.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.76 ₾38.71

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.92

$0.51 CLP 472

194.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$1.53 CLP 1,424

-55.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.26 ₾19.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.87

$1.54 CLP 1,442

-29.22%

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

$18.6K ₾48.8K

$19.6K CLP 18.3M

-5.24%

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

$20.5K ₾53.7K

$21.7K CLP 20.3M

-5.71%

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

$73.0 ₾191

$131 CLP 122.0K

-44.13%

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

$11.97 ₾31.40

$13.71 CLP 12.8K

-12.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ₾47.21

$22.29 CLP 20.8K

-19.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 ₾160

$38.39 CLP 35.8K

58.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.52 ₾43.33

$21.55 CLP 20.1K

-23.34%

Cinema Ticket

$6.70 ₾17.58

$5.70 CLP 5,323

17.54%

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

$269 ₾705

$432 CLP 403.4K

-37.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,152 ₾13.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.5 ₾201

$50.6 CLP 47.2K

51.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.41 ₾114

$30.49 CLP 28.5K

42.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 ₾316

$62.8 CLP 58.6K

91.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾290

$82.9 CLP 77.3K

33.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$687 ₾1,802

$352 CLP 328.4K

95.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 ₾1,234

$378 CLP 352.7K

24.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 ₾3,549

$847 CLP 790.6K

59.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,069

$590 CLP 550.9K

33.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,468 ₾6,472

$1,467 CLP 1.4M

68.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,456 ₾3,817

$1,276 CLP 1.2M

14.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$659 ₾1,729

$1,160 CLP 1.1M

-43.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

5.18

129.54%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: July 13, 2026

Last update for Calama: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $687 in Tbilisi and $352 in Calama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calama pays 76% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $44.00 in Tbilisi vs $33.00 in Calama. Groceries flip the comparison at $205 vs $229, with Tbilisi cheaper for home cooking.

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 Calama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calama wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Tbilisi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Calama the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 76% lower in Calama. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $687 in Tbilisi versus $352 in Calama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Tbilisi pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,197 per month in Tbilisi versus $1,083 in Calama – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,083 in Calama versus $1,197 in Tbilisi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Calama but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Calama the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Calama delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,083 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Calama hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Calama 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 Calama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.