Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Calama

For one person, living is cheaper in Calama: $587 a month against $1,269 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $8,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Tbilisi, Georgia
Calama, Chile
Tbilisi
🇬🇪 Georgia
$1,269
/mo nomad
Calama
🇨🇱 Chile
$587
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Calama

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tbilisi and in Calama actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,269 in Tbilisi versus $587 in Calama.

  • Tbilisi $1,269
  • Calama $587

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,016 in Tbilisi versus $1,195 in Calama.

  • Tbilisi $2,016
  • Calama $1,195

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,763 in Tbilisi versus $1,802 in Calama.

  • Tbilisi $2,763
  • Calama $1,802

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 116% more expensive than in Calama, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 7% lower, Calama 57% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tbilisi
Calama
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.63 ₾30.07
$6.93 CLP 6,816
67.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.83 ₾97.9
$31.87 CLP 31.4K
18.70%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.66 ₾24.98
-
-
Cappuccino
$3.57 ₾9.24
$1.99 CLP 1,957
79.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.08 ₾2.78
$0.87 CLP 858
24.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₾1.45
$0.87 CLP 851
-35.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.62 ₾6.78
$2.98 CLP 2,934
-12.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04 ₾7.86
$4.91 CLP 4,828
-38.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
Calama
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.17 ₾5.60
$1.12 CLP 1,103
93.75%
White Bread (500g)
$0.80 ₾2.06
$0.80 CLP 784
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.74 ₾4.51
$2.68 CLP 2,636
-35.07%
Eggs
$2.83 ₾7.31
$4.80 CLP 4,723
-41.04%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.31 ₾24.08
$8.98 CLP 8,835
3.67%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.52 ₾16.86
$6.13 CLP 6,032
6.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.95 ₾33.50
$7.42 CLP 7,304
74.53%
Apples (1kg)
$1.68 ₾4.34
$1.19 CLP 1,167
41.18%
Banana (1kg)
$1.85 ₾4.80
$1.03 CLP 1,010
79.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.97 ₾5.10
$1.49 CLP 1,462
32.21%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.42 ₾6.25
$1.08 CLP 1,065
124.07%
Potato (1kg)
$0.82 ₾2.11
$0.90 CLP 882
-8.89%
Onion (1kg)
$0.74 ₾1.91
$0.98 CLP 960
-24.49%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.34 ₾3.47
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 ₾2.00
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.57 ₾9.24
$5.19 CLP 5,102
-31.21%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.67 ₾19.84
$4.15 CLP 4,080
84.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 ₾4.39
$1.04 CLP 1,020
63.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 ₾6.21
$1.20 CLP 1,180
100.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Tbilisi
Calama
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.40 ₾1.05
$0.95 CLP 935
-57.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.23 ₾39.39
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.14 ₾2.95
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ₾2.02
$1.46 CLP 1,439
-46.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.83 ₾30.59
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ₾3.75
$1.42 CLP 1,401
2.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.6K ₾63.6K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.3K ₾57.8K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
Calama
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.8 ₾230
$40.80 CLP 40.1K
117.65%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.12 ₾33.94
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.67 ₾50.9
$13.16 CLP 13.0K
49.47%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
Calama
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$64.1 ₾166
$50.8 CLP 49.9K
26.21%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04 ₾49.25
$19.97 CLP 19.6K
-4.66%
Cinema Ticket
$7.12 ₾18.42
$4.51 CLP 4,441
57.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tbilisi
Calama
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$375 ₾971
$305 CLP 300.5K
22.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.5K ₾27.1K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
Calama
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 ₾268
$34.75 CLP 34.2K
198.24%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.26 ₾102
$28.04 CLP 27.6K
40.01%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$117 ₾304
$44.75 CLP 44.0K
162.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 ₾315
$60.3 CLP 59.3K
101.82%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
Calama
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$695 ₾1,798
$322 CLP 316.9K
115.85%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$451 ₾1,167
$103 CLP 101.3K
338.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,355 ₾3,505
$795 CLP 782.4K
70.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$906 ₾2,344
$617 CLP 606.6K
46.96%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,295 ₾5,936
$1,406 CLP 1.4M
63.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,345 ₾3,479
$1,221 CLP 1.2M
10.11%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tbilisi
Calama
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$664 ₾1,718
$1,094 CLP 1.1M
-39.27%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.62
5
152.40%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: October 27, 2026

Last update for Calama: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
$451
Calama
$103 77.2% $348
Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
$234
Calama
$173 * 26.1% $61
Eating Out
Tbilisi
$191
Calama
$111 * 41.8% $80
Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
$172
Calama
$76 56.1% $96
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
$122
Calama
$54 * 55.6% $68
Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
$78
Calama
$60 23.7% $19
Getting Around
Tbilisi
$22
Calama
$11 * 49.2% $11

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $695 in Tbilisi and $322 in Calama. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Calama pays 65% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $38 in Tbilisi vs $32 in Calama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $173 per month, with Calama cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇪 Tbilisi
🇨🇱 Calama
🕒 Local time
15:11 3:11 PM
08:11 8:11 AM
7 h behind Tbilisi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,241,700 Capital
157,575
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CLP, USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.387 USD). 1 EUR = 2.88 GEL (1 GEL = 0.347 EUR).

Chilean Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 984 CLP (1,000 CLP = 1.02 USD). 1 EUR = 1,095 CLP (10,000 CLP = 9.13 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tbilisi Calama 13,580 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Tbilisi
  • Calama

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Which city is more expensive, Tbilisi or Calama?
Calama wins on cost – living expenses run 54% 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.
Are salaries higher in Tbilisi or in Calama?
On paper, salaries run 39% lower in Tbilisi. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Tbilisi compared to Calama?
Rent for a central apartment: $695 in Tbilisi versus $322 in Calama. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Tbilisi or in Calama?
Supermarket bills run roughly 35% higher in Tbilisi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Tbilisi compared to Calama?
All in, you’ll spend $1,269 per month in Tbilisi versus $587 in Calama – a 116% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $800/month in Tbilisi or in Calama?
At $587 in Calama versus $1,269 in Tbilisi, a $800 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.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Tbilisi or Calama?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

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