Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Carbondale, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Tbilisi: $1,270 a month against $1,759 in Carbondale, IL, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

61

Cost of Living Index in Tbilisi
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Tbilisi Living Index
85

Cost of Living Index in Carbondale, IL
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Carbondale, IL Living Index

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Tbilisi

🇬🇪 Georgia

$1,270

/mo nomad

Carbondale, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$1,759

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Carbondale, IL

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 Carbondale, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,270 in Tbilisi versus $1,759 in Carbondale, IL.

Tbilisi $1,270
Carbondale, IL $1,759

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,008 in Tbilisi versus $2,131 in Carbondale, IL.

Tbilisi $2,008
Carbondale, IL $2,131

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,745 in Tbilisi versus $2,503 in Carbondale, IL.

Tbilisi $2,745
Carbondale, IL $2,503

Living in Tbilisi costs roughly 28% less than in Carbondale, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tbilisi is 6% below, Carbondale, IL is 30% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.51 ₾29.79

$17.85 $17.85

-35.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.27 ₾99.1

$38.28 $38.28

-0.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.80 ₾25.36

$9.16 $9.16

6.99%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ₾9.19

$5.12 $5.12

-30.66%

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

$1.06 ₾2.74

$2.29 $2.29

-53.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₾1.60

$1.94 $1.94

-68.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 ₾7.16

$4.59 $4.59

-39.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.77

$8.20 $8.20

-63.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ₾5.59

$0.92 $0.92

134.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 ₾1.96

$3.10 $3.10

-75.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 ₾4.51

$4.12 $4.12

-57.77%

Eggs

$2.79 ₾7.21

$3.71 $3.71

-24.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 ₾23.83

$13.28 $13.28

-30.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 ₾16.89

$11.47 $11.47

-43.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 ₾33.17

$18.80 $18.80

-31.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 ₾4.31

$5.60 $5.60

-70.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.79

$1.80 $1.80

2.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ₾5.13

$5.92 $5.92

-66.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 ₾6.49

$4.91 $4.91

-48.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.26

$1.62 $1.62

-46.30%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 ₾1.89

$2.40 $2.40

-69.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 ₾3.67

$2.64 $2.64

-46.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₾1.88

$2.16 $2.16

-66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ₾8.74

$9.04 $9.04

-62.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 ₾20.31

$13.13 $13.13

-40.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ₾4.19

$1.70 $1.70

-4.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.15

$1.60 $1.60

48.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ₾0.96

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.52 ₾40.16

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.94

$2.03 $2.03

-43.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 ₾2.05

$1.39 $1.39

-43.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.57 ₾29.96

$19.64 $19.64

-41.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₾3.87

$1.03 $1.03

45.63%

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

$24.6K ₾63.7K

$27.5K $27.5K

-10.50%

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

$22.4K ₾57.9K

$27.3K $27.3K

-18.04%

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

$88.3 ₾228

$185 $185

-52.38%

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

$13.08 ₾33.86

$85.5 $85.5

-84.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.53 ₾50.6

$75.6 $75.6

-74.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.2 ₾166

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.18 ₾49.66

Cinema Ticket

$6.99 ₾18.10

$11.92 $11.92

-41.36%

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

$373 ₾966

$1,702 $1,702

-78.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.7K

$24.5K $24.5K

-56.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 ₾266

$46.99 $46.99

118.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.48 ₾105

$33.23 $33.23

21.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ₾301

$83.1 $83.1

39.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾316

$150 $150

-18.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$677 ₾1,753

$656 $656

3.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₾1,176

$554 $554

-18.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,277 ₾3,305

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$890 ₾2,304

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,410 ₾6,238

$994 $994

142.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,418 ₾3,670

$1,003 $1,003

41.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$703 ₾1,819

$3,801 $3,801

-81.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

6.6

91.21%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: October 17, 2026

Last update for Carbondale, IL: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Tbilisi

$454 35.8%

Carbondale, IL

$554 31.5% 22% $100

Groceries & Markets

Tbilisi

$233 18.3%

Carbondale, IL

$396 22.5% 70.2% $163

Eating Out

Tbilisi

$191 15%

Carbondale, IL

$288 16.4% 51.2% $97

Clothing & Footwear

Tbilisi

$172 13.5%

Carbondale, IL

$141 8% 17.8% $31

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tbilisi

$121 9.5%

Carbondale, IL

$346 19.7% 187% $226

Sport & Entertainment

Tbilisi

$78 6.2%

Carbondale, IL

$24 * 1.4% 69.5% $54

Getting Around

Tbilisi

$22 1.7%

Carbondale, IL

$9 * 0.5% 59.4% $13

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 $677 in Tbilisi and $656 in Carbondale, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Carbondale, IL pays 441% 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: $38.00 in Tbilisi vs $38.00 in Carbondale, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $396 per month, with Tbilisi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇬🇪 Tbilisi

🇺🇸 Carbondale, IL

🕒 Local time

11:37 11:37 AM

02:37 2:37 AM

9 h behind Tbilisi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,241,700 Capital

24,881

💱 Currency

Georgian Lari GEL ₾

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 GEL = 0.386 USD

1 GEL = 0.344 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇬🇪 Georgian Lari (₾)

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.386 USD). 1 EUR = 2.91 GEL (1 GEL = 0.344 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to GEL in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Tbilisi Carbondale, IL 10,030 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Tbilisi
Carbondale, IL

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 Carbondale, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi wins on cost – living expenses run 38% lower than in Carbondale, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tbilisi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 441% lower in Carbondale, IL. 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: $677 in Tbilisi versus $656 in Carbondale, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 70% higher in Carbondale, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,270 per month in Tbilisi versus $1,759 in Carbondale, IL – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,270 in Tbilisi versus $1,759 in Carbondale, IL, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Carbondale, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Tbilisi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Tbilisi delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,270 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Tbilisi hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Carbondale, IL 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 Tbilisi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Carbondale, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.