Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Cartago Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Cartago

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,209 in Tbilisi versus $1,512 in Cartago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,867 in Tbilisi versus $2,121 in Cartago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,526 in Tbilisi versus $2,730 in Cartago.

Living in Tbilisi costs roughly 20% less than in Cartago, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tbilisi is 10% below, Cartago is 13% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 ₾28.71

$7.95 ₡3,615

35.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.18 ₾115

$31.47 ₡14.3K

37.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.29 ₾22.04

$9.17 ₡4,172

-9.60%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ₾7.97

$3.82 ₡1,738

-21.47%

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

$0.82 ₾2.17

$1.93 ₡880

-57.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.21

$1.23 ₡558

-62.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 ₾5.93

$2.01 ₡913

10.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.75

$4.75 ₡2,159

-38.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.12

$1.96 ₡894

-1.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.81

$2.19 ₡996

-68.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 ₾5.00

$2.15 ₡976

-12.56%

Eggs

$2.54 ₾6.74

$2.91 ₡1,325

-12.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 ₾19.70

$7.84 ₡3,566

-5.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ₾16.44

$9.30 ₡4,228

-33.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ₾24.87

$13.63 ₡6,199

-31.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 ₾3.25

$4.43 ₡2,014

-72.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ₾4.40

$1.17 ₡534

41.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.78

$4.03 ₡1,832

-55.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 ₾5.96

$2.64 ₡1,201

-15.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.89

$1.96 ₡890

-63.78%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.79

$1.98 ₡899

-66.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.13

$1.04 ₡471

13.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.76

$1.94 ₡884

-65.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ₾7.91

$5.11 ₡2,326

-41.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₾20.22

$15.30 ₡6,960

-50.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.08

$2.45 ₡1,112

-37.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.99

$1.80 ₡820

25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$1.01 ₡461

-64.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 ₾38.38

$69.0 ₡31.4K

-79.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ₾3.97

$1.37 ₡622

8.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.82

$1.86 ₡848

-63.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 ₾19.20

$7.91 ₡3,599

-8.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.04

$1.41 ₡643

-19.15%

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

$18.5K ₾49.1K

$37.4K ₡17.0M

-50.68%

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

$20.0K ₾53.1K

$32.3K ₡14.7M

-38.25%

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

$73.7 ₾196

$49.02 ₡22.3K

50.31%

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

$11.64 ₾30.92

$25.60 ₡11.6K

-54.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.84 ₾47.41

$57.9 ₡26.3K

-69.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 ₾160

$57.3 ₡26.0K

5.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ₾44.65

$24.06 ₡10.9K

-30.17%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ₾17.55

$6.47 ₡2,944

2.01%

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

$266 ₾708

$491 ₡223.1K

-45.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,191 ₾13.8K

$7,189 ₡3.3M

-27.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾206

$61.5 ₡28.0K

26.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.75 ₾119

$51.7 ₡23.5K

-13.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾310

$109 ₡49.4K

7.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾300

$80.4 ₡36.6K

40.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,840

$760 ₡345.6K

-8.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,227

$602 ₡273.6K

-23.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 ₾3,507

$734 ₡333.9K

79.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₾2,057

$770 ₡350.1K

0.58%

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

$1,312 ₡596.8K

-48.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

18.90%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cartago: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $693 in Tbilisi and $760 in Cartago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cartago pays 95% 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 $31.00 in Cartago. Groceries flip the comparison at $203 vs $315, 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 Cartago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cartago earns 95% less. 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: $693 in Tbilisi versus $760 in Cartago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tbilisi runs roughly 378% less than in Cartago. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $266 in Tbilisi versus $491 in Cartago. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,209 in Tbilisi versus $1,512 in Cartago, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Cartago. The gap between the two cities makes Tbilisi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Tbilisi is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cartago, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Cartago 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 25% less than in Cartago. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.