Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Cha-am Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Cha-am

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,279 in Tbilisi versus $910 in Cha-am.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,011 in Tbilisi versus $1,464 in Cha-am.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,743 in Tbilisi versus $2,018 in Cha-am.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 41% more expensive than in Cha-am, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 7% lower, Cha-am 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.43 ₾29.72

$3.14 ฿104

264.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.16 ₾99.2

$21.86 ฿722

74.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.40 ₾24.45

$7.43 ฿246

26.51%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ₾8.78

$2.10 ฿69.3

60.95%

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

$1.04 ₾2.70

$0.70 ฿23.15

48.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₾1.56

$0.32 ฿10.74

87.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 ₾7.05

$2.40 ฿79.1

12.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ₾7.90

$2.97 ฿98.3

2.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 ₾5.90

$1.75 ฿57.7

29.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ₾2.04

$1.50 ฿49.68

-47.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ₾4.21

$1.42 ฿46.88

14.08%

Eggs

$2.74 ₾7.13

$1.88 ฿62.3

45.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.30 ₾24.19

$12.57 ฿415

-26.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.79 ₾17.65

$2.65 ฿87.5

156.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.01 ₾33.84

$10.51 ฿347

23.79%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.27

$3.59 ฿119

-54.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ₾4.77

$1.25 ฿41.24

46.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 ₾4.94

$1.92 ฿63.4

-1.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 ₾6.68

$1.87 ฿61.7

37.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 ₾2.19

$1.79 ฿59.3

-53.07%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$1.07 ฿35.46

-39.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₾3.54

$1.19 ฿39.16

14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₾2.07

$0.43 ฿14.11

86.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ₾8.85

$4.39 ฿145

-22.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.67 ₾19.94

$18.15 ฿600

-57.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₾4.36

$1.71 ฿56.6

-1.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.18

$3.08 ฿102

-22.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ₾1.02

$0.89 ฿29.48

-56.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.55 ₾40.44

$22.37 ฿739

-30.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.96

$1.41 ฿46.46

-19.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$1.15 ฿37.88

-35.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.32 ₾29.42

$3.62 ฿120

212.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 ₾3.60

$1.41 ฿46.47

-2.13%

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

$24.6K ₾63.9K

$16.8K ฿556.3K

45.97%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$27.2K ฿899.9K

-19.24%

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

$88.7 ₾231

$84.2 ฿2,782

5.37%

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

$13.18 ₾34.26

$11.67 ฿386

12.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.68 ₾51.2

$23.03 ฿761

-14.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 ₾177

$23.92 ฿790

185.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.94 ₾46.65

$6.15 ฿203

191.71%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ₾16.70

$6.65 ฿220

-3.46%

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

$372 ₾967

$637 ฿21.1K

-41.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K ₾28.1K

$10.9K ฿360.6K

-0.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₾272

$52.1 ฿1,722

100.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.83 ₾101

$29.55 ฿976

31.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₾299

$72.2 ฿2,387

58.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$55.2 ฿1,825

121.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 ₾1,770

$387 ฿12.8K

76.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,185

$276 ฿9,128

64.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 ₾3,410

$754 ฿24.9K

74.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$892 ₾2,321

$660 ฿21.8K

35.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,391 ₾6,216

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,425 ₾3,704

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$640 ₾1,663

$371 ฿12.3K

72.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

5.96

111.74%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: September 5, 2026

Last update for Cha-am: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $681 in Tbilisi and $387 in Cha-am. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 72% 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 $22.00 in Cha-am. Groceries flip the comparison at $236 vs $239, 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 Cha-am: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi and Cha-am differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($1,279 vs $910 including rent). Cha-am is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 72% higher in Tbilisi, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $681 in Tbilisi versus $387 in Cha-am. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,279 per month in Tbilisi versus $910 in Cha-am – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cha-am runs roughly 44% less than in Tbilisi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $910 in Cha-am versus $1,279 in Tbilisi, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cha-am but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Cha-am the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Cha-am 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 Cha-am gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.