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: $1,209 in Tbilisi versus $922 in Cha-am.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,867 in Tbilisi versus $1,416 in Cha-am.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,526 in Tbilisi versus $1,909 in Cha-am.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 31% more expensive than Cha-am, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 10% lower, Cha-am 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 ₾28.71

$3.00 ฿98.0

260.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.18 ₾115

$21.36 ฿698

102.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.29 ₾22.04

$9.02 ฿294

-8.09%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ₾7.97

$2.03 ฿66.2

47.78%

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

$0.82 ₾2.17

$0.64 ฿20.95

28.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.21

$0.45 ฿14.70

2.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 ₾5.93

$2.53 ฿82.5

-11.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.75

$3.80 ฿124

-23.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.12

$1.75 ฿57.3

10.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.81

$1.39 ฿45.41

-51.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 ₾5.00

$1.26 ฿41.22

49.21%

Eggs

$2.54 ₾6.74

$1.83 ฿59.6

38.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 ₾19.70

$13.48 ฿440

-44.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ₾16.44

$3.26 ฿107

89.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ₾24.87

$11.00 ฿359

-14.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 ₾3.25

$3.16 ฿103

-61.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ₾4.40

$1.34 ฿43.88

23.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.78

$1.89 ฿61.8

-4.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 ₾5.96

$1.51 ฿49.40

48.34%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.89

$1.68 ฿54.9

-57.74%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.79

$1.27 ฿41.40

-47.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.13

$1.22 ฿39.76

-3.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.76

$0.46 ฿14.86

43.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ₾7.91

$4.64 ฿152

-35.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₾20.22

$16.61 ฿543

-54.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.08

$1.81 ฿59.0

-14.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.99

$3.53 ฿115

-36.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$0.88 ฿28.72

-59.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 ₾38.38

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ₾3.97

$1.05 ฿34.44

41.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.82

$0.75 ฿24.59

-9.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 ₾19.20

$3.37 ฿110

114.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.04

$1.32 ฿43.14

-13.64%

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

$18.5K ₾49.1K

$20.0K ฿653.8K

-7.79%

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

$20.0K ₾53.1K

$20.7K ฿675.5K

-3.45%

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

$73.7 ₾196

$73.3 ฿2,394

0.49%

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

$11.64 ₾30.92

$13.18 ฿430

-11.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.84 ₾47.41

$18.40 ฿601

-3.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 ₾160

$24.52 ฿801

145.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ₾44.65

$12.42 ฿406

35.27%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ₾17.55

$7.81 ฿255

-15.49%

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

$266 ₾708

$141 ฿4,591

89.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,191 ₾13.8K

$9,354 ฿305.5K

-44.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾206

$29.97 ฿979

159.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.75 ₾119

$19.69 ฿643

127.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾310

$61.9 ฿2,023

88.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾300

$43.07 ฿1,407

162.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,840

$455 ฿14.8K

52.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,227

$368 ฿12.0K

25.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 ₾3,507

$783 ฿25.6K

68.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₾2,057

$689 ฿22.5K

12.33%

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

$368 ฿12.0K

82.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

5.45

118.17%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cha-am: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $693 in Tbilisi and $455 in Cha-am. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 83% 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 $21.00 in Cha-am. Groceries flip the comparison at $203 vs $240, 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 31% in total monthly costs ($1,209 vs $922 including rent). Cha-am is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Tbilisi pays 83% more on average, 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: $693 in Tbilisi versus $455 in Cha-am. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $266 in Tbilisi versus $141 in Cha-am. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Cha-am – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $43.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $922 in Cha-am versus $1,209 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 31% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.