Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Cologne

For one person, living is cheaper in Tbilisi: $1,269 a month against $2,233 in Cologne, rent and utilities included – about $11,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Tbilisi, Georgia
Cologne, Germany
Tbilisi
🇬🇪 Georgia
$1,269
/mo nomad
Cologne
🇩🇪 Germany
$2,233
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Cologne

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,269 in Tbilisi versus $2,233 in Cologne.

  • Tbilisi $1,269
  • Cologne $2,233

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,016 in Tbilisi versus $3,388 in Cologne.

  • Tbilisi $2,016
  • Cologne $3,388

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,763 in Tbilisi versus $4,543 in Cologne.

  • Tbilisi $2,763
  • Cologne $4,543

Living in Tbilisi costs roughly 43% less than in Cologne, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tbilisi is 7% below, Cologne is 64% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tbilisi
Cologne
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.63 ₾30.07
$17.02 €15.29
-31.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.83 ₾97.9
$83.7 €75.2
-54.79%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.66 ₾24.98
$11.82 €10.62
-18.27%
Cappuccino
$3.57 ₾9.24
$4.02 €3.61
-11.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.08 ₾2.78
$3.74 €3.36
-71.12%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₾1.45
$3.12 €2.80
-82.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.62 ₾6.78
$5.45 €4.90
-51.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04 ₾7.86
$5.46 €4.91
-44.32%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
Cologne
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.17 ₾5.60
$1.27 €1.14
70.87%
White Bread (500g)
$0.80 ₾2.06
$2.56 €2.30
-68.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.74 ₾4.51
$3.09 €2.78
-43.69%
Eggs
$2.83 ₾7.31
$3.71 €3.33
-23.72%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.31 ₾24.08
$12.64 €11.36
-26.34%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.52 ₾16.86
$12.08 €10.85
-46.03%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.95 ₾33.50
$22.79 €20.48
-43.18%
Apples (1kg)
$1.68 ₾4.34
$3.04 €2.73
-44.74%
Banana (1kg)
$1.85 ₾4.80
$2.03 €1.82
-8.87%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.97 ₾5.10
$2.59 €2.32
-23.94%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.42 ₾6.25
$3.77 €3.39
-35.81%
Potato (1kg)
$0.82 ₾2.11
$1.42 €1.27
-42.25%
Onion (1kg)
$0.74 ₾1.91
$1.15 €1.03
-35.65%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.34 ₾3.47
$1.51 €1.36
-11.26%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 ₾2.00
$1.10 €0.99
-30.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.57 ₾9.24
$9.84 €8.84
-63.72%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.67 ₾19.84
$6.54 €5.88
17.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 ₾4.39
$1.26 €1.13
34.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 ₾6.21
$1.69 €1.52
42.01%
🚌 Getting Around
Tbilisi
Cologne
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.40 ₾1.05
$3.90 €3.51
-89.74%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.23 ₾39.39
$71.5 €64.2
-78.70%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.14 ₾2.95
$5.36 €4.82
-78.73%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ₾2.02
$2.74 €2.46
-71.53%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.83 ₾30.59
$33.45 €30.06
-64.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ₾3.75
$2.22 €2.00
-34.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.6K ₾63.6K
$33.1K €29.8K
-25.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.3K ₾57.8K
$38.0K €34.1K
-41.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
Cologne
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.8 ₾230
$301 €271
-70.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.12 ₾33.94
$12.17 €10.93
7.81%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.67 ₾50.9
$36.02 €32.36
-45.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
Cologne
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$64.1 ₾166
$41.99 €37.73
52.54%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04 ₾49.25
$35.28 €31.70
-46.03%
Cinema Ticket
$7.12 ₾18.42
$15.90 €14.29
-55.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tbilisi
Cologne
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$375 ₾971
$1,103 €991
-65.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.5K ₾27.1K
$22.0K €19.7K
-52.33%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
Cologne
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 ₾268
$87.4 €78.6
18.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.26 ₾102
$41.11 €36.93
-4.50%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$117 ₾304
$101 €91.1
15.71%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 ₾315
$134 €120
-8.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
Cologne
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$695 ₾1,798
$1,223 €1,099
-43.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$451 ₾1,167
$917 €824
-50.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,355 ₾3,505
$2,340 €2,103
-42.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$906 ₾2,344
$1,628 €1,463
-44.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,295 ₾5,936
$7,324 €6,581
-68.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,345 ₾3,479
$5,056 €4,543
-73.40%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tbilisi
Cologne
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$664 ₾1,718
$3,562 €3,201
-81.35%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.62
3.83
229.50%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: October 27, 2026

Last update for Cologne: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
$451
Cologne
$917 103% $466
Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
$234
Cologne
$337 44.2% $103
Eating Out
Tbilisi
$191
Cologne
$285 49.8% $95
Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
$172
Cologne
$164 4.8% $8.2
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
$122
Cologne
$349 187% $228
Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
$78
Cologne
$74 5.7% $4.5
Getting Around
Tbilisi
$22
Cologne
$106 385% $84

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $695 in Tbilisi and $1,223 in Cologne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cologne pays about 5.4 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $38 in Tbilisi vs $84 in Cologne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $337 per month, with Tbilisi cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇪 Tbilisi
🇩🇪 Cologne
🕒 Local time
15:03 3:03 PM
12:03 12:03 PM
3 h behind Tbilisi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,241,700 Capital
1,095,520
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD 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).

Euro exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 0.898 EUR (1 EUR = 1.11 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tbilisi Cologne 3,040 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Tbilisi
  • Cologne

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 Cologne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Tbilisi and in Cologne?
Tbilisi and Cologne differ by about 76% in total monthly costs ($1,269 vs $2,233 including rent). Tbilisi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 81% 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 do apartment prices compare in Tbilisi and in Cologne?
Rent for a central apartment: $695 in Tbilisi versus $1,223 in Cologne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Tbilisi and in Cologne?
A monthly transit pass in Tbilisi runs roughly 79% less than in Cologne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Tbilisi and Cologne?
Childcare runs $375 in Tbilisi versus $1,103 in Cologne. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,269 in Tbilisi versus $2,233 in Cologne, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Cologne. The gap between the two cities makes Tbilisi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Tbilisi and Cologne?
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.
Is Tbilisi or Cologne safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Cologne are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Tbilisi or Cologne?
Expats usually find Tbilisi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Cologne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Tbilisi vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?