Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Dorchester

For one person, living is cheaper in Tbilisi: $1,270 a month against $2,240 in Dorchester, rent and utilities included – about $11,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Tbilisi
🇬🇪 Georgia
$1,270
/mo nomad
Dorchester
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,240
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Dorchester

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,270 in Tbilisi versus $2,240 in Dorchester.

  • Tbilisi $1,270
  • Dorchester $2,240

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,008 in Tbilisi versus $3,370 in Dorchester.

  • Tbilisi $2,008
  • Dorchester $3,370

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,745 in Tbilisi versus $4,500 in Dorchester.

  • Tbilisi $2,745
  • Dorchester $4,500

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Tbilisi is 6% below, Dorchester is 65% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tbilisi
Dorchester
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.51 ₾29.79
$16.10 £12.08
-28.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.27 ₾99.1
$79.0 £59.3
-51.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.80 ₾25.36
$5.20 £3.90
88.46%
Cappuccino
$3.55 ₾9.19
$4.67 £3.51
-23.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.06 ₾2.74
$2.58 £1.93
-58.91%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.62 ₾1.60
$1.85 £1.39
-66.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.76 ₾7.16
$7.80 £5.85
-64.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 ₾7.77
$6.55 £4.91
-54.20%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
Dorchester
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.16 ₾5.59
$1.51 £1.13
43.05%
White Bread (500g)
$0.76 ₾1.96
$1.30 £0.97
-41.54%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.74 ₾4.51
$2.07 £1.56
-15.94%
Eggs
$2.79 ₾7.21
$4.39 £3.30
-36.45%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.20 ₾23.83
$8.11 £6.08
13.44%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.53 ₾16.89
$8.77 £6.58
-25.54%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.81 ₾33.17
$11.56 £8.67
10.81%
Apples (1kg)
$1.67 ₾4.31
$2.99 £2.25
-44.15%
Banana (1kg)
$1.85 ₾4.79
$1.73 £1.30
6.94%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.98 ₾5.13
$2.71 £2.04
-26.94%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.51 ₾6.49
$4.05 £3.04
-38.02%
Potato (1kg)
$0.87 ₾2.26
$2.05 £1.53
-57.56%
Onion (1kg)
$0.73 ₾1.89
$1.46 £1.09
-50.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.42 ₾3.67
$0.76 £0.57
86.84%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 ₾1.88
$2.09 £1.57
-65.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.38 ₾8.74
$22.94 £17.21
-85.27%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.84 ₾20.31
$10.68 £8.01
-26.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 ₾4.19
$2.80 £2.10
-42.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38 ₾6.15
$3.48 £2.61
-31.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Tbilisi
Dorchester
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.37 ₾0.96
$3.87 £2.90
-90.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.52 ₾40.16
$83.0 £62.3
-81.30%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.14 ₾2.94
$3.51 £2.63
-67.52%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.79 ₾2.05
$1.61 £1.21
-50.93%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.57 ₾29.96
$26.25 £19.69
-55.92%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.50 ₾3.87
$2.13 £1.60
-29.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.6K ₾63.7K
$39.2K £29.4K
-37.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.4K ₾57.9K
$40.4K £30.3K
-44.66%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
Dorchester
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.3 ₾228
$229 £172
-61.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.08 ₾33.86
$17.12 £12.84
-23.60%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.53 ₾50.6
$39.14 £29.36
-50.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
Dorchester
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$64.2 ₾166
$46.50 £34.89
38.02%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.18 ₾49.66
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.99 ₾18.10
$13.73 £10.30
-49.09%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tbilisi
Dorchester
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$373 ₾966
$2,244 £1,683
-83.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.7K ₾27.7K
$25.4K £19.0K
-57.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
Dorchester
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$103 ₾266
$60.1 £45.12
70.72%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.48 ₾105
$48.42 £36.33
-16.40%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$116 ₾301
$109 £81.8
6.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 ₾316
$96.4 £72.4
26.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
Dorchester
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$677 ₾1,753
$1,171 £879
-42.21%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$454 ₾1,176
$1,066 £800
-57.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,277 ₾3,305
$2,330 £1,748
-45.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$890 ₾2,304
$1,900 £1,426
-53.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,410 ₾6,238
$4,565 £3,425
-47.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,418 ₾3,670
$3,984 £2,989
-64.42%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tbilisi
Dorchester
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$703 ₾1,819
$1,803 £1,353
-61.02%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.62
4.87
159.14%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: October 17, 2026

Last update for Dorchester: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
$454
Dorchester
$1.1K 135% $612
Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
$233
Dorchester
$293 25.7% $60
Eating Out
Tbilisi
$191
Dorchester
$270 41.8% $80
Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
$172
Dorchester
$141 17.7% $30
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
$121
Dorchester
$286 136% $165
Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
$78
Dorchester
$74 5.4% $4.2
Getting Around
Tbilisi
$22
Dorchester
$110 398% $88

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $677 in Tbilisi and $1,171 in Dorchester. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dorchester pays 157% 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 $79.0 in Dorchester for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $293 per month, with Tbilisi cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇪 Tbilisi
🇬🇧 Dorchester
🕒 Local time
04:26 4:26 AM
01:26 1:26 AM
3 h behind Tbilisi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,241,700 Capital
19,500
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

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).

British Pound exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tbilisi Dorchester 3,700 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Tbilisi
  • Dorchester

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 Dorchester: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Tbilisi or Dorchester?
Tbilisi wins on cost – living expenses run 76% lower than in Dorchester. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tbilisi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Tbilisi or in Dorchester?
On paper, salaries run 157% lower in Dorchester. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Tbilisi compared to Dorchester?
Rent for a central apartment: $677 in Tbilisi versus $1,171 in Dorchester. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Tbilisi or in Dorchester?
Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Dorchester. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Tbilisi and in Dorchester?
Dining out is cheaper in Tbilisi – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $79.0 in Dorchester. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Tbilisi or in Dorchester?
At $1,270 in Tbilisi versus $2,240 in Dorchester, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Dorchester. The gap between the two cities makes Tbilisi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Tbilisi or Dorchester?
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.
How safe is Tbilisi compared to Dorchester?
Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Dorchester are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Tbilisi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 76% less than in Dorchester. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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