Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Elbasan Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Elbasan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,218 per month in Tbilisi vs $919 in Elbasan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,853 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,443 in Elbasan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,489 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,967 in Elbasan, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 33% more than Elbasan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tbilisi and Elbasan are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 9% lower, Elbasan 32% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tbilisi
Elbasan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.85 ₾28.75
$9.64 ALL 787
12.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.17 ₾117
$32.11 ALL 2,624
37.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.28 ₾21.94
$7.21 ALL 589
14.84%
Cappuccino
$3.02 ₾8.00
$1.79 ALL 146
68.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.76 ₾2.02
$1.29 ALL 105
-41.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.46 ₾1.22
$0.68 ALL 55.9
-32.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.24 ₾5.93
$1.79 ALL 146
25.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 ₾7.95
$2.43 ALL 198
23.46%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
Elbasan
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.93 ₾5.11
$1.84 ALL 150
4.89%
White Bread (500g)
$0.72 ₾1.91
$0.93 ALL 76.3
-22.58%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.84 ₾4.87
$1.56 ALL 128
17.95%
Eggs
$2.45 ₾6.48
$3.04 ALL 249
-19.41%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.43 ₾19.67
$10.05 ALL 821
-26.07%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.48 ₾17.16
$5.21 ALL 426
24.38%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.70 ₾25.70
$12.14 ALL 992
-20.10%
Apples (1kg)
$1.20 ₾3.18
$0.85 ALL 69.5
41.18%
Banana (1kg)
$1.56 ₾4.14
$2.48 ALL 202
-37.10%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.79 ₾4.75
$1.25 ALL 102
43.20%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.23 ₾5.90
$0.97 ALL 79.0
129.90%
Potato (1kg)
$0.65 ₾1.73
$0.96 ALL 78.1
-32.29%
Onion (1kg)
$0.68 ₾1.79
$1.09 ALL 88.8
-37.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.19 ₾3.16
$0.90 ALL 73.5
32.22%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.70 ₾1.86
$0.57 ALL 46.46
22.81%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.95 ₾7.82
$3.96 ALL 323
-25.51%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.33 ₾19.41
$7.70 ALL 629
-4.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.52 ₾4.02
$0.90 ALL 73.6
68.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 ₾5.95
$1.50 ALL 123
50.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Tbilisi
Elbasan
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.36 ₾0.95
$0.48 ALL 39.39
-25.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$14.60 ₾38.68
$19.18 ALL 1,567
-23.88%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.50 ₾3.97
$3.46 ALL 283
-56.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.73 ₾1.92
$1.24 ALL 101
-41.13%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.45 ₾19.74
$13.90 ALL 1,136
-46.40%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.14 ₾3.01
$2.11 ALL 172
-45.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.5K ₾49.0K
$21.0K ALL 1.7M
-11.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.3K ₾53.6K
$27.2K ALL 2.2M
-25.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
Elbasan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$73.9 ₾196
$68.5 ALL 5,596
7.87%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.71 ₾31.01
$17.59 ALL 1,437
-33.43%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.16 ₾48.09
$15.13 ALL 1,236
20.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
Elbasan
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.7 ₾163
$66.0 ALL 5,392
-6.49%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.66 ₾44.12
$16.22 ALL 1,325
2.71%
Cinema Ticket
$6.61 ₾17.50
$5.74 ALL 469
15.16%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tbilisi
Elbasan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$264 ₾700
$142 ALL 11.6K
85.84%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,145 ₾13.6K
$1,761 ALL 143.9K
192.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
Elbasan
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$74.9 ₾198
$46.55 ALL 3,804
60.82%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.98 ₾117
$34.60 ALL 2,827
27.11%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$118 ₾312
$93.6 ALL 7,650
25.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$114 ₾301
$177 ALL 14.5K
-35.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
Elbasan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$692 ₾1,833
$284 ALL 23.2K
143.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$454 ₾1,203
$196 ALL 16.0K
131.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,323 ₾3,504
$423 ALL 34.5K
213.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$789 ₾2,089
$296 ALL 24.2K
166.72%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,431 ₾6,440
$1,350 ALL 110.3K
80.16%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,441 ₾3,818
$862 ALL 70.5K
67.15%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tbilisi
Elbasan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$645 ₾1,709
$536 ALL 43.8K
20.40%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.89
6.1
94.92%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: June 9, 2026

Last update for Elbasan: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $692 in Tbilisi versus $284 in Elbasan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 20% higher in Tbilisi, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Tbilisi versus $32.00 in Elbasan. Groceries tell a different story – $204 in Tbilisi vs $206 in Elbasan – so Tbilisi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Elbasan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Elbasan cheaper than Tbilisi?
Yes – Tbilisi is pricier by about 33%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,827 per month in Tbilisi and $1,378 in Elbasan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Elbasan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do food prices compare in Tbilisi and Elbasan?
Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Tbilisi – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is eating out cheaper in Tbilisi or Elbasan?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Tbilisi and $32.00 in Elbasan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Tbilisi or Elbasan?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Elbasan, where all-in costs run around $919, than in Tbilisi at $1,218. In Elbasan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Tbilisi or Elbasan more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Elbasan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Tbilisi or Elbasan?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Elbasan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tbilisi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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