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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,247 per month in Tbilisi vs $909 in Elbasan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,025 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,431 in Elbasan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,803 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,953 in Elbasan, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 37% more than Elbasan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tbilisi and Elbasan are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 9% lower, Elbasan 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.33 ₾29.44

$9.89 ALL 784

14.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.71 ₾101

$38.18 ALL 3,026

1.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 ₾24.72

$6.97 ALL 553

36.59%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ₾8.85

$1.74 ALL 138

95.98%

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

$1.04 ₾2.71

$1.42 ALL 112

-26.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₾1.66

$0.70 ALL 55.7

-8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 ₾6.79

$2.22 ALL 176

17.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ₾8.43

$2.88 ALL 228

12.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₾5.65

$1.98 ALL 157

9.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ₾1.92

$0.99 ALL 78.7

-25.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 ₾4.45

$1.62 ALL 128

5.56%

Eggs

$2.83 ₾7.36

$2.78 ALL 221

1.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 ₾23.94

$10.41 ALL 825

-11.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 ₾17.55

$5.95 ALL 472

13.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.77 ₾33.16

$11.51 ALL 912

10.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.26

$1.27 ALL 101

29.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ₾4.60

$2.26 ALL 179

-21.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾4.85

$1.42 ALL 112

31.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 ₾6.34

$1.12 ALL 88.7

117.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.25

$1.05 ALL 83.4

-17.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$1.07 ALL 84.6

-39.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 ₾3.63

$0.81 ALL 63.8

72.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$0.67 ALL 53.1

10.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 ₾8.86

$4.53 ALL 359

-24.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.60 ₾19.75

$8.20 ALL 650

-7.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₾4.41

$1.08 ALL 85.7

57.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.19

$1.88 ALL 149

26.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.94

$0.48 ALL 38.21

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.24 ₾39.59

$20.37 ALL 1,614

-25.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₾3.07

$3.80 ALL 301

-68.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ₾1.97

$1.54 ALL 122

-50.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.34 ₾29.46

$15.22 ALL 1,207

-25.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₾3.46

$2.18 ALL 173

-38.99%

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

$24.7K ₾64.2K

$30.3K ALL 2.4M

-18.37%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$30.5K ALL 2.4M

-27.86%

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

$88.9 ₾231

$61.7 ALL 4,890

44.02%

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

$13.33 ₾34.62

$15.59 ALL 1,236

-14.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ₾52.3

$12.04 ALL 954

67.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.7 ₾178

$59.9 ALL 4,746

14.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.09 ₾46.99

$17.30 ALL 1,371

4.57%

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 ₾17.45

$4.33 ALL 343

55.20%

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

$374 ₾970

$147 ALL 11.7K

153.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.8K

$1,867 ALL 148.0K

472.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₾263

$76.5 ALL 6,058

32.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.33 ₾102

$45.86 ALL 3,635

-14.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾305

$97.8 ALL 7,749

20.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$98.5 ALL 7,808

24.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 ₾1,772

$306 ALL 24.2K

123.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,186

$206 ALL 16.3K

122.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 ₾3,384

$445 ALL 35.3K

192.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 ₾2,336

$324 ALL 25.7K

177.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,449 ₾6,363

$1,392 ALL 110.3K

75.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,452 ₾3,773

$895 ALL 70.9K

62.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 ₾1,694

$559 ALL 44.3K

16.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

6.1

106.89%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: September 13, 2026

Last update for Elbasan: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $682 in Tbilisi versus $306 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 17% 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 $39.00 in Tbilisi versus $38.00 in Elbasan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $232 vs $216 – making Elbasan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Yes – Tbilisi is pricier by about 37%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,870 per month in Tbilisi and $1,364 in Elbasan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Tbilisi, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Tbilisi and $38.00 in Elbasan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Elbasan, where all-in costs run around $909, than in Tbilisi at $1,247. In Elbasan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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.

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.