Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Elista Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Elista

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,247 per month in Tbilisi vs $860 in Elista, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,025 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,389 in Elista, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,803 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,918 in Elista, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 45% more than Elista, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tbilisi and Elista are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 9% lower, Elista 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.33 ₾29.44

$6.47 ₽544

75.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.71 ₾101

$47.08 ₽3,961

-17.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 ₾24.72

$6.11 ₽514

55.81%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ₾8.85

$2.72 ₽229

25.37%

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

$1.04 ₾2.71

$0.94 ₽78.9

10.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₾1.66

$0.57 ₽48.10

12.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 ₾6.79

$1.13 ₽95.4

130.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ₾8.43

$1.76 ₽148

84.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₾5.65

$0.99 ₽82.9

119.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ₾1.92

$0.53 ₽44.92

39.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 ₾4.45

$1.06 ₽89.1

61.32%

Eggs

$2.83 ₾7.36

$1.41 ₽119

100.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 ₾23.94

$7.03 ₽592

31.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 ₾17.55

$4.69 ₽395

44.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.77 ₾33.16

$11.15 ₽938

14.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.26

$1.22 ₽103

34.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ₾4.60

$1.49 ₽126

18.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾4.85

$1.45 ₽122

28.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 ₾6.34

$2.50 ₽210

-2.40%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.25

$0.70 ₽58.6

24.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$0.46 ₽38.67

41.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 ₾3.63

$0.35 ₽29.39

300.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$0.60 ₽50.4

23.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 ₾8.86

$2.80 ₽236

21.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.60 ₾19.75

$9.02 ₽759

-15.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₾4.41

$1.09 ₽91.3

55.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.19

$1.91 ₽161

24.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.94

$0.54 ₽45.54

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.24 ₾39.59

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₾3.07

$2.65 ₽223

-55.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ₾1.97

$0.29 ₽24.62

162.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.34 ₾29.46

$3.50 ₽295

224.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₾3.46

$0.79 ₽66.1

68.35%

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

$24.7K ₾64.2K

$26.3K ₽2.2M

-5.89%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$30.4K ₽2.6M

-27.46%

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

$88.9 ₾231

$83.8 ₽7,050

6.04%

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

$13.33 ₾34.62

$5.83 ₽491

128.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ₾52.3

$7.80 ₽656

157.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.7 ₾178

$34.10 ₽2,869

101.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.09 ₾46.99

$23.48 ₽1,975

-22.96%

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 ₾17.45

$4.22 ₽355

59.24%

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

$374 ₾970

$363 ₽30.6K

2.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.8K

$5,833 ₽490.8K

83.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₾263

$64.8 ₽5,452

56.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.33 ₾102

$49.07 ₽4,129

-19.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾305

$53.5 ₽4,503

119.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$104 ₽8,750

17.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 ₾1,772

$463 ₽38.9K

47.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,186

$308 ₽25.9K

48.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 ₾3,384

$767 ₽64.5K

69.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 ₾2,336

$515 ₽43.3K

74.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,449 ₾6,363

$2,100 ₽176.7K

16.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,452 ₾3,773

$1,534 ₽129.1K

-5.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 ₾1,694

$362 ₽30.4K

80.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

21.33

-40.83%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: September 13, 2026

Last update for Elista: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $682 in Tbilisi versus $463 in Elista. 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 80% 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 $47.00 in Elista. Groceries tell a different story – $232 in Tbilisi vs $175 in Elista – so Elista 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 Elista: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tbilisi is pricier by about 45%, 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 $1,289 in Elista. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Elista, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Tbilisi and $47.00 in Elista. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 33% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Elista, where all-in costs run around $860, than in Tbilisi at $1,247. In Elista it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Elista – 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 Elista. 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.