Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Embu Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Embu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,286 in Tbilisi versus $489 in Embu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,044 in Tbilisi versus $789 in Embu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,802 in Tbilisi versus $1,089 in Embu.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 163% more expensive than in Embu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 6% lower, Embu 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 ₾30.58

$3.93 KES 509

198.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.88 ₾98.9

$31.04 KES 4,017

22.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.74 ₾25.43

$5.30 KES 686

83.77%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ₾8.91

$2.25 KES 292

51.56%

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

$1.06 ₾2.77

$0.34 KES 43.64

211.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 ₾1.69

$0.22 KES 28.31

195.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 ₾7.06

$2.38 KES 308

13.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 ₾8.09

$2.67 KES 345

16.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 ₾5.74

$0.55 KES 71.7

300.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 ₾2.10

$0.52 KES 67.6

55.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.27

$0.96 KES 124

70.83%

Eggs

$2.75 ₾7.19

$1.71 KES 221

60.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.01 ₾23.52

$3.78 KES 489

138.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 ₾17.10

$3.20 KES 414

104.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.62 ₾32.94

$4.23 KES 547

198.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 ₾4.36

$3.32 KES 430

-49.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ₾4.73

$1.04 KES 135

74.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 ₾5.04

$1.94 KES 251

-0.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.59 ₾6.76

$0.37 KES 48.42

600.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.26

$0.69 KES 89.4

26.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.69

$0.92 KES 119

-29.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ₾3.63

$0.73 KES 94.9

90.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₾2.08

$0.53 KES 68.1

50.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.36 ₾8.78

$3.43 KES 443

-2.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.54 ₾19.68

$11.70 KES 1,513

-35.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ₾4.21

$2.25 KES 291

-28.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.86

$2.83 KES 367

-20.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ₾0.96

$1.14 KES 147

-67.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.11 ₾39.45

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ₾3.06

$1.56 KES 202

-25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 ₾2.09

$1.52 KES 196

-47.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.33 ₾29.58

$2.86 KES 370

296.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₾3.47

$1.53 KES 198

-13.07%

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

$25.0K ₾65.2K

$20.4K KES 2.6M

22.31%

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

$22.4K ₾58.4K

$12.5K KES 1.6M

79.22%

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

$89.1 ₾233

$60.5 KES 7,827

47.29%

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

$13.25 ₾34.58

$15.08 KES 1,951

-12.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.46 ₾50.8

$35.70 KES 4,619

-45.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.4 ₾179

$17.09 KES 2,211

300.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.68 ₾48.77

Cinema Ticket

$6.63 ₾17.32

$4.13 KES 534

60.53%

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

$363 ₾949

$239 KES 30.9K

52.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.8K

$11.7K KES 1.5M

-8.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ₾270

$9.17 KES 1,187

1028.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.84 ₾101

$25.70 KES 3,324

51.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾304

$64.3 KES 8,313

81.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 ₾320

$15.23 KES 1,970

706.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 ₾1,782

$77.7 KES 10.1K

778.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$447 ₾1,166

$54.4 KES 7,034

721.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 ₾3,353

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$920 ₾2,401

$93.0 KES 12.0K

888.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,487 ₾6,492

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,423 ₾3,715

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$646 ₾1,686

$273 KES 35.3K

136.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.73

14.71

-13.46%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: August 31, 2026

Last update for Embu: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $682 in Tbilisi and $77.7 in Embu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 137% 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 $31.00 in Embu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $147 per month, with Embu cheaper across the board.

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 Embu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi and Embu differ by about 163% in total monthly costs ($1,286 vs $489 including rent). Embu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 137% higher in Tbilisi, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $682 in Tbilisi versus $77.7 in Embu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $363 in Tbilisi versus $239 in Embu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Embu – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $38.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $489 in Embu versus $1,286 in Tbilisi, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Embu but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Embu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Embu are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Embu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 163% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.