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: $1,197 in Tbilisi versus $498 in Embu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,868 in Tbilisi versus $791 in Embu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,538 in Tbilisi versus $1,084 in Embu.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 140% more expensive than in Embu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 10% lower, Embu 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.82 ₾28.38

$5.29 KES 684

104.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.85 ₾115

$31.17 KES 4,027

40.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.31 ₾21.79

$5.31 KES 686

56.50%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ₾7.78

$2.26 KES 292

31.42%

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

$0.77 ₾2.01

$0.33 KES 43.05

133.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.20

$0.22 KES 28.39

109.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ₾5.63

$2.27 KES 293

-5.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ₾7.52

$2.96 KES 382

-3.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₾4.99

$0.51 KES 66.5

272.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 ₾1.86

$0.52 KES 67.0

36.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 ₾5.00

$0.95 KES 122

101.05%

Eggs

$2.48 ₾6.52

$1.71 KES 221

45.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 ₾20.29

$3.83 KES 495

102.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 ₾16.20

$3.25 KES 420

90.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.57 ₾25.11

$4.07 KES 526

135.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 ₾3.06

$3.03 KES 391

-61.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₾4.34

$1.04 KES 134

58.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.84

$2.07 KES 268

-10.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 ₾6.11

$0.40 KES 51.8

482.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.85

$0.68 KES 87.2

4.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.76

$0.90 KES 117

-25.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.12

$0.66 KES 84.9

80.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.72

$0.53 KES 68.4

24.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.65

$3.12 KES 403

-6.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.69 ₾20.17

$11.67 KES 1,508

-34.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₾4.18

$2.28 KES 295

-30.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.06

$2.78 KES 360

-16.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.01

$1.19 KES 154

-68.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.76 ₾38.71

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.92

$1.52 KES 196

-1.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$1.57 KES 203

-56.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.26 ₾19.03

$2.97 KES 383

144.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.87

$1.44 KES 186

-24.31%

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

$18.6K ₾48.8K

$21.8K KES 2.8M

-14.60%

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

$20.5K ₾53.7K

$12.3K KES 1.6M

66.96%

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

$73.0 ₾191

$34.82 KES 4,499

109.65%

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

$11.97 ₾31.40

$16.52 KES 2,134

-27.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ₾47.21

$38.04 KES 4,916

-52.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 ₾160

$17.29 KES 2,234

252.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.52 ₾43.33

Cinema Ticket

$6.70 ₾17.58

$4.20 KES 543

59.52%

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

$269 ₾705

$199 KES 25.8K

34.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,152 ₾13.5K

$8,200 KES 1.1M

-37.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.5 ₾201

$9.43 KES 1,219

711.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.41 ₾114

$24.50 KES 3,166

77.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 ₾316

$65.8 KES 8,501

83.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾290

$15.59 KES 2,015

609.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$687 ₾1,802

$77.8 KES 10.1K

782.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 ₾1,234

$55.1 KES 7,116

754.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 ₾3,549

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,069

$93.5 KES 12.1K

743.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,468 ₾6,472

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,456 ₾3,817

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$659 ₾1,729

$268 KES 34.6K

146.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

14.84

-19.88%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: July 13, 2026

Last update for Embu: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $687 in Tbilisi and $77.8 in Embu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 146% 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: $44.00 in Tbilisi vs $31.00 in Embu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $146 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 140% in total monthly costs ($1,197 vs $498 including rent). Embu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 146% 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: $687 in Tbilisi versus $77.8 in Embu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $269 in Tbilisi versus $199 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 $44.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $498 in Embu versus $1,197 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 140% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.