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: $1,209 in Tbilisi versus $494 in Embu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,867 in Tbilisi versus $793 in Embu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,526 in Tbilisi versus $1,092 in Embu.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 145% more expensive than Embu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 ₾28.71

$5.48 KES 710

97.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.18 ₾115

$31.25 KES 4,049

38.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.29 ₾22.04

$5.46 KES 707

51.83%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ₾7.97

$2.27 KES 295

32.16%

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

$0.82 ₾2.17

$0.33 KES 43.20

148.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.21

$0.22 KES 28.32

109.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 ₾5.93

$2.37 KES 308

-5.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.75

$2.96 KES 383

-1.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.12

$0.56 KES 72.7

244.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.81

$0.49 KES 63.4

38.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 ₾5.00

$0.95 KES 124

97.89%

Eggs

$2.54 ₾6.74

$1.70 KES 220

49.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 ₾19.70

$3.89 KES 504

90.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ₾16.44

$3.26 KES 422

89.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ₾24.87

$4.23 KES 547

121.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 ₾3.25

$3.13 KES 405

-61.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ₾4.40

$1.09 KES 141

52.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.78

$2.07 KES 268

-13.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 ₾5.96

$0.40 KES 52.4

460.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.89

$0.63 KES 81.8

12.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.79

$0.91 KES 118

-26.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.13

$0.65 KES 84.6

81.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.76

$0.52 KES 67.1

26.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ₾7.91

$3.11 KES 403

-4.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₾20.22

$11.69 KES 1,514

-34.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.08

$2.29 KES 297

-32.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.99

$2.79 KES 361

-19.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$1.15 KES 149

-68.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 ₾38.38

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ₾3.97

$1.57 KES 203

-5.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.82

$1.52 KES 197

-55.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 ₾19.20

$2.92 KES 378

147.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.04

$1.49 KES 193

-23.49%

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

$18.5K ₾49.1K

$21.3K KES 2.8M

-13.33%

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

$20.0K ₾53.1K

$12.6K KES 1.6M

58.86%

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

$73.7 ₾196

$34.28 KES 4,441

114.94%

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

$11.64 ₾30.92

$16.91 KES 2,190

-31.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.84 ₾47.41

$37.94 KES 4,915

-52.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 ₾160

$17.66 KES 2,288

240.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ₾44.65

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ₾17.55

$4.31 KES 558

53.13%

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

$266 ₾708

$201 KES 26.0K

32.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,191 ₾13.8K

$8,024 KES 1.0M

-35.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾206

$9.36 KES 1,213

730.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.75 ₾119

$23.63 KES 3,062

89.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾310

$66.0 KES 8,548

77.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾300

$15.35 KES 1,989

635.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,840

$76.2 KES 9,868

809.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,227

$55.2 KES 7,153

736.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 ₾3,507

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₾2,057

$92.6 KES 12.0K

736.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,430 ₾6,458

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 ₾3,842

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 ₾1,788

$270 KES 35.0K

149.34%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Embu: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $693 in Tbilisi and $76.2 in Embu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 149% 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: $43.00 in Tbilisi vs $31.00 in Embu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 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 145% in total monthly costs ($1,209 vs $494 including rent). Embu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Tbilisi pays 149% more on average, 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: $693 in Tbilisi versus $76.2 in Embu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $266 in Tbilisi versus $201 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 $43.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $494 in Embu versus $1,209 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 145% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.