Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Forbes Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Forbes

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,218 in Tbilisi versus $2,273 in Forbes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,853 in Tbilisi versus $3,310 in Forbes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,489 in Tbilisi versus $4,347 in Forbes.

Living in Tbilisi costs roughly 46% less than in Forbes, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tbilisi is 9% below, Forbes is 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.85 ₾28.75

$16.30 A$23.02

-33.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.17 ₾117

$79.4 A$112

-44.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 ₾21.94

$9.84 A$13.91

-15.85%

Cappuccino

$3.02 ₾8.00

$3.39 A$4.79

-10.91%

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

$0.76 ₾2.02

$2.53 A$3.58

-69.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.22

$2.13 A$3.01

-78.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ₾5.93

$6.63 A$9.37

-66.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.95

$7.29 A$10.30

-58.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.11

$1.48 A$2.09

30.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 ₾1.91

$2.43 A$3.43

-70.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 ₾4.87

$2.03 A$2.86

-9.36%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.48

$4.27 A$6.03

-42.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₾19.67

$8.47 A$11.97

-12.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 ₾17.16

$8.30 A$11.73

-21.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 ₾25.70

$13.78 A$19.47

-29.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 ₾3.18

$3.33 A$4.70

-63.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₾4.14

$2.82 A$3.99

-44.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.75

$2.94 A$4.15

-39.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.90

$3.99 A$5.64

-44.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.73

$2.39 A$3.38

-72.80%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 ₾1.79

$2.16 A$3.06

-68.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.16

$2.10 A$2.96

-43.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.86

$1.53 A$2.16

-54.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₾7.82

$30.58 A$43.20

-90.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 ₾19.41

$14.81 A$20.93

-50.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₾4.02

$4.63 A$6.54

-67.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.95

$5.44 A$7.68

-58.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$2.62 A$3.71

-86.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.60 ₾38.68

$64.3 A$90.8

-77.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.97

$3.66 A$5.18

-59.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 ₾1.92

$1.56 A$2.21

-53.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾19.74

$33.96 A$47.99

-78.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.01

$1.13 A$1.60

0.88%

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

$18.5K ₾49.0K

$29.3K A$41.4K

-36.80%

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

$20.3K ₾53.6K

$22.9K A$32.3K

-11.41%

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

$73.9 ₾196

$185 A$262

-60.16%

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

$11.71 ₾31.01

$27.92 A$39.45

-58.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.16 ₾48.09

$53.4 A$75.5

-66.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 ₾163

$47.93 A$67.7

28.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.66 ₾44.12

$15.90 A$22.47

4.78%

Cinema Ticket

$6.61 ₾17.50

$13.09 A$18.50

-49.50%

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

$264 ₾700

$1,648 A$2,328

-83.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,145 ₾13.6K

$12.3K A$17.3K

-58.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 ₾198

$66.8 A$94.4

12.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.98 ₾117

$49.78 A$70.3

-11.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾312

$98.0 A$138

20.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾301

$108 A$152

5.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 ₾1,833

$1,282 A$1,811

-46.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₾1,203

$1,083 A$1,530

-58.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 ₾3,504

$2,011 A$2,841

-34.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,089

$1,710 A$2,416

-53.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,431 ₾6,440

$6,284 A$8,879

-61.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 ₾3,818

$5,056 A$7,144

-71.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$645 ₾1,709

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

6.34

87.54%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: June 9, 2026

Last update for Forbes: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $692 in Tbilisi and $1,282 in Forbes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $44.00 in Tbilisi vs $79.0 in Forbes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 vs $340 per month, with Tbilisi 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 Forbes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi and Forbes differ by about 87% in total monthly costs ($1,218 vs $2,273 including rent). Tbilisi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,827 in Tbilisi and $3,410 in Forbes to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $692 in Tbilisi versus $1,282 in Forbes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,218 per month in Tbilisi versus $2,273 in Forbes – a 87% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Tbilisi runs roughly 340% less than in Forbes. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,218 in Tbilisi versus $2,273 in Forbes, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Forbes. The gap between the two cities makes Tbilisi 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 Forbes 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 Tbilisi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 87% less than in Forbes. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.