Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Fort Madison, IA

For one person, living is cheaper in Tbilisi: $1,269 a month against $2,615 in Fort Madison, IA, rent and utilities included – about $16,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

61

Cost of Living Index in Tbilisi
Learn more

Tbilisi Living Index
126

Cost of Living Index in Fort Madison, IA
Learn more

Fort Madison, IA Living Index

Jump to prices

Tbilisi

🇬🇪 Georgia

$1,269

/mo nomad

Fort Madison, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,615

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Fort Madison, IA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tbilisi and in Fort Madison, IA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,269 per month in Tbilisi vs $2,615 in Fort Madison, IA, rent included.

Tbilisi $1,269
Fort Madison, IA $2,615

A couple spends around $2,016 per month in Tbilisi vs $3,828 in Fort Madison, IA, rent included.

Tbilisi $2,016
Fort Madison, IA $3,828

A family of three spends $2,763 per month in Tbilisi vs $5,041 in Fort Madison, IA, rent included.

Tbilisi $2,763
Fort Madison, IA $5,041

Tbilisi is about 51% cheaper than Fort Madison, IA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Tbilisi sits 7% below the global median, while Fort Madison, IA is 92% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.63 ₾30.10

$20.19 $20.19

-42.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.83 ₾97.9

$74.0 $74.0

-48.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.66 ₾25.01

$11.35 $11.35

-14.89%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ₾9.25

$5.41 $5.41

-34.01%

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

$1.08 ₾2.78

$2.69 $2.69

-59.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₾1.45

$1.99 $1.99

-71.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 ₾6.79

$6.16 $6.16

-57.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ₾7.86

$7.11 $7.11

-57.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₾5.61

$1.01 $1.01

114.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 ₾2.06

$3.59 $3.59

-77.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 ₾4.52

$4.23 $4.23

-58.87%

Eggs

$2.83 ₾7.32

$4.26 $4.26

-33.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.31 ₾24.10

$12.31 $12.31

-24.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.52 ₾16.87

$11.49 $11.49

-43.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.95 ₾33.54

$16.74 $16.74

-22.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 ₾4.34

$5.02 $5.02

-66.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.80

$1.57 $1.57

17.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 ₾5.11

$4.23 $4.23

-53.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.42 ₾6.26

$4.74 $4.74

-48.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ₾2.12

$2.77 $2.77

-70.40%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 ₾1.91

$2.99 $2.99

-75.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ₾3.47

$2.12 $2.12

-36.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₾2.01

$2.20 $2.20

-65.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.57 ₾9.25

$9.59 $9.59

-62.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.67 ₾19.86

$15.08 $15.08

-49.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₾4.39

$1.75 $1.75

-2.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₾6.21

$3.22 $3.22

-25.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ₾1.05

$2.27 $2.27

-82.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.23 ₾39.43

$55.8 $55.8

-72.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.95

$2.82 $2.82

-59.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ₾2.02

$1.53 $1.53

-49.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.83 ₾30.62

$33.50 $33.50

-64.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ₾3.75

$1.00 $1.00

45.00%

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

$24.6K ₾63.6K

$31.6K $31.6K

-22.11%

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

$22.3K ₾57.8K

$25.1K $25.1K

-10.89%

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

$88.8 ₾230

$202 $202

-55.95%

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

$13.12 ₾33.98

$57.9 $57.9

-77.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.67 ₾50.9

$70.4 $70.4

-72.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.1 ₾166

$40.43 $40.43

58.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 ₾49.30

Cinema Ticket

$7.12 ₾18.44

$13.89 $13.89

-48.74%

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

$375 ₾972

$1,228 $1,228

-69.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ₾27.1K

$21.0K $21.0K

-50.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ₾268

$53.3 $53.3

94.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.26 ₾102

$40.61 $40.61

-3.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾304

$87.2 $87.2

34.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾315

$116 $116

4.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 ₾1,800

$1,543 $1,543

-54.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 ₾1,168

$1,289 $1,289

-65.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 ₾3,508

$2,514 $2,514

-46.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$906 ₾2,346

$2,134 $2,134

-57.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,295 ₾5,942

$3,235 $3,235

-29.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,345 ₾3,482

$2,160 $2,160

-37.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 ₾1,720

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

6.57

92.09%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: October 27, 2026

Last update for Fort Madison, IA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Tbilisi

$451 35.6%

Fort Madison, IA

$1.3K 49.3% 186% $838

Groceries & Markets

Tbilisi

$234 18.4%

Fort Madison, IA

$394 15.1% 68.5% $160

Eating Out

Tbilisi

$191 15%

Fort Madison, IA

$324 12.4% 70.1% $134

Clothing & Footwear

Tbilisi

$172 13.5%

Fort Madison, IA

$134 5.1% 22.2% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tbilisi

$122 9.6%

Fort Madison, IA

$330 12.6% 171% $208

Sport & Entertainment

Tbilisi

$78 6.2%

Fort Madison, IA

$68 2.6% 12.9% $10

Getting Around

Tbilisi

$22 1.7%

Fort Madison, IA

$75 2.9% 244% $53

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $695 in Tbilisi versus $1,543 in Fort Madison, IA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38 in Tbilisi versus $74 in Fort Madison, IA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $394 – making Tbilisi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇬🇪 Tbilisi

🇺🇸 Fort Madison, IA

🕒 Local time

04:03 4:03 AM

18:03 6:03 PM

10 h behind Tbilisi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,241,700 Capital

10,270

💱 Currency

Georgian Lari GEL ₾

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 GEL = 0.386 USD

1 GEL = 0.345 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇬🇪 Georgian Lari (₾)

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.386 USD). 1 EUR = 2.9 GEL (1 GEL = 0.345 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to GEL in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Tbilisi Fort Madison, IA 9,850 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Tbilisi
Fort Madison, IA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Fort Madison, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,269 in Tbilisi, $2,615 in Fort Madison, IA – Tbilisi comes out roughly 51% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,904 per month in Tbilisi and $3,922 in Fort Madison, IA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tbilisi, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $695 there versus $1,543 in Fort Madison, IA.

Groceries cost about 69% more in Fort Madison, IA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38 in Tbilisi and $74 in Fort Madison, IA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tbilisi, where all-in costs run around $1,269, than in Fort Madison, IA at $2,615. In Tbilisi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fort Madison, IA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tbilisi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

For expats, Tbilisi is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 51% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.