Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Garowe Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Garowe

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,197 in Tbilisi versus $529 in Garowe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,868 in Tbilisi versus $763 in Garowe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,538 in Tbilisi versus $998 in Garowe.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 126% more expensive than in Garowe, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 10% lower, Garowe 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.82 ₾28.38

$2.02 SOS 1,148

435.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.85 ₾115

$8.80 SOS 4,998

398.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.31 ₾21.79

$2.96 SOS 1,679

180.74%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ₾7.78

$2.20 SOS 1,252

35.00%

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

$0.77 ₾2.01

$1.52 SOS 864

-49.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.20

$0.20 SOS 116

130.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ₾5.63

$14.65 SOS 8,322

-85.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ₾7.52

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₾4.99

$0.97 SOS 553

95.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 ₾1.86

$0.39 SOS 221

82.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 ₾5.00

$0.94 SOS 532

103.19%

Eggs

$2.48 ₾6.52

$2.45 SOS 1,392

1.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 ₾20.29

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 ₾16.20

$2.92 SOS 1,658

111.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.57 ₾25.11

$3.95 SOS 2,244

142.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 ₾3.06

$1.98 SOS 1,124

-40.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₾4.34

$1.53 SOS 870

7.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.84

$1.23 SOS 701

50.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 ₾6.11

$0.89 SOS 505

161.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.85

$0.71 SOS 405

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.76

$0.67 SOS 379

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.12

$0.76 SOS 433

56.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.72

$0.92 SOS 524

-28.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.65

$1.02 SOS 578

186.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.69 ₾20.17

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₾4.18

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.01

$0.31 SOS 177

22.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.76 ₾38.71

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.92

$1.51 SOS 858

-0.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.77

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.26 ₾19.03

$5.01 SOS 2,847

44.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.87

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

$18.6K ₾48.8K

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

$20.5K ₾53.7K

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

$73.0 ₾191

$122 SOS 69.2K

-40.11%

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

$11.97 ₾31.40

$10.06 SOS 5,712

18.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ₾47.21

$49.50 SOS 28.1K

-63.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 ₾160

$20.26 SOS 11.5K

200.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.52 ₾43.33

Cinema Ticket

$6.70 ₾17.58

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

$269 ₾705

$34.64 SOS 19.7K

675.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,152 ₾13.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.5 ₾201

$20.16 SOS 11.4K

279.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.41 ₾114

$30.22 SOS 17.2K

43.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 ₾316

$14.92 SOS 8,473

707.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾290

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$687 ₾1,802

$89.9 SOS 51.1K

664.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 ₾1,234

$60.6 SOS 34.4K

676.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 ₾3,549

$351 SOS 199.6K

284.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,069

$177 SOS 100.8K

344.58%

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

$401 SOS 227.7K

64.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

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

Last update for Tbilisi: July 13, 2026

Last update for Garowe: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $687 in Tbilisi and $89.9 in Garowe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 64% 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 $9.00 in Garowe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $100 per month, with Garowe 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 Garowe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Garowe is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 126% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 64% 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 $89.9 in Garowe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $269 in Tbilisi versus $34.64 in Garowe. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Garowe – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $44.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $529 in Garowe versus $1,197 in Tbilisi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Garowe but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Garowe the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Garowe is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tbilisi, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Garowe 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 Garowe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 126% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.