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: $1,209 in Tbilisi versus $518 in Garowe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,867 in Tbilisi versus $758 in Garowe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,526 in Tbilisi versus $998 in Garowe.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 133% more expensive than Garowe, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 10% lower, Garowe 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 ₾28.70

$1.94 SOS 1,104

456.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.18 ₾115

$8.91 SOS 5,061

384.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.29 ₾22.03

$3.07 SOS 1,746

170.03%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ₾7.96

$2.18 SOS 1,240

37.61%

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

$0.82 ₾2.17

$1.47 SOS 836

-44.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.21

$0.22 SOS 123

109.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 ₾5.93

$14.23 SOS 8,083

-84.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.75

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.11

$1.02 SOS 580

89.22%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.81

$0.41 SOS 234

65.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.99

$0.86 SOS 490

118.60%

Eggs

$2.54 ₾6.73

$2.33 SOS 1,326

9.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 ₾19.70

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ₾16.43

$2.98 SOS 1,694

107.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ₾24.86

$3.90 SOS 2,215

140.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 ₾3.25

$1.95 SOS 1,105

-37.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ₾4.40

$1.53 SOS 870

8.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.78

$1.22 SOS 695

47.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 ₾5.96

$0.89 SOS 505

151.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.89

$0.67 SOS 378

5.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.79

$0.71 SOS 406

-5.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.13

$0.83 SOS 473

42.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.76

$0.92 SOS 522

-28.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ₾7.91

$0.98 SOS 559

204.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₾20.21

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.08

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$0.31 SOS 177

16.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 ₾38.36

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ₾3.96

$1.47 SOS 836

1.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.82

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 ₾19.19

$4.97 SOS 2,822

45.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.04

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

$18.5K ₾49.0K

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

$20.0K ₾53.0K

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

$73.7 ₾196

$119 SOS 67.9K

-38.33%

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

$11.64 ₾30.91

$9.99 SOS 5,674

16.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.84 ₾47.39

$49.08 SOS 27.9K

-63.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 ₾160

$19.94 SOS 11.3K

201.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ₾44.63

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ₾17.54

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

$266 ₾708

$34.75 SOS 19.7K

666.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,191 ₾13.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾206

$20.22 SOS 11.5K

284.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.75 ₾119

$30.47 SOS 17.3K

46.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾310

$15.16 SOS 8,611

670.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾300

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,839

$90.6 SOS 51.5K

664.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,226

$61.0 SOS 34.7K

656.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 ₾3,505

$352 SOS 199.7K

275.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₾2,056

$180 SOS 102.5K

328.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,430 ₾6,455

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 ₾3,840

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 ₾1,787

$398 SOS 226.2K

68.91%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Garowe: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $693 in Tbilisi and $90.6 in Garowe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 69% 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 $9.00 in Garowe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 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 133% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Tbilisi pays 69% 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 $90.6 in Garowe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $266 in Tbilisi versus $34.75 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 $43.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $518 in Garowe versus $1,209 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 133% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.