Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Hawassa Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Hawassa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,247 per month in Tbilisi vs $823 in Hawassa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,025 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,195 in Hawassa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,803 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,567 in Hawassa, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 52% more than Hawassa, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Tbilisi and Hawassa are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 9% lower, Hawassa 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.33 ₾29.45

$4.01 ETB 645

182.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.71 ₾101

$42.04 ETB 6,754

-7.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 ₾24.73

$6.38 ETB 1,026

49.22%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ₾8.85

$0.91 ETB 146

274.73%

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

$1.04 ₾2.71

$0.62 ETB 100

67.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₾1.66

$0.68 ETB 109

-5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 ₾6.79

$0.79 ETB 127

230.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ₾8.43

$2.23 ETB 359

45.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₾5.65

$1.06 ETB 170

104.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ₾1.92

$1.21 ETB 194

-38.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 ₾4.45

$1.03 ETB 165

66.02%

Eggs

$2.83 ₾7.36

$1.54 ETB 247

83.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 ₾23.95

$7.22 ETB 1,160

27.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 ₾17.55

$9.91 ETB 1,593

-31.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.77 ₾33.17

$9.30 ETB 1,493

37.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.26

$5.31 ETB 853

-69.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ₾4.60

$0.69 ETB 110

156.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾4.85

$2.20 ETB 353

-15.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 ₾6.34

$0.70 ETB 112

248.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.25

$0.50 ETB 80.7

74.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$1.10 ETB 176

-40.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 ₾3.64

$0.68 ETB 110

105.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$0.57 ETB 92.4

29.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 ₾8.86

$7.89 ETB 1,267

-56.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.60 ₾19.75

$5.74 ETB 922

32.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₾4.41

$0.66 ETB 106

157.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.20

$1.23 ETB 198

93.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.94

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.24 ₾39.60

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₾3.07

$1.29 ETB 208

-8.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ₾1.97

$0.29 ETB 46.75

162.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.34 ₾29.47

$2.03 ETB 326

458.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₾3.46

$0.97 ETB 156

37.11%

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

$24.7K ₾64.2K

$55.1K ETB 8.9M

-55.13%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$54.6K ETB 8.8M

-59.68%

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

$88.9 ₾231

$203 ETB 32.7K

-56.30%

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

$13.33 ₾34.63

$7.42 ETB 1,191

79.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ₾52.3

$210 ETB 33.7K

-90.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.7 ₾178

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.09 ₾47.01

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 ₾17.46

$3.68 ETB 592

82.61%

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

$374 ₾971

$134 ETB 21.6K

177.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.8K

$30.4K ETB 4.9M

-64.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₾263

$33.25 ETB 5,342

204.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.33 ₾102

$71.7 ETB 11.5K

-45.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾305

$78.8 ETB 12.7K

49.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$83.8 ETB 13.5K

45.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 ₾1,773

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,186

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 ₾3,385

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 ₾2,337

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,449 ₾6,365

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,452 ₾3,774

$497 ETB 79.9K

191.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 ₾1,695

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

18.5

-31.78%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: September 13, 2026

Last update for Hawassa: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Tbilisi versus $42.00 in Hawassa. Groceries tell a different story – $232 in Tbilisi vs $206 in Hawassa – so Hawassa wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Hawassa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,247 in Tbilisi, $823 in Hawassa – roughly 52% apart. Tbilisi costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,870 per month in Tbilisi and $1,234 in Hawassa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Tbilisi and $42.00 in Hawassa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Tbilisi, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Hawassa, where all-in costs run around $823, than in Tbilisi at $1,247. In Hawassa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Tbilisi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $823 in Hawassa to $1,247 in Tbilisi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Hawassa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tbilisi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.