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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,185 per month in Tbilisi vs $822 in Hawassa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,834 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,230 in Hawassa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,483 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,638 in Hawassa, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 44% more than Hawassa, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Tbilisi and Hawassa are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 12% lower, Hawassa 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.15 ₾30.00

$4.41 ETB 689

152.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.13 ₾116

$35.09 ETB 5,484

22.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 ₾22.11

$6.58 ETB 1,029

24.92%

Cappuccino

$3.13 ₾8.42

$1.23 ETB 193

154.47%

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

$0.74 ₾2.00

$0.64 ETB 100

15.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₾1.22

$0.43 ETB 67.5

4.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ₾5.74

$1.02 ETB 160

108.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ₾8.06

$2.97 ETB 464

0.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₾5.09

$1.39 ETB 218

35.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₾1.97

$1.34 ETB 209

-45.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.98

$1.03 ETB 161

79.61%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.58

$1.60 ETB 251

53.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.85 ₾21.12

$7.21 ETB 1,127

8.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ₾16.82

$13.92 ETB 2,175

-55.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.77 ₾26.28

$13.28 ETB 2,075

-26.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 ₾3.26

$6.76 ETB 1,057

-82.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₾4.28

$0.97 ETB 152

63.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.81

$2.16 ETB 338

-17.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 ₾6.25

$0.90 ETB 141

157.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.91

$0.67 ETB 105

5.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.81

$1.91 ETB 299

-64.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.16

$0.68 ETB 107

73.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₾1.92

$0.63 ETB 98.1

12.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.85

$4.02 ETB 629

-27.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.25 ₾19.50

$5.76 ETB 900

25.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₾4.17

$1.00 ETB 156

55.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.21

$1.84 ETB 288

25.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.03

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.81 ₾39.83

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ₾3.98

$1.49 ETB 233

-0.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.86

$0.27 ETB 42.05

155.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾20.05

$2.05 ETB 320

263.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₾3.10

$1.24 ETB 194

-7.26%

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

$18.0K ₾48.4K

$55.1K ETB 8.6M

-67.33%

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

$19.8K ₾53.4K

$53.0K ETB 8.3M

-62.58%

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

$73.4 ₾198

$158 ETB 24.7K

-53.53%

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

$11.64 ₾31.32

$11.98 ETB 1,872

-2.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.77 ₾47.79

$131 ETB 20.5K

-86.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 ₾163

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 ₾44.21

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.52

$5.54 ETB 866

17.51%

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

$263 ₾707

$81.7 ETB 12.8K

221.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,136 ₾13.8K

$40.9K ETB 6.4M

-87.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾209

$47.79 ETB 7,470

62.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.39 ₾119

$75.0 ETB 11.7K

-40.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾317

$92.5 ETB 14.5K

27.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾307

$116 ETB 18.2K

-1.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,865

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,244

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 ₾3,597

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$779 ₾2,096

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,530 ₾6,805

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,430 ₾3,847

$503 ETB 78.5K

184.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$633 ₾1,702

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

-30.06%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: April 26, 2026

Last update for Hawassa: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Tbilisi versus $35.00 in Hawassa. Groceries tell a different story – $206 in Tbilisi vs $258 in Hawassa – so Tbilisi 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: $1,185 in Tbilisi, $822 in Hawassa – roughly 44% apart. Tbilisi costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,777 per month in Tbilisi and $1,232 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 $43.00 in Tbilisi and $35.00 in Hawassa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 26% cheaper in Tbilisi – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Hawassa, where all-in costs run around $822, than in Tbilisi at $1,185. 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 $822 in Hawassa to $1,185 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.