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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,191 per month in Tbilisi vs $823 in Hawassa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,856 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,230 in Hawassa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,522 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,637 in Hawassa, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 45% more than Hawassa, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Tbilisi and Hawassa are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 11% lower, Hawassa 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.91 ₾28.56

$4.46 ETB 713

144.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.19 ₾113

$34.65 ETB 5,534

24.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 ₾22.31

$6.53 ETB 1,044

30.63%

Cappuccino

$2.99 ₾7.81

$1.28 ETB 205

133.59%

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

$0.81 ₾2.12

$0.64 ETB 103

26.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₾1.09

$0.44 ETB 69.8

-4.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 ₾5.65

$1.02 ETB 163

111.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₾7.52

$3.06 ETB 488

-5.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ₾5.08

$1.39 ETB 223

39.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$1.33 ETB 213

-48.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.83

$0.99 ETB 158

86.87%

Eggs

$2.53 ₾6.62

$1.58 ETB 253

60.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.53 ₾19.69

$7.01 ETB 1,119

7.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 ₾16.39

$13.95 ETB 2,227

-55.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.59 ₾25.09

$13.27 ETB 2,118

-27.73%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 ₾3.04

$6.81 ETB 1,088

-82.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.29

$1.03 ETB 165

59.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.93

$2.28 ETB 364

-17.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.84

$1.00 ETB 159

123.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$0.63 ETB 100

11.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₾1.68

$1.91 ETB 306

-66.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.09

$0.70 ETB 112

68.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$0.63 ETB 101

11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 ₾7.78

$3.88 ETB 620

-23.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.43 ₾19.45

$5.46 ETB 871

36.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.03

$1.00 ETB 159

54.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₾5.98

$1.92 ETB 307

18.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.73 ₾38.54

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ₾3.71

$1.50 ETB 240

-5.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.81

$0.27 ETB 42.71

155.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.27 ₾19.02

$1.97 ETB 314

269.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.86

$1.30 ETB 208

-16.15%

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

$18.3K ₾47.9K

$54.3K ETB 8.7M

-66.25%

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

$20.5K ₾53.6K

$54.5K ETB 8.7M

-62.42%

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

$74.4 ₾195

$156 ETB 25.0K

-52.48%

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

$11.71 ₾30.63

$11.85 ETB 1,892

-1.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ₾46.06

$130 ETB 20.7K

-86.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.3 ₾158

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.29 ₾42.63

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.03

$5.61 ETB 895

16.04%

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

$269 ₾704

$82.5 ETB 13.2K

226.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,154 ₾13.5K

$40.7K ETB 6.5M

-87.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.1 ₾202

$47.78 ETB 7,630

61.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.48 ₾114

$76.7 ETB 12.2K

-43.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾310

$93.3 ETB 14.9K

26.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾295

$113 ETB 18.0K

0.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 ₾1,856

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 ₾1,215

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 ₾3,442

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$767 ₾2,007

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,492 ₾6,522

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,442 ₾3,773

$501 ETB 80.0K

187.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$663 ₾1,735

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Hawassa: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Tbilisi versus $35.00 in Hawassa. Groceries tell a different story – $204 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: $1,191 in Tbilisi, $823 in Hawassa – roughly 45% apart. Tbilisi costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,787 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 $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 $823, than in Tbilisi at $1,191. 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 $1,191 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.