Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Houghton, MI

For one person, living is cheaper in Tbilisi: $1,270 a month against $2,736 in Houghton, MI, rent and utilities included – about $17,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

61

Cost of Living Index in Tbilisi
Learn more

Tbilisi Living Index
124

Cost of Living Index in Houghton, MI
Learn more

Houghton, MI Living Index

Jump to prices

Tbilisi

🇬🇪 Georgia

$1,270

/mo nomad

Houghton, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,736

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Houghton, MI

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tbilisi and in Houghton, MI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,270 in Tbilisi versus $2,736 in Houghton, MI.

Tbilisi $1,270
Houghton, MI $2,736

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,008 in Tbilisi versus $3,593 in Houghton, MI.

Tbilisi $2,008
Houghton, MI $3,593

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,745 in Tbilisi versus $4,449 in Houghton, MI.

Tbilisi $2,745
Houghton, MI $4,449

Living in Tbilisi costs roughly 54% less than in Houghton, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tbilisi is 6% below, Houghton, MI is 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.51 ₾29.79

$13.78 $13.78

-16.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.27 ₾99.1

$39.55 $39.55

-3.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.80 ₾25.36

$10.37 $10.37

-5.50%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ₾9.19

$4.13 $4.13

-14.04%

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

$1.06 ₾2.74

$2.78 $2.78

-61.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₾1.60

$1.62 $1.62

-61.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 ₾7.16

$5.94 $5.94

-53.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.77

$7.38 $7.38

-59.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ₾5.59

$1.00 $1.00

116.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 ₾1.96

$4.18 $4.18

-81.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 ₾4.51

$6.34 $6.34

-72.56%

Eggs

$2.79 ₾7.21

$3.94 $3.94

-29.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 ₾23.83

$12.31 $12.31

-25.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 ₾16.89

$10.79 $10.79

-39.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 ₾33.17

$10.97 $10.97

16.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 ₾4.31

$5.09 $5.09

-67.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.79

$1.18 $1.18

56.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ₾5.13

$4.25 $4.25

-53.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 ₾6.49

$4.77 $4.77

-47.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.26

$2.80 $2.80

-68.93%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 ₾1.89

$3.01 $3.01

-75.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 ₾3.67

$2.21 $2.21

-35.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₾1.88

$1.47 $1.47

-51.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ₾8.74

$10.18 $10.18

-66.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 ₾20.31

$14.99 $14.99

-47.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ₾4.19

$1.95 $1.95

-16.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.15

$3.28 $3.28

-27.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ₾0.96

$2.03 $2.03

-81.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.52 ₾40.16

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.94

$3.02 $3.02

-62.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 ₾2.05

$1.49 $1.49

-46.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.57 ₾29.96

$29.22 $29.22

-60.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₾3.87

$0.81 $0.81

85.19%

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

$24.6K ₾63.7K

$25.1K $25.1K

-2.01%

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

$22.4K ₾57.9K

$25.4K $25.4K

-11.87%

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

$88.3 ₾228

$280 $280

-68.52%

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

$13.08 ₾33.86

$57.6 $57.6

-77.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.53 ₾50.6

$69.1 $69.1

-71.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.2 ₾166

$36.96 $36.96

73.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.18 ₾49.66

Cinema Ticket

$6.99 ₾18.10

$14.18 $14.18

-50.71%

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

$373 ₾966

$1,249 $1,249

-70.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.7K

$22.9K $22.9K

-53.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 ₾266

$53.7 $53.7

91.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.48 ₾105

$41.58 $41.58

-2.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ₾301

$87.0 $87.0

33.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾316

$108 $108

12.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$677 ₾1,753

$1,833 $1,833

-63.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₾1,176

$1,484 $1,484

-69.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,277 ₾3,305

$2,318 $2,318

-44.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$890 ₾2,304

$1,967 $1,967

-54.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,410 ₾6,238

$1,546 $1,546

55.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,418 ₾3,670

$1,550 $1,550

-8.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$703 ₾1,819

$2,603 $2,603

-73.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

6.57

92.09%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: October 17, 2026

Last update for Houghton, MI: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Tbilisi

$454 35.8%

Houghton, MI

$1.5K 54.2% 227% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Tbilisi

$233 18.3%

Houghton, MI

$377 13.8% 62% $144

Eating Out

Tbilisi

$191 15%

Houghton, MI

$253 9.3% 32.8% $62

Clothing & Footwear

Tbilisi

$172 13.5%

Houghton, MI

$131 4.8% 23.8% $41

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tbilisi

$121 9.5%

Houghton, MI

$407 14.9% 237% $286

Sport & Entertainment

Tbilisi

$78 6.2%

Houghton, MI

$65 2.4% 16.4% $13

Getting Around

Tbilisi

$22 1.7%

Houghton, MI

$19 * 0.7% 16% $3.5

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $677 in Tbilisi and $1,833 in Houghton, MI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Houghton, MI pays 270% 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: $38.00 in Tbilisi vs $40.00 in Houghton, MI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $377 per month, with Tbilisi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇬🇪 Tbilisi

🇺🇸 Houghton, MI

🕒 Local time

19:04 7:04 PM

11:04 11:04 AM

8 h behind Tbilisi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,241,700 Capital

8,000

💱 Currency

Georgian Lari GEL ₾

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 GEL = 0.386 USD

1 GEL = 0.344 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇬🇪 Georgian Lari (₾)

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.386 USD). 1 EUR = 2.91 GEL (1 GEL = 0.344 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to GEL in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Tbilisi Houghton, MI 9,120 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Tbilisi
Houghton, MI

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Houghton, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 115% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 270% lower in Houghton, MI. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $677 in Tbilisi versus $1,833 in Houghton, MI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 62% higher in Houghton, MI. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,270 per month in Tbilisi versus $2,736 in Houghton, MI – a 115% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,270 in Tbilisi versus $2,736 in Houghton, MI, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Houghton, MI. The gap between the two cities makes Tbilisi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Houghton, MI 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 Tbilisi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 115% less than in Houghton, MI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.