Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Howick Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Howick

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,197 in Tbilisi versus $887 in Howick.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,868 in Tbilisi versus $1,352 in Howick.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,538 in Tbilisi versus $1,818 in Howick.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 35% more expensive than in Howick, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 10% lower, Howick 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.82 ₾28.38

$3.30 R 54.5

227.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.85 ₾115

$27.64 R 456

58.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.31 ₾21.79

$3.40 R 56.1

144.41%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ₾7.78

$1.98 R 32.74

50.00%

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

$0.77 ₾2.01

$0.57 R 9.44

35.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.20

$0.43 R 7.06

6.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ₾5.63

$1.91 R 31.47

12.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ₾7.52

$2.27 R 37.45

26.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₾4.99

$1.03 R 17.00

84.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 ₾1.86

$0.87 R 14.36

-18.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 ₾5.00

$1.10 R 18.22

73.64%

Eggs

$2.48 ₾6.52

$2.21 R 36.42

12.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 ₾20.29

$5.14 R 84.8

50.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 ₾16.20

$2.27 R 37.45

172.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.57 ₾25.11

$5.03 R 83.0

90.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 ₾3.06

$1.50 R 24.78

-22.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₾4.34

$1.14 R 18.88

44.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.84

$1.31 R 21.70

41.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 ₾6.11

$1.09 R 17.99

113.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.85

$0.85 R 14.04

-16.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.76

$1.23 R 20.29

-45.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.12

$0.98 R 16.14

21.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.72

$0.97 R 15.93

-31.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.65

$3.13 R 51.6

-6.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.69 ₾20.17

$4.98 R 82.3

54.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₾4.18

$1.09 R 17.96

45.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.06

$1.13 R 18.66

104.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.01

$1.63 R 26.94

-76.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.76 ₾38.71

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.92

$1.63 R 26.92

-7.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$0.63 R 10.37

7.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.26 ₾19.03

$6.62 R 109

9.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.87

$1.23 R 20.31

-11.38%

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

$18.6K ₾48.8K

$14.2K R 234.6K

30.88%

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

$20.5K ₾53.7K

$22.6K R 372.5K

-9.33%

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

$73.0 ₾191

$145 R 2,400

-49.80%

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

$11.97 ₾31.40

$13.94 R 230

-14.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ₾47.21

$34.12 R 563

-47.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 ₾160

$30.67 R 506

98.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.52 ₾43.33

Cinema Ticket

$6.70 ₾17.58

$5.65 R 93.3

18.58%

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

$269 ₾705

$102 R 1,678

164.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,152 ₾13.5K

$4,645 R 76.7K

10.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.5 ₾201

$41.49 R 685

84.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.41 ₾114

$14.09 R 233

208.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 ₾316

$84.2 R 1,390

43.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾290

$44.67 R 737

147.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$687 ₾1,802

$365 R 6,022

88.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 ₾1,234

$338 R 5,571

39.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 ₾3,549

$692 R 11.4K

95.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,069

$697 R 11.5K

13.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,468 ₾6,472

$719 R 11.9K

243.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,456 ₾3,817

$749 R 12.4K

94.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$659 ₾1,729

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

12.01

-1.00%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: July 13, 2026

Last update for Howick: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $687 in Tbilisi and $365 in Howick. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $44.00 in Tbilisi vs $28.00 in Howick for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $137 per month, with Howick 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 Howick: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Howick is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,796 in Tbilisi and $1,330 in Howick to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $687 in Tbilisi versus $365 in Howick. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $269 in Tbilisi versus $102 in Howick. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Howick – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $44.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $887 in Howick versus $1,197 in Tbilisi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Howick but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Howick the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Howick 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 Howick 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 Howick gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.