Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Ialoveni

For one person, living is cheaper in Ialoveni: $804 a month against $1,278 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

61

Cost of Living Index in Tbilisi
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Tbilisi Living Index
38

Cost of Living Index in Ialoveni
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Ialoveni Living Index

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Tbilisi

🇬🇪 Georgia

$1,278

/mo nomad

Ialoveni

🇲🇩 Moldova

$804

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Ialoveni

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 Ialoveni actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Tbilisi versus $804 in Ialoveni.

Tbilisi $1,278
Ialoveni $804

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,017 in Tbilisi versus $1,296 in Ialoveni.

Tbilisi $2,017
Ialoveni $1,296

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,755 in Tbilisi versus $1,789 in Ialoveni.

Tbilisi $2,755
Ialoveni $1,789

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 59% more expensive than in Ialoveni, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 5% lower, Ialoveni 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.62 ₾30.07

$8.46 MDL 151

37.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.41 ₾99.4

$29.37 MDL 522

30.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.74 ₾25.20

$10.47 MDL 186

-6.97%

Cappuccino

$3.56 ₾9.21

$2.24 MDL 39.81

58.93%

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

$1.08 ₾2.80

$1.25 MDL 22.25

-13.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₾1.46

$0.80 MDL 14.26

-30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 ₾7.05

$2.17 MDL 38.57

25.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 ₾8.09

$2.26 MDL 40.23

38.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₾5.55

$1.26 MDL 22.46

69.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 ₾1.95

$0.69 MDL 12.21

8.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.66

$0.69 MDL 12.23

160.87%

Eggs

$2.80 ₾7.25

$2.74 MDL 48.75

2.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.43 ₾24.41

$6.75 MDL 120

39.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.00 ₾18.10

$4.97 MDL 88.4

40.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.69 ₾32.83

$4.72 MDL 83.8

168.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.63 ₾4.22

$0.97 MDL 17.31

68.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 ₾4.77

$1.93 MDL 34.32

-4.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 ₾5.09

$2.04 MDL 36.33

-3.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 ₾6.39

$2.38 MDL 42.27

3.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 ₾1.95

$0.77 MDL 13.67

-2.60%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.74

$0.53 MDL 9.34

26.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 ₾3.66

$1.36 MDL 24.11

3.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₾1.86

$0.83 MDL 14.67

-13.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.51 ₾9.08

$3.44 MDL 61.2

2.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.89 ₾20.40

$4.94 MDL 87.8

59.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₾4.41

$1.28 MDL 22.68

32.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 ₾6.12

$1.94 MDL 34.57

22.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾0.98

$0.32 MDL 5.65

18.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.29 ₾39.56

$6.61 MDL 118

131.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 ₾3.08

$2.26 MDL 40.25

-47.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 ₾1.91

$0.26 MDL 4.63

184.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.89 ₾30.76

$5.00 MDL 89.0

137.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ₾3.77

$1.62 MDL 28.75

-9.88%

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

$25.0K ₾64.6K

$29.1K MDL 516.6K

-14.02%

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

$22.8K ₾59.1K

$24.3K MDL 431.9K

-6.03%

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

$88.1 ₾228

$188 MDL 3,341

-53.10%

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

$12.71 ₾32.87

$9.34 MDL 166

36.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.79 ₾51.2

$11.10 MDL 197

78.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.3 ₾166

$28.30 MDL 503

127.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.17 ₾49.59

$11.21 MDL 199

71.01%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 ₾17.20

$7.32 MDL 130

-9.15%

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

$371 ₾961

$112 MDL 1,996

230.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,163 ₾23.7K

$5,209 MDL 92.6K

75.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 ₾264

$43.96 MDL 782

132.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.65 ₾103

$28.03 MDL 498

41.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾306

$84.9 MDL 1,509

39.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 ₾310

$93.6 MDL 1,664

27.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$690 ₾1,784

$168 MDL 2,982

311.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$461 ₾1,193

$111 MDL 1,981

313.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,362 ₾3,523

$362 MDL 6,428

276.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$897 ₾2,321

$367 MDL 6,532

144.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,277 ₾5,891

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,378 ₾3,564

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$710 ₾1,836

$585 MDL 10.4K

21.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.53

56.62%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: November 2, 2026

Last update for Ialoveni: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Tbilisi

$461 36.1%

Ialoveni

$111 13.9% 75.8% $350

Groceries & Markets

Tbilisi

$235 18.4%

Ialoveni

$168 20.9% 28.6% $67

Eating Out

Tbilisi

$191 15%

Ialoveni

$150 18.6% 21.8% $42

Clothing & Footwear

Tbilisi

$171 13.4%

Ialoveni

$113 14% 34% $58

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tbilisi

$121 9.4%

Ialoveni

$208 25.9% 72.7% $88

Sport & Entertainment

Tbilisi

$78 6.1%

Ialoveni

$43 5.3% 44.7% $35

Getting Around

Tbilisi

$22 1.7%

Ialoveni

$11 1.4% 47.2% $10

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $690 in Tbilisi and $168 in Ialoveni. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 21% 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 in Tbilisi vs $29 in Ialoveni for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $168 per month, with Ialoveni cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇬🇪 Tbilisi

🇲🇩 Ialoveni

🕒 Local time

05:23 5:23 AM

03:23 3:23 AM

2 h behind Tbilisi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,241,700 Capital

15,300

💱 Currency

Georgian Lari GEL ₾

Moldovan Leu MDL L

📈 Exchange rate

1 GEL = 0.387 USD

1 GEL = 0.343 EUR

100 MDL = 5.62 USD

100 MDL = 5 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MDL, USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇬🇪 Georgian Lari (₾)

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.387 USD). 1 EUR = 2.91 GEL (1 GEL = 0.343 EUR).

Moldovan Leu exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 17.78 MDL (100 MDL = 5.62 USD). 1 EUR = 20.02 MDL (100 MDL = 5 EUR).

USD to GEL in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Tbilisi Ialoveni 1,400 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Tbilisi
Ialoveni

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 Ialoveni: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ialoveni wins on cost – living expenses run 37% lower than in Tbilisi. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Ialoveni the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 21% higher in Tbilisi, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $690 in Tbilisi versus $168 in Ialoveni. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ialoveni runs roughly 57% less than in Tbilisi. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Childcare runs $371 in Tbilisi versus $112 in Ialoveni. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $800. Ialoveni is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Ialoveni are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Ialoveni gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.