Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Ismailia

For one person, living is cheaper in Ismailia: $330 a month against $1,270 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $11,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Tbilisi
🇬🇪 Georgia
$1,270
/mo nomad
Ismailia
🇪🇬 Egypt
$330
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Ismailia

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,270 in Tbilisi versus $330 in Ismailia.

  • Tbilisi $1,270
  • Ismailia $330

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,008 in Tbilisi versus $561 in Ismailia.

  • Tbilisi $2,008
  • Ismailia $561

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,745 in Tbilisi versus $792 in Ismailia.

  • Tbilisi $2,745
  • Ismailia $792

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 285% more expensive than in Ismailia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 6% lower, Ismailia 76% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tbilisi
Ismailia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.51 ₾29.79
$3.30 E£176
248.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.27 ₾99.1
$14.58 E£778
162.48%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.80 ₾25.36
$3.76 E£201
160.64%
Cappuccino
$3.55 ₾9.19
$1.04 E£55.5
241.35%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.06 ₾2.74
$0.30 E£15.91
253.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.62 ₾1.60
$0.13 E£6.85
376.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.76 ₾7.16
$1.32 E£70.6
109.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 ₾7.77
$1.80 E£96.0
66.67%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
Ismailia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.16 ₾5.59
$0.79 E£42.30
173.42%
White Bread (500g)
$0.76 ₾1.96
$0.36 E£19.07
111.11%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.74 ₾4.51
$0.60 E£32.12
190.00%
Eggs
$2.79 ₾7.21
$1.15 E£61.5
142.61%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.20 ₾23.83
$3.49 E£186
163.61%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.53 ₾16.89
$3.98 E£213
64.07%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.81 ₾33.17
$6.95 E£371
84.32%
Apples (1kg)
$1.67 ₾4.31
$1.45 E£77.3
15.17%
Banana (1kg)
$1.85 ₾4.79
$0.54 E£29.05
242.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.98 ₾5.13
$0.41 E£22.01
382.93%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.51 ₾6.49
$0.31 E£16.79
709.68%
Potato (1kg)
$0.87 ₾2.26
$0.26 E£13.89
234.62%
Onion (1kg)
$0.73 ₾1.89
$0.32 E£17.12
128.13%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.42 ₾3.67
$0.23 E£12.31
517.39%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 ₾1.88
$0.20 E£10.67
260.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.38 ₾8.74
$1.86 E£99.5
81.72%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.84 ₾20.31
$5.48 E£293
43.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 ₾4.19
$1.04 E£55.4
55.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38 ₾6.15
$1.89 E£101
25.93%
🚌 Getting Around
Tbilisi
Ismailia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.37 ₾0.96
$0.23 E£12.26
60.87%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.52 ₾40.16
$3.77 E£201
311.67%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.14 ₾2.94
$0.39 E£20.60
192.31%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.79 ₾2.05
$0.48 E£25.72
64.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.57 ₾29.96
$1.13 E£60.2
923.89%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.50 ₾3.87
$0.42 E£22.18
257.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.6K ₾63.7K
$27.6K E£1.5M
-10.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.4K ₾57.9K
$14.6K E£780.2K
53.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
Ismailia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.3 ₾228
$13.94 E£744
533.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.08 ₾33.86
$6.66 E£355
96.40%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.53 ₾50.6
$7.33 E£391
166.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
Ismailia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$64.2 ₾166
$9.65 E£515
565.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.18 ₾49.66
$18.42 E£984
4.13%
Cinema Ticket
$6.99 ₾18.10
$1.82 E£97.4
284.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tbilisi
Ismailia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$373 ₾966
$65.6 E£3,502
469.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.7K ₾27.7K
$1,171 E£62.5K
812.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
Ismailia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$103 ₾266
$12.92 E£690
694.66%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.48 ₾105
$9.19 E£491
340.48%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$116 ₾301
$127 E£6,764
-8.18%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 ₾316
$27.53 E£1,470
342.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
Ismailia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$677 ₾1,753
$78.3 E£4,181
764.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$454 ₾1,176
$31.44 E£1,679
1344.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,277 ₾3,305
$120 E£6,414
963.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$890 ₾2,304
$75.2 E£4,017
1082.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,410 ₾6,238
$458 E£24.5K
425.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,418 ₾3,670
$131 E£6,984
983.93%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tbilisi
Ismailia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$703 ₾1,819
$101 E£5,387
596.67%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.62
21.33
-40.83%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: October 17, 2026

Last update for Ismailia: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
$454
Ismailia
$31 93.1% $423
Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
$233
Ismailia
$108 53.6% $125
Eating Out
Tbilisi
$191
Ismailia
$62 67.5% $129
Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
$172
Ismailia
$79 53.8% $92
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
$121
Ismailia
$28 76.9% $93
Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
$78
Ismailia
$13 83% $65
Getting Around
Tbilisi
$22
Ismailia
$7.5 66.2% $15

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $677 in Tbilisi and $78.3 in Ismailia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 597% 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 $15.00 in Ismailia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $108 per month, with Ismailia cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇪 Tbilisi
🇪🇬 Ismailia
🕒 Local time
00:58 12:58 AM
23:58 11:58 PM
1 h behind Tbilisi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,241,700 Capital
352,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

EGP, USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.386 USD). 1 EUR = 2.91 GEL (1 GEL = 0.344 EUR).

Egyptian Pound exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 53.4 EGP (100 EGP = 1.87 USD). 1 EUR = 60.03 EGP (100 EGP = 1.67 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tbilisi Ismailia 1,670 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Tbilisi
  • Ismailia

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 Ismailia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Tbilisi or Ismailia?
Ismailia wins on cost – living expenses run 285% lower than in Tbilisi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ismailia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Tbilisi or in Ismailia?
Average pay runs 597% higher in Tbilisi, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Tbilisi compared to Ismailia?
Rent for a central apartment: $677 in Tbilisi versus $78.3 in Ismailia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Tbilisi and in Ismailia?
Childcare runs $373 in Tbilisi versus $65.6 in Ismailia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Tbilisi or in Ismailia?
Supermarket bills run roughly 115% higher in Tbilisi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Tbilisi or in Ismailia?
At $330 in Ismailia versus $1,270 in Tbilisi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ismailia but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Ismailia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Tbilisi or Ismailia?
Both work as nomad bases, but Ismailia delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $330 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ismailia hard to pass up.
How safe is Tbilisi compared to Ismailia?
Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Ismailia are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Ismailia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 285% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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