Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Jimma

For one person, living is cheaper in Jimma: $1,014 a month against $1,269 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Tbilisi outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Tbilisi
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Tbilisi Living Index

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Tbilisi

🇬🇪 Georgia

$1,269

/mo nomad

Jimma

🇪🇹 Ethiopia

$1,014

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Jimma

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

A single person spends $1,269 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,014 in Jimma, rent included.

Tbilisi $1,269
Jimma $1,014

A couple spends around $2,016 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,403 in Jimma, rent included.

Tbilisi $2,016
Jimma $1,403

A family of three spends $2,763 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,791 in Jimma, rent included.

Tbilisi $2,763
Jimma $1,791

Tbilisi costs about 25% more than Jimma, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Tbilisi and Jimma are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 7% lower, Jimma 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.63 ₾30.07

$4.43 ETB 713

162.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.83 ₾97.8

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.66 ₾24.98

Cappuccino

$3.57 ₾9.24

$1.10 ETB 176

224.55%

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

$1.08 ₾2.78

$0.53 ETB 85.9

103.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₾1.45

$0.47 ETB 76.0

19.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 ₾6.78

$2.72 ETB 438

-3.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ₾7.85

$1.44 ETB 232

111.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₾5.60

$1.13 ETB 182

92.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 ₾2.06

$0.36 ETB 57.7

122.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 ₾4.51

$1.15 ETB 185

51.30%

Eggs

$2.83 ₾7.31

$3.96 ETB 638

-28.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.31 ₾24.07

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.52 ₾16.85

$11.29 ETB 1,816

-42.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.95 ₾33.50

$11.22 ETB 1,805

15.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 ₾4.33

$2.29 ETB 369

-26.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.79

$1.09 ETB 175

69.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 ₾5.10

$3.31 ETB 533

-40.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.42 ₾6.25

$0.54 ETB 86.2

348.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ₾2.11

$0.55 ETB 88.0

49.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 ₾1.91

$3.36 ETB 541

-77.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ₾3.47

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₾2.00

$0.54 ETB 86.9

42.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.57 ₾9.24

Wine (Bottle)

$7.67 ₾19.83

$6.84 ETB 1,100

12.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₾4.39

$1.14 ETB 183

49.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₾6.21

$1.43 ETB 230

67.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ₾1.05

$0.21 ETB 33.65

90.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.23 ₾39.38

$13.46 ETB 2,165

13.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.95

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ₾2.02

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.83 ₾30.58

$1.69 ETB 272

600.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ₾3.75

$1.72 ETB 277

-15.70%

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

$24.6K ₾63.6K

$49.6K ETB 8.0M

-50.47%

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

$22.3K ₾57.8K

$55.5K ETB 8.9M

-59.76%

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

$88.8 ₾230

$60.2 ETB 9,693

47.41%

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

$13.12 ₾33.93

$35.58 ETB 5,725

-63.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.67 ₾50.9

$301 ETB 48.4K

-93.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.1 ₾166

$33.07 ETB 5,321

93.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 ₾49.24

Cinema Ticket

$7.12 ₾18.42

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

$375 ₾971

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ₾27.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ₾268

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.26 ₾102

$90.8 ETB 14.6K

-56.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾303

$133 ETB 21.5K

-12.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾315

$111 ETB 17.9K

9.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 ₾1,798

$203 ETB 32.6K

243.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 ₾1,167

$154 ETB 24.7K

193.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 ₾3,504

$407 ETB 65.6K

232.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$906 ₾2,343

$313 ETB 50.4K

189.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,295 ₾5,934

$2,192 ETB 352.6K

4.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,345 ₾3,478

$1,138 ETB 183.2K

18.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 ₾1,718

$223 ETB 35.9K

197.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

40.22%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: October 27, 2026

Last update for Jimma: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Tbilisi

$451 35.6%

Jimma

–

Groceries & Markets

Tbilisi

$234 18.4%

Jimma

–

Eating Out

Tbilisi

$191 15%

Jimma

–

Clothing & Footwear

Tbilisi

$172 13.5%

Jimma

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tbilisi

$122 9.6%

Jimma

–

Sport & Entertainment

Tbilisi

$78 6.2%

Jimma

–

Getting Around

Tbilisi

$22 1.7%

Jimma

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $695 in Tbilisi versus $203 in Jimma. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Tbilisi are about 3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇬🇪 Tbilisi

🇪🇹 Jimma

🕒 Local time

05:45 5:45 AM

04:45 4:45 AM

1 h behind Tbilisi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,241,700 Capital

207,573

💱 Currency

Georgian Lari GEL ₾

Ethiopian Birr ETB Br

📈 Exchange rate

1 GEL = 0.387 USD

1 GEL = 0.346 EUR

1,000 ETB = 6.22 USD

1,000 ETB = 5.57 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ETB, USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇬🇪 Georgian Lari (₾)

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.387 USD). 1 EUR = 2.89 GEL (1 GEL = 0.346 EUR).

Ethiopian Birr exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 161 ETB (1,000 ETB = 6.22 USD). 1 EUR = 180 ETB (1,000 ETB = 5.57 EUR).

USD to GEL in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Tbilisi Jimma 3,860 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Tbilisi
Jimma

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 Jimma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tbilisi is pricier by about 25%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,904 per month in Tbilisi and $1,521 in Jimma. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jimma, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $203 there versus $695 in Tbilisi.

Groceries cost about 19% more in Tbilisi, though the gap depends on what you buy.

Public transport costs about 12% less in Jimma. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,269 in Tbilisi and $1,014 in Jimma, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Tbilisi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,014 in Jimma to $1,269 in Tbilisi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Jimma. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tbilisi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.