Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Johannesburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Johannesburg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,209 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,179 in Johannesburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,867 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,810 in Johannesburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,526 per month in Tbilisi vs $2,442 in Johannesburg, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 3% more than Johannesburg, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Tbilisi and Johannesburg are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 10% lower, Johannesburg 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 ₾28.69

$11.02 R 180

-2.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.18 ₾115

$45.02 R 735

-4.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.29 ₾22.02

$4.91 R 80.1

68.84%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ₾7.96

$2.27 R 37.04

32.16%

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

$0.82 ₾2.17

$0.99 R 16.13

-17.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.21

$0.77 R 12.63

-40.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 ₾5.93

$2.63 R 42.97

-15.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.74

$2.53 R 41.29

15.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.11

$1.19 R 19.34

62.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.81

$1.06 R 17.22

-35.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.99

$1.70 R 27.70

10.59%

Eggs

$2.54 ₾6.73

$2.52 R 41.07

0.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 ₾19.69

$8.36 R 136

-11.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ₾16.43

$4.68 R 76.3

32.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ₾24.86

$6.67 R 109

40.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 ₾3.25

$1.68 R 27.36

-27.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ₾4.40

$1.48 R 24.14

12.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.78

$1.49 R 24.38

20.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 ₾5.95

$1.59 R 25.88

40.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.89

$1.43 R 23.28

-50.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.79

$1.46 R 23.84

-54.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.13

$1.06 R 17.28

11.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.76

$0.88 R 14.32

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ₾7.91

$3.03 R 49.51

-1.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₾20.20

$6.11 R 99.7

24.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.08

$1.36 R 22.12

13.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.98

$1.67 R 27.24

34.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$1.72 R 27.99

-79.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 ₾38.35

$69.0 R 1,125

-79.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ₾3.96

$1.10 R 17.95

35.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.82

$0.95 R 15.43

-28.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 ₾19.19

$4.07 R 66.4

77.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.04

$1.28 R 20.94

-10.94%

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

$18.5K ₾49.0K

$22.6K R 368.5K

-18.26%

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

$20.0K ₾53.0K

$24.4K R 397.6K

-18.05%

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

$73.7 ₾196

$119 R 1,937

-37.92%

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

$11.64 ₾30.90

$39.96 R 652

-70.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.84 ₾47.38

$43.32 R 707

-58.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 ₾160

$33.66 R 549

78.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ₾44.62

$13.96 R 228

20.34%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ₾17.54

$7.40 R 121

-10.81%

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

$266 ₾707

$206 R 3,368

29.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,191 ₾13.8K

$4,959 R 80.9K

4.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾206

$51.3 R 836

51.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.75 ₾119

$34.03 R 555

31.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾310

$91.9 R 1,500

27.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾300

$78.8 R 1,286

43.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,839

$419 R 6,845

65.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,226

$372 R 6,063

24.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 ₾3,504

$918 R 15.0K

43.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₾2,056

$718 R 11.7K

7.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,430 ₾6,454

$1,063 R 17.3K

128.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 ₾3,839

$765 R 12.5K

89.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 ₾1,786

$1,714 R 28.0K

-60.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

11.51

3.30%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Johannesburg: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $693 in Tbilisi versus $419 in Johannesburg. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 155% higher in Johannesburg, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Tbilisi versus $45.00 in Johannesburg. Groceries tell a different story – $203 in Tbilisi vs $183 in Johannesburg – so Johannesburg wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Johannesburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi costs about 3% more than Johannesburg, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,813 per month in Tbilisi and $1,768 in Johannesburg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Johannesburg, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Tbilisi and $45.00 in Johannesburg. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,209 in Tbilisi and $1,179 in Johannesburg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Johannesburg, where all-in costs run around $1,179, than in Tbilisi at $1,209. In Johannesburg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Johannesburg costs $1,179 versus $1,209 in Tbilisi. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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