Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Kaluga Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Kaluga

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,178 in Tbilisi versus $805 in Kaluga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,848 in Tbilisi versus $1,231 in Kaluga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,518 in Tbilisi versus $1,656 in Kaluga.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 46% more expensive than Kaluga, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 12% lower, Kaluga 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.09 ₾29.35

$5.58 ₽404

98.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.24 ₾114

$21.88 ₽1,586

97.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 ₾22.63

$5.00 ₽363

71.00%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ₾7.86

$2.04 ₽148

45.59%

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

$0.76 ₾2.01

$1.35 ₽97.6

-43.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.22

$0.56 ₽40.85

-17.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ₾5.88

$1.42 ₽103

56.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.73

$3.05 ₽221

-4.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 ₾5.21

$1.09 ₽79.1

80.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₾1.94

$0.71 ₽51.6

2.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 ₾4.81

$1.51 ₽109

20.53%

Eggs

$2.49 ₾6.60

$1.72 ₽125

44.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.66 ₾20.27

$8.26 ₽599

-7.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.27 ₾16.59

$3.86 ₽279

62.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.50 ₾25.14

$7.58 ₽549

25.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 ₾3.24

$1.94 ₽141

-36.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.33

$1.68 ₽122

-2.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾4.95

$1.93 ₽140

-3.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 ₾6.02

$3.10 ₽225

-26.77%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.77

$0.74 ₽53.3

-9.46%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.79

$0.70 ₽50.7

-4.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ₾3.23

$3.16 ₽229

-61.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.85

$0.66 ₽47.89

6.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.73

$2.95 ₽214

-1.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.72 ₾20.42

$9.53 ₽691

-18.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₾4.09

$0.74 ₽53.4

109.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 ₾5.86

$1.95 ₽141

13.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ₾1.02

$0.42 ₽30.34

-7.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.67 ₾38.81

$18.91 ₽1,371

-22.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 ₾3.82

$3.89 ₽282

-62.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.81

$0.11 ₽7.89

527.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 ₾19.52

$6.42 ₽465

14.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.03

$0.78 ₽56.8

46.15%

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

$18.2K ₾48.1K

$33.7K ₽2.4M

-46.10%

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

$20.4K ₾54.1K

$35.5K ₽2.6M

-42.42%

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

$73.6 ₾195

$77.3 ₽5,598

-4.69%

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

$11.64 ₾30.80

$5.62 ₽408

107.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.63 ₾46.65

$5.21 ₽378

238.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.4 ₾162

$36.02 ₽2,610

70.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.85 ₾44.59

Cinema Ticket

$6.69 ₾17.71

$7.65 ₽554

-12.55%

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

$264 ₾699

$349 ₽25.3K

-24.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,169 ₾13.7K

$6,973 ₽505.3K

-25.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.1 ₾199

$71.7 ₽5,195

4.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.26 ₾114

$37.84 ₽2,742

14.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾311

$117 ₽8,442

0.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾295

$77.4 ₽5,608

44.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$706 ₾1,868

$253 ₽18.3K

178.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$461 ₾1,221

$197 ₽14.3K

134.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,318 ₾3,488

$442 ₽32.0K

198.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$781 ₾2,066

$332 ₽24.1K

134.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,463 ₾6,517

$1,684 ₽122.0K

46.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,409 ₾3,727

$1,458 ₽105.7K

-3.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$672 ₾1,779

$873 ₽63.3K

-22.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

14.5

-18.00%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: June 14, 2026

Last update for Kaluga: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $706 in Tbilisi and $253 in Kaluga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kaluga pays 30% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $43.00 in Tbilisi vs $22.00 in Kaluga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $192 per month, with Kaluga 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 Kaluga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi and Kaluga differ by about 46% in total monthly costs ($1,178 vs $805 including rent). Kaluga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Kaluga earns 30% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $706 in Tbilisi versus $253 in Kaluga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kaluga runs roughly 29% less than in Tbilisi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $264 in Tbilisi versus $349 in Kaluga. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $805 in Kaluga versus $1,178 in Tbilisi, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kaluga but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Kaluga the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Kaluga 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 Kaluga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.