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: $1,247 in Tbilisi versus $979 in Kaluga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,025 in Tbilisi versus $1,536 in Kaluga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,803 in Tbilisi versus $2,093 in Kaluga.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 27% more expensive than in Kaluga, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 9% lower, Kaluga 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.33 ₾29.45

$9.69 ₽819

16.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.71 ₾101

$35.01 ₽2,958

10.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 ₾24.73

$4.69 ₽396

102.99%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ₾8.85

$2.50 ₽211

36.40%

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

$1.04 ₾2.71

$0.90 ₽75.8

15.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₾1.66

$0.56 ₽47.56

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 ₾6.79

$1.33 ₽112

96.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ₾8.43

$1.82 ₽153

78.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₾5.65

$1.19 ₽101

82.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ₾1.92

$0.98 ₽82.6

-24.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 ₾4.45

$2.33 ₽197

-26.61%

Eggs

$2.83 ₾7.36

$1.98 ₽167

42.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 ₾23.95

$13.15 ₽1,111

-29.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 ₾17.55

$6.56 ₽554

3.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.77 ₾33.17

$13.59 ₽1,148

-6.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.26

$1.69 ₽143

-2.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ₾4.60

$1.59 ₽134

11.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾4.85

$1.56 ₽132

19.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 ₾6.34

$2.78 ₽235

-12.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.25

$0.53 ₽44.56

64.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$0.49 ₽41.23

32.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 ₾3.64

$1.39 ₽117

0.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$0.86 ₽72.3

-13.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 ₾8.86

$3.09 ₽261

10.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.60 ₾19.75

$8.56 ₽723

-11.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₾4.41

$1.17 ₽98.8

45.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.20

$2.65 ₽224

-10.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.94

$0.43 ₽35.97

-16.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.24 ₾39.60

$17.67 ₽1,493

-13.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₾3.07

$0.93 ₽78.6

26.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ₾1.97

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.34 ₾29.47

$6.43 ₽543

76.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₾3.46

$0.84 ₽70.9

58.33%

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

$24.7K ₾64.2K

$49.5K ₽4.2M

-50.02%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$23.9K ₽2.0M

-7.66%

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

$88.9 ₾231

$119 ₽10.1K

-25.57%

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

$13.33 ₾34.63

$5.94 ₽502

124.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ₾52.3

$8.79 ₽743

128.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.7 ₾178

$48.00 ₽4,055

43.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.09 ₾47.01

$23.99 ₽2,027

-24.59%

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 ₾17.46

$3.45 ₽291

94.78%

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

$374 ₾971

$329 ₽27.8K

13.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₾263

$94.1 ₽7,950

7.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.33 ₾102

$35.07 ₽2,963

12.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾305

$180 ₽15.2K

-34.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$89.7 ₽7,580

36.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 ₾1,773

$301 ₽25.4K

126.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,186

$210 ₽17.8K

117.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 ₾3,385

$582 ₽49.2K

123.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 ₾2,337

$354 ₽29.9K

154.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,449 ₾6,365

$1,452 ₽122.7K

68.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,452 ₾3,774

$1,256 ₽106.1K

15.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 ₾1,695

$640 ₽54.1K

1.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

23.12

-45.42%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: September 13, 2026

Last update for Kaluga: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $682 in Tbilisi and $301 in Kaluga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 2% 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: $39.00 in Tbilisi vs $35.00 in Kaluga. Groceries flip the comparison at $232 vs $237, with Tbilisi cheaper for home cooking.

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 27% in total monthly costs ($1,247 vs $979 including rent). Kaluga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 2% 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: $682 in Tbilisi versus $301 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 16% less than in Tbilisi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $374 in Tbilisi versus $329 in Kaluga. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $979 in Kaluga versus $1,247 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 27% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.