Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Karaikal

For one person, living is cheaper in Karaikal: $300 a month against $1,269 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $11,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Tbilisi, Georgia
Karaikal, India
Tbilisi
🇬🇪 Georgia
$1,269
/mo nomad
Karaikal
🇮🇳 India
$300
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Karaikal

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

A single person spends $1,269 per month in Tbilisi vs $300 in Karaikal, rent included.

  • Tbilisi $1,269
  • Karaikal $300

A couple spends around $2,016 per month in Tbilisi vs $469 in Karaikal, rent included.

  • Tbilisi $2,016
  • Karaikal $469

A family of three spends $2,763 per month in Tbilisi vs $638 in Karaikal, rent included.

  • Tbilisi $2,763
  • Karaikal $638

Tbilisi costs about 323% more than Karaikal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Tbilisi and Karaikal are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 7% lower, Karaikal 78% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tbilisi
Karaikal
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.63 ₾30.07
$0.71 ₹67.3
1538.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.83 ₾97.8
$12.53 ₹1,190
201.92%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.66 ₾24.98
$3.66 ₹348
163.93%
Cappuccino
$3.57 ₾9.24
$0.61 ₹57.7
485.25%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.08 ₾2.78
$0.20 ₹18.98
440.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₾1.45
$0.15 ₹14.50
273.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.62 ₾6.78
$0.98 ₹93.0
167.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04 ₾7.85
$1.59 ₹151
91.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
Karaikal
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.17 ₾5.60
$0.50 ₹47.51
334.00%
White Bread (500g)
$0.80 ₾2.06
$0.30 ₹28.93
166.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.74 ₾4.51
$0.49 ₹46.15
255.10%
Eggs
$2.83 ₾7.31
$0.64 ₹61.2
342.19%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.31 ₾24.07
$2.60 ₹247
258.08%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.52 ₾16.85
$2.66 ₹252
145.11%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.95 ₾33.50
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$1.68 ₾4.33
$1.27 ₹121
32.28%
Banana (1kg)
$1.85 ₾4.79
$0.43 ₹40.86
330.23%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.97 ₾5.10
$0.76 ₹72.4
159.21%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.42 ₾6.25
$0.17 ₹16.00
1323.53%
Potato (1kg)
$0.82 ₾2.11
$0.22 ₹20.91
272.73%
Onion (1kg)
$0.74 ₾1.91
$0.28 ₹26.42
164.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.34 ₾3.47
$0.14 ₹13.11
857.14%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 ₾2.00
$0.25 ₹23.72
208.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.57 ₾9.24
$2.77 ₹263
28.88%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.67 ₾19.83
$3.07 ₹292
149.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 ₾4.39
$1.25 ₹118
36.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 ₾6.21
$2.13 ₹202
12.68%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$3.74 ₹355
-
🚌 Getting Around
Tbilisi
Karaikal
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.40 ₾1.05
$0.22 ₹20.84
81.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.23 ₾39.38
$7.17 ₹681
112.41%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.14 ₾2.95
$1.07 ₹102
6.54%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ₾2.02
$0.22 ₹20.92
254.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.83 ₾30.58
$1.03 ₹97.9
1048.54%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ₾3.75
$1.02 ₹97.3
42.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.6K ₾63.6K
$8,356 ₹793.4K
194.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.3K ₾57.8K
$9,625 ₹913.9K
132.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
Karaikal
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.8 ₾230
$37.93 ₹3,601
134.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.12 ₾33.93
$1.58 ₹150
730.38%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.67 ₾50.9
$6.36 ₹603
209.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
Karaikal
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$64.1 ₾166
$6.64 ₹631
864.61%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04 ₾49.24
$6.38 ₹606
198.43%
Cinema Ticket
$7.12 ₾18.42
$2.39 ₹227
197.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tbilisi
Karaikal
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$375 ₾971
$21.28 ₹2,021
1664.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.5K ₾27.1K
$2,141 ₹203.3K
388.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
Karaikal
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 ₾268
$10.30 ₹978
906.21%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.26 ₾102
$17.07 ₹1,620
129.99%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$117 ₾303
$35.55 ₹3,375
230.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 ₾315
$25.89 ₹2,458
370.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
Karaikal
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$695 ₾1,798
$149 ₹14.1K
367.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$451 ₾1,167
$91.3 ₹8,668
394.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,355 ₾3,504
$220 ₹20.9K
514.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$906 ₾2,343
$178 ₹16.9K
408.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,295 ₾5,934
$956 ₹90.8K
139.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,345 ₾3,478
$536 ₹50.9K
150.83%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tbilisi
Karaikal
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$664 ₾1,718
$417 ₹39.6K
59.35%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.62
9.5
32.84%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: October 27, 2026

Last update for Karaikal: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
$451
Karaikal
$91 79.8% $360
Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
$234
Karaikal
$68 71% $166
Eating Out
Tbilisi
$191
Karaikal
$33 82.5% $157
Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
$172
Karaikal
$40 76.8% $132
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
$122
Karaikal
$46 62.3% $76
Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
$78
Karaikal
$11 85.4% $67
Getting Around
Tbilisi
$22
Karaikal
$10 53.3% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $695 in Tbilisi versus $149 in Karaikal. 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 59% higher in Tbilisi, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38 in Tbilisi versus $13 in Karaikal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $68 – making Karaikal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇪 Tbilisi
🇮🇳 Karaikal
🕒 Local time
04:00 4:00 AM
05:30 5:30 AM
1 h 30 min ahead of Tbilisi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,241,700 Capital
10,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

INR, USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

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).

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 94.95 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 106 INR (1,000 INR = 9.43 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tbilisi Karaikal 4,830 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Tbilisi
  • Karaikal

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 Karaikal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Tbilisi or Karaikal?
Tbilisi costs about 323% more than Karaikal, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Tbilisi and in Karaikal?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,904 per month in Tbilisi and $450 in Karaikal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Tbilisi or Karaikal?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Karaikal, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $149 there versus $695 in Tbilisi.
Are groceries more expensive in Tbilisi or in Karaikal?
Groceries cost about 245% more in Tbilisi, though the gap depends on what you buy.
How do dining costs compare in Tbilisi and in Karaikal?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $38 in Tbilisi and $13 in Karaikal. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Can you live on $800/month in Tbilisi or in Karaikal?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in Karaikal, where all-in costs run around $300, than in Tbilisi at $1,269. In Karaikal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Karaikal – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Tbilisi compared to Karaikal?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
Should I move to Tbilisi or to Karaikal?
If budget matters most, go with Karaikal. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tbilisi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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