Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Karakol Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Karakol

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,185 in Tbilisi versus $431 in Karakol.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,834 in Tbilisi versus $638 in Karakol.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,483 in Tbilisi versus $846 in Karakol.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 175% more expensive than Karakol, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 12% lower, Karakol 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.15 ₾30.00

$2.31 KGS 202

382.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.13 ₾116

$8.92 KGS 781

383.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 ₾22.11

Cappuccino

$3.13 ₾8.42

$1.76 KGS 154

77.84%

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

$0.74 ₾2.00

$0.56 KGS 48.69

32.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₾1.22

$0.28 KGS 24.21

60.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ₾5.74

$1.12 KGS 97.6

90.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ₾8.06

$1.74 KGS 153

71.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₾5.09

$0.76 KGS 66.8

148.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₾1.97

$0.24 KGS 21.05

204.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.98

$1.34 KGS 117

38.06%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.58

$1.69 KGS 148

44.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.85 ₾21.12

$7.02 KGS 615

11.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ₾16.82

$4.02 KGS 352

55.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.77 ₾26.28

$5.70 KGS 499

71.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 ₾3.26

$0.81 KGS 71.0

49.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₾4.28

$1.39 KGS 122

14.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.81

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 ₾6.25

$1.11 KGS 97.4

109.01%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.91

$0.54 KGS 47.42

31.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.81

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.16

$0.35 KGS 30.71

237.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₾1.92

$0.58 KGS 51.1

22.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.85

$1.74 KGS 153

67.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.25 ₾19.50

$5.13 KGS 449

41.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₾4.17

$1.11 KGS 96.9

39.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.21

$2.28 KGS 199

1.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.03

$0.20 KGS 17.75

90.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.81 ₾39.83

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ₾3.98

$1.31 KGS 115

12.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.86

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾20.05

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₾3.10

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

$18.0K ₾48.4K

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

$19.8K ₾53.4K

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

$73.4 ₾198

$38.43 KGS 3,363

91.10%

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

$11.64 ₾31.32

$4.41 KGS 386

163.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.77 ₾47.79

$9.54 KGS 835

86.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 ₾163

$15.26 KGS 1,335

296.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 ₾44.21

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.52

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

$263 ₾707

$91.1 KGS 7,970

188.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,136 ₾13.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾209

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.39 ₾119

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾317

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾307

$34.87 KGS 3,052

227.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,865

$229 KGS 20.0K

202.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,244

$175 KGS 15.3K

164.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 ₾3,597

$285 KGS 24.9K

369.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$779 ₾2,096

$286 KGS 25.0K

172.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,530 ₾6,805

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,430 ₾3,847

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$633 ₾1,702

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

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

Last update for Tbilisi: April 26, 2026

Last update for Karakol: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $693 in Tbilisi and $229 in Karakol. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Tbilisi vs $9.00 in Karakol for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $129 per month, with Karakol 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 Karakol: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi and Karakol differ by about 175% in total monthly costs ($1,185 vs $431 including rent). Karakol is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,777 in Tbilisi and $646 in Karakol to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $693 in Tbilisi versus $229 in Karakol. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 60% higher in Tbilisi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,185 per month in Tbilisi versus $431 in Karakol – a 175% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $431 in Karakol versus $1,185 in Tbilisi, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Karakol but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Karakol 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 Karakol 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 Karakol gentler on the wallet – expenses run 175% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.