Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Kish

For one person, living is cheaper in Kish: $556 a month against $1,269 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $8,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Tbilisi, Georgia
Kish, Iran
Tbilisi
🇬🇪 Georgia
$1,269
/mo nomad
Kish
🇮🇷 Iran
$556
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Kish

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,269 in Tbilisi versus $556 in Kish.

  • Tbilisi $1,269
  • Kish $556

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,016 in Tbilisi versus $874 in Kish.

  • Tbilisi $2,016
  • Kish $874

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,763 in Tbilisi versus $1,193 in Kish.

  • Tbilisi $2,763
  • Kish $1,193

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 128% more expensive than in Kish, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 7% lower, Kish 59% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tbilisi
Kish
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.63 ₾30.07
$5.57 $5.57
108.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.83 ₾97.8
$15.80 $15.80
139.43%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.66 ₾24.98
$4.61 $4.61
109.54%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$0.69 $0.69
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.21 $1.21
-
Cappuccino
$3.57 ₾9.24
$1.03 $1.03
246.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.08 ₾2.78
$0.50 $0.50
116.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₾1.45
$0.98 $0.98
-42.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.62 ₾6.78
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04 ₾7.85
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
Kish
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.17 ₾5.60
$0.64 $0.64
239.06%
White Bread (500g)
$0.80 ₾2.06
$0.47 $0.47
70.21%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.74 ₾4.51
$2.09 $2.09
-16.75%
Eggs
$2.83 ₾7.31
$1.22 $1.22
131.97%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.31 ₾24.07
$4.18 $4.18
122.73%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.52 ₾16.85
$3.41 $3.41
91.20%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.95 ₾33.50
$11.56 $11.56
12.02%
Apples (1kg)
$1.68 ₾4.33
$0.94 $0.94
78.72%
Banana (1kg)
$1.85 ₾4.79
$1.49 $1.49
24.16%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.97 ₾5.10
$0.75 $0.75
162.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.42 ₾6.25
$0.64 $0.64
278.12%
Potato (1kg)
$0.82 ₾2.11
$0.59 $0.59
38.98%
Onion (1kg)
$0.74 ₾1.91
$0.49 $0.49
51.02%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.34 ₾3.47
$0.59 $0.59
127.12%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 ₾2.00
$0.21 $0.21
266.67%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$0.72 $0.72
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.48 $0.48
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.37 $1.37
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.57 ₾9.24
$2.68 $2.68
33.21%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.67 ₾19.83
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 ₾4.39
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 ₾6.21
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Tbilisi
Kish
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.40 ₾1.05
$0.16 $0.16
150.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.23 ₾39.38
$9.47 $9.47
60.82%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.14 ₾2.95
$0.40 $0.40
185.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ₾2.02
$0.32 $0.32
143.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.83 ₾30.58
$2.68 $2.68
341.42%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ₾3.75
$0.09 $0.09
1511.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.6K ₾63.6K
$51.9K $51.9K
-52.64%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.3K ₾57.8K
$39.6K $39.6K
-43.64%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
Kish
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.8 ₾230
$11.21 $11.21
692.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.12 ₾33.93
$1.79 $1.79
632.96%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.67 ₾50.9
$3.63 $3.63
441.87%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
Kish
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$64.1 ₾166
$19.75 $19.75
224.30%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04 ₾49.24
$13.18 $13.18
44.46%
Cinema Ticket
$7.12 ₾18.42
$2.01 $2.01
254.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tbilisi
Kish
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$375 ₾971
$121 $121
209.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.5K ₾27.1K
$2,576 $2,576
306.45%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
Kish
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 ₾268
$22.56 $22.56
359.40%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.26 ₾102
$28.77 $28.77
36.46%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$117 ₾303
$92.4 $92.4
26.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 ₾315
$74.9 $74.9
62.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
Kish
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$695 ₾1,798
$289 $289
140.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$451 ₾1,167
$212 $212
112.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,355 ₾3,504
$808 $808
67.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$906 ₾2,343
$349 $349
159.64%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,295 ₾5,934
$1,302 $1,302
76.24%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,345 ₾3,478
$548 $548
145.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tbilisi
Kish
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$664 ₾1,718
$411 $411
61.56%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.62
24.3
-48.07%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: October 27, 2026

Last update for Kish: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
$451
Kish
$212 53% $239
Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
$234
Kish
$116 50.4% $118
Eating Out
Tbilisi
$191
Kish
$77 59.8% $114
Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
$172
Kish
$98 42.8% $74
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
$122
Kish
$17 86.3% $105
Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
$78
Kish
$24 69.7% $55
Getting Around
Tbilisi
$22
Kish
$12 44.6% $9.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $695 in Tbilisi and $289 in Kish. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 62% 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: $38 in Tbilisi vs $16 in Kish for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $116 per month, with Kish cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇪 Tbilisi
🇮🇷 Kish
🕒 Local time
10:07 10:07 AM
09:37 9:37 AM
30 min behind Tbilisi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,241,700 Capital
24,819
💱 Currency
USD USD
Exchange rates and currency converter

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).

USD exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tbilisi Kish 1,880 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Tbilisi
  • Kish

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 Kish: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Tbilisi and in Kish?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,269 in Tbilisi and $556 in Kish, so Kish is about 56% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Tbilisi or Kish?
Average pay runs 62% higher in Tbilisi, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Tbilisi and in Kish?
Rent for a central apartment: $695 in Tbilisi versus $289 in Kish. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 102% higher in Tbilisi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Kish – a meal for two runs $16 versus $38 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
At $556 in Kish versus $1,269 in Tbilisi, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Kish but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Kish the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Tbilisi and Kish?
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.
Where should expats move: Tbilisi or Kish?
Expats usually find Kish gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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