Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Kota Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Kota

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,218 in Tbilisi versus $366 in Kota.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,853 in Tbilisi versus $582 in Kota.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,489 in Tbilisi versus $798 in Kota.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 232% more expensive than Kota, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 9% lower, Kota 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.85 ₾28.75

$2.39 ₹228

353.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.17 ₾117

$8.97 ₹853

392.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 ₾21.94

$2.97 ₹283

178.79%

Cappuccino

$3.02 ₾8.00

$0.75 ₹71.4

302.67%

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

$0.76 ₾2.02

$0.37 ₹35.09

105.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.22

$0.14 ₹13.75

228.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ₾5.93

$1.71 ₹162

30.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.95

$3.11 ₹296

-3.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.11

$0.63 ₹60.0

206.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 ₾1.91

$0.43 ₹41.16

67.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 ₾4.87

$0.75 ₹71.5

145.33%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.48

$0.90 ₹86.0

172.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₾19.67

$4.89 ₹465

51.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 ₾17.16

$2.70 ₹257

140.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 ₾25.70

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 ₾3.18

$1.77 ₹168

-32.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₾4.14

$0.56 ₹53.1

178.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.75

$0.74 ₹70.2

141.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.90

$0.46 ₹43.72

384.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.73

$0.31 ₹29.01

109.68%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 ₾1.79

$0.46 ₹43.64

47.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.16

$0.36 ₹34.67

230.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.86

$0.34 ₹32.03

105.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₾7.82

$3.90 ₹371

-24.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 ₾19.41

$7.70 ₹732

-4.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₾4.02

$1.73 ₹165

-12.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.95

$3.74 ₹356

-39.84%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$4.35 ₹414

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$0.60 ₹57.1

-40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.60 ₾38.68

$8.95 ₹851

63.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.97

$0.37 ₹34.85

305.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 ₾1.92

$0.24 ₹22.93

204.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾19.74

$1.43 ₹136

420.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.01

$1.20 ₹114

-5.00%

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

$18.5K ₾49.0K

$11.8K ₹1.1M

56.95%

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

$20.3K ₾53.6K

$16.6K ₹1.6M

22.37%

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

$73.9 ₾196

$30.71 ₹2,920

140.57%

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

$11.71 ₾31.01

$2.92 ₹278

301.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.16 ₾48.09

$7.16 ₹681

153.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 ₾163

$10.68 ₹1,015

477.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.66 ₾44.12

$2.32 ₹221

618.10%

Cinema Ticket

$6.61 ₾17.50

$3.56 ₹338

85.67%

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

$264 ₾700

$37.40 ₹3,557

606.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,145 ₾13.6K

$728 ₹69.2K

606.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 ₾198

$20.81 ₹1,979

259.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.98 ₾117

$27.68 ₹2,632

58.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾312

$51.2 ₹4,866

129.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾301

$25.41 ₹2,416

347.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 ₾1,833

$159 ₹15.2K

333.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₾1,203

$90.0 ₹8,558

404.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 ₾3,504

$307 ₹29.2K

330.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,089

$187 ₹17.7K

322.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,431 ₾6,440

$562 ₹53.5K

332.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 ₾3,818

$334 ₹31.8K

331.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$645 ₾1,709

$423 ₹40.3K

52.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

7.5

58.53%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: June 9, 2026

Last update for Kota: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $692 in Tbilisi and $159 in Kota. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 52% 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: $44.00 in Tbilisi vs $9.00 in Kota for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 vs $102 per month, with Kota 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 Kota: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi and Kota differ by about 232% in total monthly costs ($1,218 vs $366 including rent). Kota is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Tbilisi pays 52% more on average, 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: $692 in Tbilisi versus $159 in Kota. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 101% higher in Tbilisi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Kota – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $44.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $366 in Kota versus $1,218 in Tbilisi, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kota but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Kota 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 Kota 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 Kota gentler on the wallet – expenses run 232% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.