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: $1,247 in Tbilisi versus $335 in Kota.

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

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,803 in Tbilisi versus $738 in Kota.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 272% more expensive than in Kota, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 9% lower, Kota 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.33 ₾29.45

$2.14 ₹205

429.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.71 ₾101

$7.99 ₹767

384.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 ₾24.73

$2.68 ₹257

255.22%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ₾8.85

$0.65 ₹62.0

424.62%

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

$1.04 ₾2.71

$0.35 ₹34.04

197.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₾1.66

$0.17 ₹16.70

276.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 ₾6.79

$1.56 ₹149

67.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ₾8.43

$3.20 ₹307

1.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₾5.65

$0.59 ₹56.6

267.80%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ₾1.92

$0.41 ₹38.98

80.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 ₾4.45

$0.64 ₹61.3

167.19%

Eggs

$2.83 ₾7.36

$0.82 ₹79.1

245.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 ₾23.95

$4.31 ₹414

113.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 ₾17.55

$2.67 ₹256

153.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.77 ₾33.17

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.26

$1.52 ₹146

7.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ₾4.60

$0.51 ₹49.25

247.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾4.85

$0.67 ₹64.7

179.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 ₾6.34

$0.44 ₹41.81

454.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.25

$0.31 ₹30.11

180.65%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$0.40 ₹38.65

62.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 ₾3.64

$0.32 ₹31.14

337.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$0.28 ₹26.46

164.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 ₾8.86

$4.24 ₹406

-19.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.60 ₾19.75

$7.68 ₹737

-1.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₾4.41

$1.49 ₹143

14.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.20

$1.93 ₹185

23.32%

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

$4.74 ₹455

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.94

$0.54 ₹51.7

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.24 ₾39.60

$25.99 ₹2,493

-41.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₾3.07

$0.30 ₹28.63

293.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ₾1.97

$0.22 ₹21.15

245.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.34 ₾29.47

$1.02 ₹98.2

1011.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₾3.46

$1.10 ₹105

20.91%

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

$24.7K ₾64.2K

$15.7K ₹1.5M

57.84%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$17.2K ₹1.7M

27.69%

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

$88.9 ₾231

$13.16 ₹1,262

575.23%

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

$13.33 ₾34.63

$2.49 ₹239

435.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ₾52.3

$6.27 ₹602

220.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.7 ₾178

$10.34 ₹992

564.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.09 ₾47.01

$4.11 ₹394

340.15%

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 ₾17.46

$3.05 ₹292

120.33%

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

$374 ₾971

$33.94 ₹3,256

1000.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.8K

$648 ₹62.1K

1551.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₾263

$22.08 ₹2,119

358.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.33 ₾102

$32.79 ₹3,146

19.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾305

$34.83 ₹3,341

237.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$21.02 ₹2,017

481.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 ₾1,773

$143 ₹13.7K

377.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,186

$79.0 ₹7,578

477.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 ₾3,385

$269 ₹25.9K

383.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 ₾2,337

$171 ₹16.4K

426.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,449 ₾6,365

$556 ₹53.3K

340.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,452 ₾3,774

$333 ₹31.9K

336.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 ₾1,695

$417 ₹40.0K

56.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

7.5

68.27%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: September 13, 2026

Last update for Kota: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $682 in Tbilisi and $143 in Kota. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 57% 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 $8.00 in Kota for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $91.0 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 272% in total monthly costs ($1,247 vs $335 including rent). Kota is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 57% 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 $143 in Kota. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 156% 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 $8.00 versus $39.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $335 in Kota versus $1,247 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 272% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.