Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Kukes Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Kukes

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,197 in Tbilisi versus $976 in Kukes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,868 in Tbilisi versus $1,436 in Kukes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,538 in Tbilisi versus $1,896 in Kukes.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 23% more expensive than in Kukes, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 10% lower, Kukes 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.82 ₾28.38

$9.38 ALL 765

15.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.85 ₾115

$37.26 ALL 3,039

17.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.31 ₾21.79

$6.90 ALL 563

20.43%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ₾7.78

$1.86 ALL 151

59.68%

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

$0.77 ₾2.01

$1.57 ALL 128

-50.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.20

$0.82 ALL 67.0

-43.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ₾5.63

$2.29 ALL 187

-6.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ₾7.52

$3.24 ALL 264

-11.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₾4.99

$1.56 ALL 127

21.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 ₾1.86

$0.85 ALL 69.3

-16.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 ₾5.00

$2.02 ALL 164

-5.45%

Eggs

$2.48 ₾6.52

$3.04 ALL 248

-18.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 ₾20.29

$9.29 ALL 757

-16.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 ₾16.20

$7.21 ALL 588

-14.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.57 ₾25.11

$8.15 ALL 664

17.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 ₾3.06

$1.15 ALL 94.0

1.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₾4.34

$1.79 ALL 146

-7.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.84

$0.99 ALL 80.4

86.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 ₾6.11

$1.39 ALL 113

67.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.85

$0.74 ALL 60.1

-4.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.76

$0.79 ALL 64.3

-15.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.12

$0.93 ALL 75.8

27.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.72

$0.72 ALL 58.9

-8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.65

$3.55 ALL 290

-17.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.69 ₾20.17

$7.27 ALL 593

5.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₾4.18

$0.91 ALL 74.6

74.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.06

$1.72 ALL 140

34.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.01

$0.49 ALL 40.11

-22.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.76 ₾38.71

$18.63 ALL 1,519

-20.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.92

$3.59 ALL 293

-58.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$3.16 ALL 258

-78.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.26 ₾19.03

$4.63 ALL 377

56.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.87

$2.11 ALL 172

-48.34%

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

$18.6K ₾48.8K

$35.0K ALL 2.9M

-46.77%

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

$20.5K ₾53.7K

$24.9K ALL 2.0M

-17.81%

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

$73.0 ₾191

$67.8 ALL 5,529

7.69%

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

$11.97 ₾31.40

$17.32 ALL 1,413

-30.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ₾47.21

$16.14 ALL 1,317

11.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 ₾160

$54.9 ALL 4,476

11.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.52 ₾43.33

$25.12 ALL 2,048

-34.24%

Cinema Ticket

$6.70 ₾17.58

$3.46 ALL 282

93.64%

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

$269 ₾705

$95.4 ALL 7,777

181.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,152 ₾13.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.5 ₾201

$35.24 ALL 2,874

117.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.41 ₾114

$23.28 ALL 1,898

86.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 ₾316

$41.26 ALL 3,365

191.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾290

$50.2 ALL 4,092

120.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$687 ₾1,802

$442 ALL 36.1K

55.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 ₾1,234

$346 ALL 28.2K

36.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 ₾3,549

$603 ALL 49.1K

124.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,069

$429 ALL 35.0K

83.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,468 ₾6,472

$1,835 ALL 149.7K

34.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,456 ₾3,817

$1,204 ALL 98.2K

20.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$659 ₾1,729

$520 ALL 42.4K

26.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

197.25%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: July 13, 2026

Last update for Kukes: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $687 in Tbilisi and $442 in Kukes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 27% 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 $37.00 in Kukes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $199 per month, with Kukes 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 Kukes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kukes is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 27% 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: $687 in Tbilisi versus $442 in Kukes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kukes runs roughly 26% less than in Tbilisi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $269 in Tbilisi versus $95.4 in Kukes. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $976 in Kukes versus $1,197 in Tbilisi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kukes but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Kukes the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kukes is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tbilisi, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Kukes 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 Kukes gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.