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: $1,209 in Tbilisi versus $961 in Kukes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,867 in Tbilisi versus $1,403 in Kukes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,526 in Tbilisi versus $1,845 in Kukes.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 26% more expensive than Kukes, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 10% lower, Kukes 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 ₾28.70

$9.35 ALL 767

15.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.18 ₾115

$37.52 ALL 3,077

15.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.29 ₾22.03

$7.26 ALL 595

14.19%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ₾7.96

$1.85 ALL 152

62.16%

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

$0.82 ₾2.17

$1.59 ALL 131

-48.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.21

$0.87 ALL 71.0

-47.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 ₾5.93

$2.29 ALL 188

-2.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.75

$3.19 ALL 262

-8.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.11

$1.55 ALL 127

24.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.81

$0.79 ALL 64.4

-13.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.99

$2.03 ALL 166

-7.39%

Eggs

$2.54 ₾6.73

$2.95 ALL 242

-13.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 ₾19.70

$9.18 ALL 753

-19.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ₾16.43

$6.91 ALL 567

-10.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ₾24.86

$8.04 ALL 659

16.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 ₾3.25

$1.15 ALL 94.0

6.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ₾4.40

$1.79 ALL 146

-7.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.78

$0.93 ALL 76.1

93.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 ₾5.96

$1.32 ALL 109

69.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.89

$0.70 ALL 57.3

1.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.79

$0.85 ALL 69.4

-21.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.13

$0.96 ALL 78.6

22.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.76

$0.70 ALL 57.1

-5.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ₾7.91

$3.45 ALL 283

-13.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₾20.21

$7.18 ALL 589

5.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.08

$0.93 ALL 75.9

65.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.98

$1.73 ALL 142

30.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$0.45 ALL 37.29

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 ₾38.36

$18.63 ALL 1,528

-22.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ₾3.96

$3.57 ALL 293

-58.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.82

$3.20 ALL 262

-78.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 ₾19.19

$4.78 ALL 392

51.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.04

$2.09 ALL 172

-45.45%

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

$18.5K ₾49.0K

$34.8K ALL 2.9M

-46.94%

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

$20.0K ₾53.0K

$25.5K ALL 2.1M

-21.76%

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

$73.7 ₾196

$66.9 ALL 5,486

10.13%

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

$11.64 ₾30.91

$17.14 ALL 1,406

-32.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.84 ₾47.39

$15.64 ALL 1,282

14.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 ₾160

$56.1 ALL 4,600

7.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ₾44.63

$25.00 ALL 2,050

-32.80%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ₾17.54

$3.62 ALL 297

82.32%

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

$266 ₾708

$94.5 ALL 7,747

182.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,191 ₾13.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾206

$35.96 ALL 2,949

116.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.75 ₾119

$23.35 ALL 1,915

91.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾310

$40.74 ALL 3,340

186.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾300

$49.40 ALL 4,050

128.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,839

$457 ALL 37.5K

51.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,226

$347 ALL 28.5K

33.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 ₾3,505

$613 ALL 50.3K

115.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₾2,056

$429 ALL 35.2K

80.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,430 ₾6,455

$1,995 ALL 163.6K

21.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 ₾3,840

$1,333 ALL 109.3K

8.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 ₾1,787

$534 ALL 43.8K

26.02%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kukes: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $693 in Tbilisi and $457 in Kukes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 26% 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: $43.00 in Tbilisi vs $38.00 in Kukes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $195 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 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Tbilisi pays 26% 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: $693 in Tbilisi versus $457 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 29% less than in Tbilisi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $266 in Tbilisi versus $94.5 in Kukes. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $961 in Kukes versus $1,209 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 26% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.