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: $1,279 in Tbilisi versus $753 in Kukes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,011 in Tbilisi versus $1,133 in Kukes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,743 in Tbilisi versus $1,513 in Kukes.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 70% more expensive than in Kukes, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 7% lower, Kukes 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.43 ₾29.72

$3.88 ALL 306

194.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.16 ₾99.2

$22.80 ALL 1,801

67.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.40 ₾24.45

$7.69 ALL 607

22.24%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ₾8.78

$1.51 ALL 119

123.84%

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

$1.04 ₾2.70

$1.37 ALL 108

-24.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₾1.56

$0.69 ALL 54.8

-13.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 ₾7.05

$1.88 ALL 148

44.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ₾7.90

$2.26 ALL 178

34.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 ₾5.90

$1.66 ALL 131

36.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ₾2.04

$0.85 ALL 67.4

-7.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ₾4.21

$2.07 ALL 164

-21.74%

Eggs

$2.74 ₾7.13

$2.75 ALL 217

-0.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.30 ₾24.19

$9.70 ALL 766

-4.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.79 ₾17.65

$7.42 ALL 586

-8.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.01 ₾33.84

$10.92 ALL 862

19.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.27

$0.98 ALL 77.8

67.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ₾4.77

$1.98 ALL 156

-7.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 ₾4.94

$1.04 ALL 82.1

82.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 ₾6.68

$1.69 ALL 134

52.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 ₾2.19

$0.79 ALL 62.8

6.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$1.09 ALL 85.7

-40.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₾3.54

$1.09 ALL 86.2

24.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₾2.07

$0.67 ALL 52.8

19.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ₾8.85

$4.52 ALL 357

-24.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.67 ₾19.94

$7.79 ALL 615

-1.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₾4.36

$1.11 ALL 87.5

51.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.18

$1.67 ALL 132

42.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ₾1.02

$0.49 ALL 38.95

-20.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.55 ₾40.44

$20.48 ALL 1,617

-24.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.96

$3.89 ALL 307

-70.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$3.97 ALL 313

-81.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.32 ₾29.42

$4.98 ALL 394

127.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 ₾3.60

$2.27 ALL 179

-39.21%

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

$24.6K ₾63.9K

$34.2K ALL 2.7M

-28.22%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$25.5K ALL 2.0M

-13.91%

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

$88.7 ₾231

$63.3 ALL 4,998

40.22%

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

$13.18 ₾34.26

$16.46 ALL 1,300

-19.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.68 ₾51.2

$17.83 ALL 1,408

10.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 ₾177

$58.1 ALL 4,589

17.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.94 ₾46.65

$12.75 ALL 1,007

40.71%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ₾16.70

$3.89 ALL 307

65.04%

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

$372 ₾967

$103 ALL 8,134

261.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K ₾28.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₾272

$37.62 ALL 2,971

177.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.83 ₾101

$28.63 ALL 2,261

35.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₾299

$51.3 ALL 4,054

123.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$44.62 ALL 3,524

174.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 ₾1,770

$240 ALL 19.0K

183.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,185

$175 ALL 13.8K

160.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 ₾3,410

$287 ALL 22.6K

357.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$892 ₾2,321

$213 ALL 16.8K

318.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,391 ₾6,216

$1,915 ALL 151.2K

24.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,425 ₾3,704

$1,264 ALL 99.9K

12.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$640 ₾1,663

$545 ALL 43.0K

17.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

152.40%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: September 5, 2026

Last update for Kukes: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $681 in Tbilisi and $240 in Kukes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 17% 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: $38.00 in Tbilisi vs $23.00 in Kukes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $236 vs $214 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 70% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 17% 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: $681 in Tbilisi versus $240 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 32% less than in Tbilisi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $372 in Tbilisi versus $103 in Kukes. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $753 in Kukes versus $1,279 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 70% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.