Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Kuruman

For one person, living is cheaper in Kuruman: $1,162 a month against $1,278 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $1,400 less a year. The total is higher in Tbilisi despite lower rent and utilities.

Tbilisi, Georgia
Kuruman, South Africa
Tbilisi
🇬🇪 Georgia
$1,278
/mo nomad
Kuruman
🇿🇦 South Africa
$1,162
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Kuruman

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tbilisi and in Kuruman actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Tbilisi versus $1,162 in Kuruman.

  • Tbilisi $1,278
  • Kuruman $1,162

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,017 in Tbilisi versus $1,815 in Kuruman.

  • Tbilisi $2,017
  • Kuruman $1,815

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,755 in Tbilisi versus $2,468 in Kuruman.

  • Tbilisi $2,755
  • Kuruman $2,468

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 10% more expensive than in Kuruman, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 5% lower, Kuruman 14% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tbilisi
Kuruman
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.62 ₾30.06
$10.85 R 179
7.10%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.41 ₾99.3
$37.97 R 626
1.16%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.74 ₾25.18
$5.59 R 92.1
74.24%
Cappuccino
$3.56 ₾9.21
$1.85 R 30.49
92.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.08 ₾2.79
$1.14 R 18.82
-5.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₾1.46
$0.59 R 9.66
-5.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.73 ₾7.05
$2.45 R 40.42
11.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.13 ₾8.08
$2.68 R 44.16
16.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
Kuruman
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.14 ₾5.54
$1.14 R 18.84
87.72%
White Bread (500g)
$0.75 ₾1.95
$1.31 R 21.55
-42.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.80 ₾4.66
$1.78 R 29.27
1.12%
Eggs
$2.80 ₾7.25
$4.26 R 70.2
-34.27%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.43 ₾24.39
$8.52 R 140
10.68%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.00 ₾18.09
$5.05 R 83.3
38.61%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 ₾32.82
$7.49 R 123
69.43%
Apples (1kg)
$1.63 ₾4.21
$1.85 R 30.52
-11.89%
Banana (1kg)
$1.84 ₾4.77
$1.63 R 26.81
12.88%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.97 ₾5.09
$1.77 R 29.21
11.30%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.47 ₾6.38
$1.66 R 27.42
48.80%
Potato (1kg)
$0.75 ₾1.95
$1.43 R 23.56
-47.55%
Onion (1kg)
$0.67 ₾1.74
$1.42 R 23.39
-52.82%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.41 ₾3.66
$1.18 R 19.41
19.49%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 ₾1.86
$1.18 R 19.37
-38.98%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.51 ₾9.08
$3.64 R 60.1
-3.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.89 ₾20.39
$4.93 R 81.3
60.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 ₾4.41
$1.45 R 23.84
17.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 ₾6.12
$1.89 R 31.19
25.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Tbilisi
Kuruman
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.38 ₾0.98
$1.56 R 25.74
-75.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.29 ₾39.54
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.19 ₾3.08
$0.85 R 14.05
40.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.74 ₾1.91
$0.82 R 13.51
-9.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.89 ₾30.75
$13.01 R 214
-8.61%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.46 ₾3.77
$1.49 R 24.52
-2.01%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.0K ₾64.6K
$30.4K R 501.3K
-17.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.8K ₾59.0K
$30.8K R 507.9K
-25.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
Kuruman
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.1 ₾228
$153 R 2,528
-42.55%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.71 ₾32.85
$34.83 R 574
-63.51%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.79 ₾51.2
$37.52 R 618
-47.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
Kuruman
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$64.3 ₾166
$32.98 R 544
94.97%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.17 ₾49.57
$10.85 R 179
76.68%
Cinema Ticket
$6.65 ₾17.19
$6.48 R 107
2.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tbilisi
Kuruman
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$371 ₾960
$265 R 4,364
40.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,163 ₾23.7K
$6,306 R 103.9K
45.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
Kuruman
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 ₾264
$54.2 R 892
88.75%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.65 ₾103
$34.07 R 561
16.38%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$118 ₾305
$98.2 R 1,618
20.28%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120 ₾310
$85.0 R 1,400
40.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
Kuruman
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$690 ₾1,784
$438 R 7,220
57.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$461 ₾1,193
$403 R 6,648
14.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,362 ₾3,522
$650 R 10.7K
109.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$897 ₾2,320
$836 R 13.8K
7.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,277 ₾5,888
$799 R 13.2K
185.00%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,378 ₾3,562
$679 R 11.2K
102.91%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tbilisi
Kuruman
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$710 ₾1,836
$1,098 R 18.1K
-35.33%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.53
10.92
14.74%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: November 2, 2026

Last update for Kuruman: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
$461
Kuruman
$403 12.5% $58
Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
$235
Kuruman
$203 13.6% $32
Eating Out
Tbilisi
$191
Kuruman
$150 21.5% $41
Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
$171
Kuruman
$122 28.5% $49
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
$121
Kuruman
$226 87.2% $105
Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
$78
Kuruman
$46 40.8% $32
Getting Around
Tbilisi
$22
Kuruman
$11 * 48.3% $10

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $690 in Tbilisi and $438 in Kuruman. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuruman pays 55% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $38 in Tbilisi vs $38 in Kuruman. Groceries flip the comparison at $235 vs $203, with Kuruman cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇬🇪 Tbilisi
🇿🇦 Kuruman
🕒 Local time
08:39 8:39 AM
06:39 6:39 AM
2 h behind Tbilisi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,241,700 Capital
9,093
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

ZAR, USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.387 USD). 1 EUR = 2.9 GEL (1 GEL = 0.344 EUR).

South African Rand exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 16.48 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.07 USD). 1 EUR = 18.5 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tbilisi Kuruman 8,000 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Tbilisi
  • Kuruman

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Kuruman: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Tbilisi and in Kuruman?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,278 in Tbilisi and $1,162 in Kuruman, so Kuruman is about 9% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 35% lower in Tbilisi. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Tbilisi and in Kuruman?
Rent for a central apartment: $690 in Tbilisi versus $438 in Kuruman. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Tbilisi and Kuruman?
Childcare runs $371 in Tbilisi versus $265 in Kuruman. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more expensive overall: Tbilisi or Kuruman?
All in, you’ll spend $1,278 per month in Tbilisi versus $1,162 in Kuruman – Kuruman is about 9% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How far does $2,000 go in Tbilisi compared to Kuruman?
Either city works on $2,000 a month, though Kuruman gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
How does quality of life compare between Tbilisi and Kuruman?
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.
Is Tbilisi or Kuruman safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Kuruman are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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