Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Machakos Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Machakos

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,218 in Tbilisi versus $443 in Machakos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,853 in Tbilisi versus $754 in Machakos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,489 in Tbilisi versus $1,065 in Machakos.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 175% more expensive than Machakos, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 9% lower, Machakos 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.85 ₾28.75

$2.34 KES 303

363.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.17 ₾117

$38.41 KES 4,980

15.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 ₾21.94

$6.89 KES 893

20.17%

Cappuccino

$3.02 ₾8.00

$1.95 KES 252

54.87%

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

$0.76 ₾2.02

$0.69 KES 90.1

10.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.22

$0.51 KES 65.7

-9.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ₾5.93

$1.88 KES 243

19.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.95

$2.77 KES 359

8.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.11

$0.40 KES 52.4

382.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 ₾1.91

$0.44 KES 56.9

63.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 ₾4.87

$0.76 KES 97.9

142.11%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.48

$1.36 KES 176

80.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₾19.67

$11.49 KES 1,490

-35.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 ₾17.16

$6.77 KES 878

-4.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 ₾25.70

$4.75 KES 615

104.21%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 ₾3.18

$1.53 KES 198

-21.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₾4.14

$0.75 KES 96.9

108.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.75

$0.37 KES 48.26

383.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.90

$0.38 KES 49.23

486.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.73

$0.80 KES 104

-18.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 ₾1.79

$0.78 KES 101

-12.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.16

$0.65 KES 83.7

83.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.86

$0.38 KES 48.81

84.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₾7.82

$3.11 KES 404

-5.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 ₾19.41

$11.55 KES 1,498

-36.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₾4.02

$1.98 KES 257

-23.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.95

$2.75 KES 356

-18.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.60 ₾38.68

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.97

$0.73 KES 95.2

105.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 ₾1.92

$0.80 KES 103

-8.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾19.74

$2.96 KES 384

151.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.01

$1.51 KES 196

-24.50%

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

$18.5K ₾49.0K

$22.0K KES 2.8M

-15.71%

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

$20.3K ₾53.6K

$19.6K KES 2.5M

3.08%

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

$73.9 ₾196

$34.62 KES 4,489

113.40%

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

$11.71 ₾31.01

$7.56 KES 980

54.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.16 ₾48.09

$11.64 KES 1,510

56.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 ₾163

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.66 ₾44.12

Cinema Ticket

$6.61 ₾17.50

$6.27 KES 813

5.42%

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

$264 ₾700

$46.87 KES 6,077

463.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,145 ₾13.6K

$7,961 KES 1.0M

-35.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 ₾198

$11.72 KES 1,520

538.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.98 ₾117

$23.84 KES 3,091

84.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾312

$65.5 KES 8,497

79.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾301

$38.27 KES 4,962

197.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 ₾1,833

$93.1 KES 12.1K

643.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₾1,203

$68.7 KES 8,910

560.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 ₾3,504

$152 KES 19.7K

771.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,089

$118 KES 15.3K

568.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,431 ₾6,440

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 ₾3,818

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$645 ₾1,709

$393 KES 50.9K

64.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

14.84

-19.88%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: June 9, 2026

Last update for Machakos: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $692 in Tbilisi and $93.1 in Machakos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 64% 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 $38.00 in Machakos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 vs $165 per month, with Machakos 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 Machakos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Machakos wins on cost – living expenses run 175% lower than in Tbilisi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Machakos the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Tbilisi pays 64% 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: $692 in Tbilisi versus $93.1 in Machakos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Tbilisi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,218 per month in Tbilisi versus $443 in Machakos – a 175% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $443 in Machakos versus $1,218 in Tbilisi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Machakos but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Machakos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Machakos delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $443 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Machakos hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Machakos 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 Machakos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 175% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.