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: $1,247 in Tbilisi versus $526 in Machakos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,025 in Tbilisi versus $809 in Machakos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,803 in Tbilisi versus $1,092 in Machakos.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 137% more expensive than in Machakos, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 9% lower, Machakos 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.33 ₾29.44

$3.07 KES 397

269.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.71 ₾101

$19.14 KES 2,476

102.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 ₾24.72

$6.36 KES 823

49.69%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ₾8.85

$1.96 KES 254

73.98%

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

$1.04 ₾2.71

$0.60 KES 77.3

73.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₾1.66

$0.53 KES 69.0

20.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 ₾6.79

$2.13 KES 276

22.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ₾8.43

$2.74 KES 355

18.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₾5.65

$0.38 KES 48.67

471.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ₾1.92

$0.47 KES 61.1

57.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 ₾4.45

$0.73 KES 94.8

134.25%

Eggs

$2.83 ₾7.36

$1.38 KES 178

105.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 ₾23.95

$10.68 KES 1,383

-13.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 ₾17.55

$6.50 KES 841

4.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.77 ₾33.17

$4.68 KES 606

172.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.26

$1.57 KES 204

4.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ₾4.60

$0.81 KES 104

118.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾4.85

$0.38 KES 48.89

392.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 ₾6.34

$0.37 KES 48.05

559.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.25

$0.80 KES 104

8.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$0.78 KES 101

-16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 ₾3.64

$0.69 KES 89.0

102.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$0.38 KES 48.70

94.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 ₾8.86

$3.39 KES 439

0.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.60 ₾19.75

$11.68 KES 1,512

-34.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₾4.41

$1.95 KES 253

-12.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.20

$2.83 KES 366

-15.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.94

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.24 ₾39.60

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₾3.07

$0.79 KES 102

49.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ₾1.97

$0.79 KES 102

-3.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.34 ₾29.46

$2.86 KES 370

296.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₾3.46

$1.43 KES 186

-6.99%

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

$24.7K ₾64.2K

$21.9K KES 2.8M

12.82%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$20.5K KES 2.6M

7.63%

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

$88.9 ₾231

$62.6 KES 8,097

42.02%

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

$13.33 ₾34.63

$7.54 KES 976

76.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ₾52.3

$11.42 KES 1,477

76.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.7 ₾178

$38.55 KES 4,988

78.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.09 ₾47.00

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 ₾17.45

$7.71 KES 997

-12.84%

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

$374 ₾971

$46.27 KES 5,988

707.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.8K

$11.4K KES 1.5M

-6.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₾263

$11.44 KES 1,480

784.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.33 ₾102

$27.85 KES 3,604

41.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾305

$71.0 KES 9,181

65.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$38.84 KES 5,026

214.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 ₾1,773

$92.3 KES 11.9K

639.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,186

$70.3 KES 9,094

549.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 ₾3,384

$154 KES 20.0K

743.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 ₾2,337

$115 KES 14.8K

684.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,449 ₾6,364

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,452 ₾3,773

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 ₾1,695

$391 KES 50.6K

66.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

14.71

-14.21%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: September 13, 2026

Last update for Machakos: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $682 in Tbilisi and $92.3 in Machakos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 67% 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: $39.00 in Tbilisi vs $19.00 in Machakos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $162 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 137% 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.

Average pay runs 67% 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: $682 in Tbilisi versus $92.3 in Machakos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Tbilisi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,247 per month in Tbilisi versus $526 in Machakos – a 137% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $526 in Machakos versus $1,247 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 $526 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 137% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.