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: $1,185 in Tbilisi versus $453 in Machakos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,834 in Tbilisi versus $752 in Machakos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,483 in Tbilisi versus $1,051 in Machakos.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 161% more expensive than Machakos, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 12% lower, Machakos 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.15 ₾30.00

$2.34 KES 302

376.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.13 ₾116

$38.88 KES 5,018

10.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 ₾22.11

$6.85 KES 884

20.00%

Cappuccino

$3.13 ₾8.42

$1.99 KES 257

57.29%

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

$0.74 ₾2.00

$0.74 KES 95.7

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₾1.22

$0.50 KES 64.9

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ₾5.74

$1.91 KES 247

11.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ₾8.06

$2.70 KES 348

10.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₾5.09

$0.38 KES 48.71

397.37%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₾1.97

$0.45 KES 57.8

62.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.98

$0.81 KES 104

128.40%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.58

$1.35 KES 175

81.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.85 ₾21.12

$11.65 KES 1,504

-32.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ₾16.82

$6.69 KES 864

-6.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.77 ₾26.28

$4.57 KES 590

113.79%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 ₾3.26

$1.53 KES 197

-20.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₾4.28

$0.73 KES 94.5

117.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.81

$0.41 KES 52.4

336.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 ₾6.25

$0.37 KES 48.38

527.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.91

$0.78 KES 101

-8.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.81

$0.75 KES 97.4

-10.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.16

$0.65 KES 84.0

81.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₾1.92

$0.41 KES 52.8

73.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.85

$3.01 KES 388

-2.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.25 ₾19.50

$11.72 KES 1,512

-38.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₾4.17

$1.98 KES 255

-21.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.21

$2.73 KES 353

-15.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.03

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.81 ₾39.83

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ₾3.98

$0.75 KES 97.1

97.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.86

$0.80 KES 104

-13.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾20.05

$2.97 KES 383

150.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₾3.10

$1.45 KES 187

-20.69%

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

$18.0K ₾48.4K

$21.9K KES 2.8M

-17.95%

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

$19.8K ₾53.4K

$20.2K KES 2.6M

-1.74%

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

$73.4 ₾198

$33.86 KES 4,370

116.89%

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

$11.64 ₾31.32

$7.93 KES 1,023

46.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.77 ₾47.79

$11.71 KES 1,511

51.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 ₾163

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 ₾44.21

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.52

$6.05 KES 781

7.60%

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

$263 ₾707

$45.51 KES 5,874

477.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,136 ₾13.8K

$8,077 KES 1.0M

-36.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾209

$11.55 KES 1,491

572.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.39 ₾119

$24.37 KES 3,145

82.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾317

$66.4 KES 8,570

77.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾307

$38.37 KES 4,952

197.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,865

$92.4 KES 11.9K

650.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,244

$69.9 KES 9,021

561.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 ₾3,597

$154 KES 19.8K

770.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$779 ₾2,096

$115 KES 14.8K

578.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,530 ₾6,805

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,430 ₾3,847

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$633 ₾1,702

$389 KES 50.2K

62.67%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Machakos: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $693 in Tbilisi and $92.4 in Machakos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 63% 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 $39.00 in Machakos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 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 161% 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 63% 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 $92.4 in Machakos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Tbilisi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,185 per month in Tbilisi versus $453 in Machakos – a 161% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $453 in Machakos versus $1,185 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 $453 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 161% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.