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: $1,191 in Tbilisi versus $442 in Machakos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,856 in Tbilisi versus $763 in Machakos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,522 in Tbilisi versus $1,085 in Machakos.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 169% more expensive than in Machakos, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 11% lower, Machakos 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.91 ₾28.56

$2.37 KES 307

360.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.19 ₾113

$38.19 KES 4,936

13.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 ₾22.31

$6.63 KES 857

28.66%

Cappuccino

$2.99 ₾7.81

$1.89 KES 244

58.20%

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

$0.81 ₾2.12

$0.71 KES 91.6

14.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₾1.09

$0.50 KES 64.4

-16.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 ₾5.65

$1.95 KES 252

10.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₾7.52

$2.65 KES 342

8.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ₾5.08

$0.41 KES 52.8

373.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$0.48 KES 61.6

41.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.83

$0.76 KES 97.7

143.42%

Eggs

$2.53 ₾6.62

$1.37 KES 177

84.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.53 ₾19.69

$11.41 KES 1,475

-34.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 ₾16.39

$6.59 KES 851

-5.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.59 ₾25.09

$4.68 KES 604

104.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 ₾3.04

$1.51 KES 195

-23.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.29

$0.74 KES 95.6

121.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.93

$0.37 KES 48.17

408.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.84

$0.38 KES 48.78

486.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$0.73 KES 94.9

-4.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₾1.68

$0.79 KES 102

-18.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.09

$0.66 KES 85.0

78.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$0.37 KES 48.00

89.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 ₾7.78

$3.12 KES 403

-4.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.43 ₾19.45

$11.40 KES 1,474

-34.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.03

$1.96 KES 253

-21.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₾5.98

$2.79 KES 361

-18.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.73 ₾38.54

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ₾3.71

$0.76 KES 98.2

86.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.81

$0.73 KES 94.8

-5.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.27 ₾19.02

$2.94 KES 379

147.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.86

$1.51 KES 195

-27.81%

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

$18.3K ₾47.9K

$21.4K KES 2.8M

-14.18%

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

$20.5K ₾53.6K

$19.7K KES 2.5M

4.13%

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

$74.4 ₾195

$34.06 KES 4,402

118.29%

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

$11.71 ₾30.63

$7.77 KES 1,004

50.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ₾46.06

$11.38 KES 1,471

54.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.3 ₾158

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.29 ₾42.63

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.03

$6.02 KES 778

8.14%

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

$269 ₾704

$47.26 KES 6,109

469.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,154 ₾13.5K

$8,045 KES 1.0M

-35.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.1 ₾202

$11.59 KES 1,498

565.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.48 ₾114

$23.79 KES 3,075

82.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾310

$65.9 KES 8,522

79.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾295

$38.20 KES 4,937

195.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 ₾1,856

$92.3 KES 11.9K

668.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 ₾1,215

$68.4 KES 8,838

579.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 ₾3,442

$156 KES 20.1K

745.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$767 ₾2,007

$114 KES 14.7K

572.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,492 ₾6,522

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,442 ₾3,773

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$663 ₾1,735

$380 KES 49.1K

74.47%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Machakos: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $709 in Tbilisi and $92.3 in Machakos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 74% 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 $38.00 in Machakos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 vs $163 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 169% 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 74% 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: $709 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 25% higher in Tbilisi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,191 per month in Tbilisi versus $442 in Machakos – a 169% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $442 in Machakos versus $1,191 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 $442 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 169% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.