Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Male Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Male

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,209 in Tbilisi versus $1,524 in Male.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,867 in Tbilisi versus $2,378 in Male.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,526 in Tbilisi versus $3,232 in Male.

Living in Tbilisi costs roughly 21% less than in Male, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tbilisi is 10% below, Male is 14% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 ₾28.70

$5.51 MVR 85.0

96.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.18 ₾115

$29.17 MVR 450

48.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.29 ₾22.03

$9.86 MVR 152

-15.92%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.44 MVR 68.5

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MVR 56.0

Cappuccino

$3.00 ₾7.96

$2.86 MVR 44.15

4.90%

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

$0.82 ₾2.17

$1.28 MVR 19.76

-35.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.21

$0.25 MVR 3.83

84.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 ₾5.93

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.75

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.11

$1.79 MVR 27.55

7.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.81

$1.55 MVR 23.96

-56.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.99

$1.35 MVR 20.89

39.26%

Eggs

$2.54 ₾6.73

$1.80 MVR 27.76

41.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 ₾19.70

$8.27 MVR 128

-10.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ₾16.43

$6.30 MVR 97.1

-1.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ₾24.86

$9.12 MVR 141

2.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 ₾3.25

$4.14 MVR 63.8

-70.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ₾4.40

$3.78 MVR 58.3

-56.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.78

$4.33 MVR 66.8

-58.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 ₾5.96

$3.19 MVR 49.24

-29.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.89

$1.49 MVR 22.98

-52.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.79

$1.23 MVR 18.91

-45.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.13

$3.06 MVR 47.22

-61.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.76

$0.51 MVR 7.83

29.41%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.30 MVR 190

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 MVR 41.50

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.51 MVR 162

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ₾7.91

$8.33 MVR 128

-64.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₾20.21

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.08

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$0.66 MVR 10.18

-45.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 ₾38.36

$28.81 MVR 444

-49.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ₾3.96

$1.94 MVR 29.87

-23.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.82

$1.91 MVR 29.43

-64.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 ₾19.19

$9.96 MVR 154

-27.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.04

$0.92 MVR 14.17

23.91%

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

$18.5K ₾49.0K

$32.2K MVR 497.2K

-42.75%

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

$20.0K ₾53.0K

$34.6K MVR 534.0K

-42.35%

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

$73.7 ₾196

$105 MVR 1,613

-29.55%

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

$11.64 ₾30.91

$41.62 MVR 642

-72.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.84 ₾47.39

$76.6 MVR 1,182

-76.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 ₾160

$80.6 MVR 1,242

-25.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ₾44.63

$43.50 MVR 671

-61.38%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ₾17.54

$9.81 MVR 151

-32.72%

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

$266 ₾708

$163 MVR 2,521

62.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,191 ₾13.8K

$3,626 MVR 55.9K

43.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾206

$45.36 MVR 700

71.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.75 ₾119

$55.8 MVR 860

-19.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾310

$89.7 MVR 1,383

30.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾300

$54.4 MVR 839

107.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,839

$970 MVR 15.0K

-28.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,226

$700 MVR 10.8K

-34.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 ₾3,505

$1,701 MVR 26.2K

-22.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₾2,056

$1,427 MVR 22.0K

-45.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,430 ₾6,455

$2,300 MVR 35.5K

5.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 ₾3,840

$1,905 MVR 29.4K

-24.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 ₾1,787

$857 MVR 13.2K

-21.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

12.4

-4.11%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Male: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $693 in Tbilisi and $970 in Male. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Male pays 27% 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 $29.00 in Male. Groceries flip the comparison at $203 vs $232, with Tbilisi cheaper for home cooking.

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 Male: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Male earns 27% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $693 in Tbilisi versus $970 in Male. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,209 per month in Tbilisi versus $1,524 in Male – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Tbilisi runs roughly 100% less than in Male. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,209 in Tbilisi versus $1,524 in Male, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Male. The gap between the two cities makes Tbilisi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Tbilisi is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Male, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Male 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 Tbilisi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Male. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.