Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Mary

For one person, living is cheaper in Mary: $468 a month against $1,270 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Tbilisi
🇬🇪 Georgia
$1,270
/mo nomad
Mary
🇹🇲 Turkmenistan
$468
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Mary

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tbilisi and in Mary actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,270 in Tbilisi versus $468 in Mary.

  • Tbilisi $1,270
  • Mary $468

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,008 in Tbilisi versus $710 in Mary.

  • Tbilisi $2,008
  • Mary $710

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,745 in Tbilisi versus $951 in Mary.

  • Tbilisi $2,745
  • Mary $951

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 171% more expensive than in Mary, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 6% lower, Mary 65% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tbilisi
Mary
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.51 ₾29.79
$11.49 TMT 38.59
0.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.27 ₾99.1
-
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.80 ₾25.36
$8.49 TMT 28.51
15.43%
Cappuccino
$3.55 ₾9.19
$8.38 TMT 28.17
-57.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.06 ₾2.74
$12.61 TMT 42.36
-91.59%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.62 ₾1.60
$1.40 TMT 4.71
-55.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.76 ₾7.16
$14.55 TMT 48.90
-81.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 ₾7.77
$11.63 TMT 39.07
-74.20%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
Mary
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.16 ₾5.59
$2.91 TMT 9.78
-25.77%
White Bread (500g)
$0.76 ₾1.96
-
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.74 ₾4.51
-
-
Eggs
$2.79 ₾7.21
$6.95 TMT 23.34
-59.86%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.20 ₾23.83
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.53 ₾16.89
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.81 ₾33.17
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$1.67 ₾4.31
$2.22 TMT 7.45
-24.77%
Banana (1kg)
$1.85 ₾4.79
-
-
Oranges (1kg)
$1.98 ₾5.13
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$2.51 ₾6.49
$1.45 TMT 4.88
73.10%
Potato (1kg)
$0.87 ₾2.26
$1.95 TMT 6.56
-55.38%
Onion (1kg)
$0.73 ₾1.89
$1.70 TMT 5.70
-57.06%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.42 ₾3.67
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 ₾1.88
$1.16 TMT 3.88
-37.93%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.38 ₾8.74
$16.79 TMT 56.4
-79.87%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.84 ₾20.31
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 ₾4.19
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38 ₾6.15
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Tbilisi
Mary
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.37 ₾0.96
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.52 ₾40.16
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.14 ₾2.94
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.79 ₾2.05
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.57 ₾29.96
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.50 ₾3.87
-
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.6K ₾63.7K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.4K ₾57.9K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
Mary
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.3 ₾228
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.08 ₾33.86
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.53 ₾50.6
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
Mary
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$64.2 ₾166
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.18 ₾49.66
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.99 ₾18.10
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tbilisi
Mary
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$373 ₾966
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.7K ₾27.7K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
Mary
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$103 ₾266
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.48 ₾105
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$116 ₾301
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 ₾316
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
Mary
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$677 ₾1,753
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$454 ₾1,176
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,277 ₾3,305
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$890 ₾2,304
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,410 ₾6,238
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,418 ₾3,670
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tbilisi
Mary
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$703 ₾1,819
$212 TMT 712
231.78%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.62
0
-

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

Last update for Tbilisi: October 17, 2026

Last update for Mary: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
$454
Mary
–
Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
$233
Mary
–
Eating Out
Tbilisi
$191
Mary
–
Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
$172
Mary
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
$121
Mary
–
Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
$78
Mary
–
Getting Around
Tbilisi
$22
Mary
–

Cost Breakdown

Tbilisi pays 232% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Good to know
🇬🇪 Tbilisi
🇹🇲 Mary
🕒 Local time
21:58 9:58 PM
22:58 10:58 PM
1 h ahead of Tbilisi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,241,700 Capital
123,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

TMT, USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.386 USD). 1 EUR = 2.91 GEL (1 GEL = 0.344 EUR).

Turkmenistani Manat exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 3.36 TMT (1 TMT = 0.298 USD). 1 EUR = 3.78 TMT (1 TMT = 0.265 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tbilisi Mary 1,530 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Tbilisi
  • Mary

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Mary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Tbilisi or Mary?
Mary wins on cost – living expenses run 171% lower than in Tbilisi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mary the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Tbilisi or in Mary?
Average pay runs 232% higher in Tbilisi, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
Are groceries more expensive in Tbilisi or in Mary?
Supermarket bills run roughly 137% higher in Tbilisi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Tbilisi compared to Mary?
All in, you'll spend $1,270 per month in Tbilisi versus $468 in Mary – a 171% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Tbilisi or in Mary?
At $468 in Mary versus $1,270 in Tbilisi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mary but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Mary the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Tbilisi or Mary?
Both work as nomad bases, but Mary delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $468 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mary hard to pass up.
How safe is Tbilisi compared to Mary?
Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Mary are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Mary gentler on the wallet – expenses run 171% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Tbilisi vs other spots: cost of living compared

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