Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Masterton Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Masterton

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,247 in Tbilisi versus $867 in Masterton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,025 in Tbilisi versus $1,478 in Masterton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,803 in Tbilisi versus $2,089 in Masterton.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 44% more expensive than in Masterton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 9% lower, Masterton 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.33 ₾29.45

$9.94 NZ$17.38

13.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.71 ₾101

$66.8 NZ$117

-42.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 ₾24.73

$8.59 NZ$15.01

10.83%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ₾8.85

$3.30 NZ$5.77

3.33%

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

$1.04 ₾2.71

$2.07 NZ$3.62

-49.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₾1.66

$1.18 NZ$2.06

-45.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 ₾6.79

$3.94 NZ$6.89

-33.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ₾8.43

$3.53 NZ$6.18

-8.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₾5.65

$1.48 NZ$2.59

46.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ₾1.92

$2.25 NZ$3.93

-67.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 ₾4.45

$1.07 NZ$1.87

59.81%

Eggs

$2.83 ₾7.36

$6.32 NZ$11.04

-55.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 ₾23.95

$8.78 NZ$15.36

5.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 ₾17.55

$10.24 NZ$17.90

-33.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.77 ₾33.17

$15.78 NZ$27.59

-19.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.26

$2.36 NZ$4.12

-30.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ₾4.60

$1.79 NZ$3.12

-1.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾4.85

$3.16 NZ$5.53

-40.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 ₾6.34

$4.70 NZ$8.21

-48.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.25

$1.55 NZ$2.71

-43.87%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$1.16 NZ$2.02

-43.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 ₾3.64

$1.78 NZ$3.11

-21.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$0.50 NZ$0.87

48.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 ₾8.86

$19.84 NZ$34.69

-82.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.60 ₾19.75

$11.37 NZ$19.87

-33.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₾4.41

$0.90 NZ$1.57

88.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.20

$1.19 NZ$2.08

100.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.94

$2.36 NZ$4.12

-84.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.24 ₾39.60

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₾3.07

$1.87 NZ$3.26

-36.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ₾1.97

$1.81 NZ$3.16

-58.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.34 ₾29.47

$34.33 NZ$60.0

-66.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₾3.46

$1.74 NZ$3.04

-23.56%

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

$24.7K ₾64.2K

$23.4K NZ$41.0K

5.55%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$25.5K NZ$44.5K

-13.49%

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

$88.9 ₾231

$57.7 NZ$101

53.92%

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

$13.33 ₾34.63

$31.00 NZ$54.2

-57.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ₾52.3

$54.6 NZ$95.4

-63.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.7 ₾178

$43.22 NZ$75.6

58.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.09 ₾47.01

$8.33 NZ$14.56

117.17%

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 ₾17.46

$9.70 NZ$16.96

-30.72%

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

$374 ₾971

$1,069 NZ$1,869

-65.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.8K

$13.3K NZ$23.3K

-19.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₾263

$57.0 NZ$99.6

77.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.33 ₾102

$28.98 NZ$50.7

35.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾305

$104 NZ$183

12.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$142 NZ$248

-13.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 ₾1,773

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,186

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 ₾3,385

$1,032 NZ$1,804

26.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 ₾2,337

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,449 ₾6,365

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,452 ₾3,774

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 ₾1,695

$2,429 NZ$4,247

-73.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

5.39

134.14%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: September 13, 2026

Last update for Masterton: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Masterton pays 272% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $39.00 in Tbilisi vs $67.0 in Masterton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $300 per month, with Tbilisi 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 Masterton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Masterton is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 272% lower in Masterton. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Shoppers in Tbilisi pay roughly 29% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,247 per month in Tbilisi versus $867 in Masterton – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $867 in Masterton versus $1,247 in Tbilisi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Masterton but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Masterton the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Masterton 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 Masterton gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.