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: $1,218 in Tbilisi versus $1,536 in Masterton.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,853 in Tbilisi versus $2,428 in Masterton.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,489 in Tbilisi versus $3,320 in Masterton.

Living in Tbilisi costs roughly 21% less than in Masterton, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tbilisi is 9% below, Masterton is 14% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.85 ₾28.75

$10.02 NZ$17.11

8.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.17 ₾117

$90.7 NZ$155

-51.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 ₾21.94

$8.88 NZ$15.16

-6.76%

Cappuccino

$3.02 ₾8.00

$3.29 NZ$5.62

-8.21%

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

$0.76 ₾2.02

$2.08 NZ$3.54

-63.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.22

$1.65 NZ$2.82

-72.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ₾5.93

$3.67 NZ$6.27

-38.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.95

$4.29 NZ$7.33

-30.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.11

$1.47 NZ$2.50

31.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 ₾1.91

$1.70 NZ$2.90

-57.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 ₾4.87

$1.15 NZ$1.96

60.00%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.48

$6.02 NZ$10.28

-59.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₾19.67

$7.18 NZ$12.25

3.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 ₾17.16

$8.92 NZ$15.24

-27.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 ₾25.70

$12.34 NZ$21.08

-21.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 ₾3.18

$1.83 NZ$3.12

-34.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₾4.14

$1.82 NZ$3.10

-14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.75

$2.42 NZ$4.13

-26.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.90

$3.44 NZ$5.88

-35.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.73

$1.45 NZ$2.48

-55.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 ₾1.79

$1.16 NZ$1.98

-41.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.16

$1.76 NZ$3.01

-32.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.86

$0.91 NZ$1.55

-23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₾7.82

$19.98 NZ$34.12

-85.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 ₾19.41

$11.81 NZ$20.17

-37.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₾4.02

$2.22 NZ$3.79

-31.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.95

$2.64 NZ$4.51

-14.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$2.38 NZ$4.07

-84.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.60 ₾38.68

$64.5 NZ$110

-77.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.97

$2.43 NZ$4.15

-38.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 ₾1.92

$1.84 NZ$3.14

-60.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾19.74

$41.37 NZ$70.7

-81.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.01

$1.64 NZ$2.80

-30.49%

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

$18.5K ₾49.0K

$23.8K NZ$40.6K

-22.20%

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

$20.3K ₾53.6K

$23.2K NZ$39.6K

-12.59%

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

$73.9 ₾196

$79.5 NZ$136

-7.09%

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

$11.71 ₾31.01

$31.44 NZ$53.7

-62.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.16 ₾48.09

$48.94 NZ$83.6

-62.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 ₾163

$40.93 NZ$69.9

50.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.66 ₾44.12

$9.09 NZ$15.52

83.28%

Cinema Ticket

$6.61 ₾17.50

$8.05 NZ$13.75

-17.89%

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

$264 ₾700

$405 NZ$691

-34.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,145 ₾13.6K

$4,897 NZ$8,363

5.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 ₾198

$68.5 NZ$117

9.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.98 ₾117

$30.21 NZ$51.6

45.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾312

$102 NZ$174

15.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾301

$114 NZ$195

-0.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 ₾1,833

$783 NZ$1,337

-11.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₾1,203

$607 NZ$1,036

-25.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 ₾3,504

$1,261 NZ$2,153

4.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,089

$1,094 NZ$1,869

-27.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,431 ₾6,440

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 ₾3,818

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$645 ₾1,709

$2,481 NZ$4,237

-74.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

6.69

77.73%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: June 9, 2026

Last update for Masterton: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $692 in Tbilisi and $783 in Masterton. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Masterton pays 285% 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: $44.00 in Tbilisi vs $91.0 in Masterton for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 vs $275 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

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

On paper, Masterton earns 285% 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: $692 in Tbilisi versus $783 in Masterton. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Tbilisi – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $91.0 in Masterton. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,218 per month in Tbilisi versus $1,536 in Masterton – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,218 in Tbilisi versus $1,536 in Masterton, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Masterton. 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 Masterton, 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 Tbilisi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Masterton. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.