Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Matagalpa

For one person, living is cheaper in Matagalpa: $811 a month against $1,269 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Tbilisi, Georgia
Matagalpa, Nicaragua
Tbilisi
🇬🇪 Georgia
$1,269
/mo nomad
Matagalpa
🇳🇮 Nicaragua
$811
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Matagalpa

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 Matagalpa actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,269 per month in Tbilisi vs $811 in Matagalpa, rent included.

  • Tbilisi $1,269
  • Matagalpa $811

A couple spends around $2,016 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,232 in Matagalpa, rent included.

  • Tbilisi $2,016
  • Matagalpa $1,232

A family of three spends $2,763 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,652 in Matagalpa, rent included.

  • Tbilisi $2,763
  • Matagalpa $1,652

Tbilisi costs about 56% more than Matagalpa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Tbilisi and Matagalpa are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 7% lower, Matagalpa 40% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tbilisi
Matagalpa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.63 ₾30.07
$6.91 NIO 253
68.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.83 ₾97.8
$25.06 NIO 918
50.96%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.66 ₾24.98
$7.82 NIO 287
23.53%
Cappuccino
$3.57 ₾9.24
$2.65 NIO 96.9
34.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.08 ₾2.78
$0.83 NIO 30.52
30.12%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₾1.45
$0.46 NIO 16.93
21.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.62 ₾6.78
$1.23 NIO 45.07
113.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04 ₾7.85
$2.30 NIO 84.2
32.17%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
Matagalpa
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.17 ₾5.60
$1.25 NIO 45.96
73.60%
White Bread (500g)
$0.80 ₾2.06
$1.27 NIO 46.63
-37.01%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.74 ₾4.51
$1.81 NIO 66.4
-3.87%
Eggs
$2.83 ₾7.31
$2.32 NIO 85.2
21.98%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.31 ₾24.07
$2.69 NIO 98.4
246.10%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.52 ₾16.85
$4.23 NIO 155
54.14%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.95 ₾33.50
$6.74 NIO 247
92.14%
Apples (1kg)
$1.68 ₾4.33
$4.07 NIO 149
-58.72%
Banana (1kg)
$1.85 ₾4.79
$0.61 NIO 22.36
203.28%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.97 ₾5.10
$1.78 NIO 65.0
10.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.42 ₾6.25
$2.49 NIO 91.4
-2.81%
Potato (1kg)
$0.82 ₾2.11
$4.02 NIO 147
-79.60%
Onion (1kg)
$0.74 ₾1.91
$2.25 NIO 82.5
-67.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.34 ₾3.47
$1.09 NIO 39.75
22.94%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 ₾2.00
$1.06 NIO 38.65
-27.36%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.57 ₾9.24
$2.81 NIO 103
27.05%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.67 ₾19.83
$10.17 NIO 372
-24.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 ₾4.39
$1.20 NIO 44.10
41.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 ₾6.21
$2.24 NIO 82.2
7.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Tbilisi
Matagalpa
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.40 ₾1.05
$0.21 NIO 7.67
90.48%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.23 ₾39.38
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.14 ₾2.95
$1.11 NIO 40.71
2.70%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ₾2.02
$1.26 NIO 46.30
-38.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.83 ₾30.58
$6.90 NIO 253
71.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ₾3.75
$1.37 NIO 50.3
5.84%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.6K ₾63.6K
$23.3K NIO 854.5K
5.35%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.3K ₾57.8K
$26.3K NIO 961.9K
-14.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
Matagalpa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.8 ₾230
$60.6 NIO 2,218
46.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.12 ₾33.93
$16.76 NIO 614
-21.72%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.67 ₾50.9
$32.56 NIO 1,193
-39.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
Matagalpa
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$64.1 ₾166
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04 ₾49.24
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.12 ₾18.42
$9.20 NIO 337
-22.61%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tbilisi
Matagalpa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$375 ₾971
$233 NIO 8,542
60.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.5K ₾27.1K
$6,115 NIO 223.9K
71.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
Matagalpa
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 ₾268
$61.0 NIO 2,235
69.87%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.26 ₾102
$64.9 NIO 2,376
-39.49%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$117 ₾303
$123 NIO 4,513
-4.75%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 ₾315
$143 NIO 5,251
-15.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
Matagalpa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$695 ₾1,798
$201 NIO 7,370
245.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$451 ₾1,167
$172 NIO 6,314
161.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,355 ₾3,504
$300 NIO 11.0K
351.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$906 ₾2,343
$245 NIO 8,979
269.56%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,295 ₾5,934
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,345 ₾3,478
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tbilisi
Matagalpa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$664 ₾1,718
$200 NIO 7,328
231.98%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.62
11.92
5.87%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: October 27, 2026

Last update for Matagalpa: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
$451
Matagalpa
$172 61.8% $279
Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
$234
Matagalpa
$199 14.8% $35
Eating Out
Tbilisi
$191
Matagalpa
$126 33.7% $64
Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
$172
Matagalpa
$177 2.7% $4.7
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
$122
Matagalpa
$110 9.6% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
$78
Matagalpa
$18 * 76.5% $60
Getting Around
Tbilisi
$22
Matagalpa
$8.3 * 62.2% $14

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $695 in Tbilisi versus $201 in Matagalpa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Tbilisi are about 3.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38 in Tbilisi versus $25 in Matagalpa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $199 – making Matagalpa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇪 Tbilisi
🇳🇮 Matagalpa
🕒 Local time
23:39 11:39 PM
13:39 1:39 PM
10 h behind Tbilisi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,241,700 Capital
159,982
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

NIO, USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.387 USD). 1 EUR = 2.89 GEL (1 GEL = 0.346 EUR).

Nicaraguan Córdoba exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 36.62 NIO (100 NIO = 2.73 USD). 1 EUR = 40.89 NIO (100 NIO = 2.45 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tbilisi Matagalpa 12,120 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Tbilisi
  • Matagalpa

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 Matagalpa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Tbilisi and in Matagalpa compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,269 in Tbilisi, $811 in Matagalpa – Matagalpa comes out roughly 36% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Tbilisi compared to Matagalpa?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,904 per month in Tbilisi and $1,217 in Matagalpa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Tbilisi and Matagalpa?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Matagalpa, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $201 there versus $695 in Tbilisi.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $38 in Tbilisi and $25 in Matagalpa. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 17% more in Tbilisi, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Matagalpa, where all-in costs run around $811, than in Tbilisi at $1,269. In Matagalpa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Tbilisi or Matagalpa?
Families tend to lean toward Matagalpa – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Is Tbilisi or Matagalpa safer for residents?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.
How do I decide between Tbilisi and Matagalpa?
If budget matters most, go with Matagalpa. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tbilisi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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