Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Mbeya

For one person, living is cheaper in Mbeya: $426 a month against $1,270 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $10,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

61

Cost of Living Index in Tbilisi
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Tbilisi Living Index
21

Cost of Living Index in Mbeya
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Mbeya Living Index

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Tbilisi

🇬🇪 Georgia

$1,270

/mo nomad

Mbeya

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$426

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Mbeya

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

A single person spends $1,270 per month in Tbilisi vs $426 in Mbeya, rent included.

Tbilisi $1,270
Mbeya $426

A couple spends around $2,008 per month in Tbilisi vs $656 in Mbeya, rent included.

Tbilisi $2,008
Mbeya $656

A family of three spends $2,745 per month in Tbilisi vs $887 in Mbeya, rent included.

Tbilisi $2,745
Mbeya $887

Tbilisi costs about 198% more than Mbeya, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Tbilisi and Mbeya are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 6% lower, Mbeya 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.51 ₾29.79

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.27 ₾99.1

$22.68 TZS 59.4K

68.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.80 ₾25.36

$7.77 TZS 20.4K

26.13%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ₾9.19

$1.52 TZS 3,989

133.55%

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

$1.06 ₾2.74

$0.37 TZS 958

186.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₾1.60

$0.37 TZS 964

67.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 ₾7.16

$0.72 TZS 1,882

283.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.77

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ₾5.59

$0.55 TZS 1,435

292.73%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 ₾1.96

$0.93 TZS 2,430

-18.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 ₾4.51

$0.92 TZS 2,414

89.13%

Eggs

$2.79 ₾7.21

$2.32 TZS 6,067

20.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 ₾23.83

$3.80 TZS 9,949

142.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 ₾16.89

$3.72 TZS 9,734

75.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 ₾33.17

$3.30 TZS 8,643

288.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 ₾4.31

$1.15 TZS 3,003

45.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.79

$0.78 TZS 2,051

137.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ₾5.13

$0.99 TZS 2,581

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 ₾6.49

$0.73 TZS 1,917

243.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.26

$0.97 TZS 2,538

-10.31%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 ₾1.89

$0.78 TZS 2,053

-6.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 ₾3.67

$0.56 TZS 1,465

153.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₾1.88

$0.72 TZS 1,883

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ₾8.74

$1.14 TZS 2,998

196.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 ₾20.31

$3.72 TZS 9,744

110.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ₾4.19

$0.78 TZS 2,045

107.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.15

$1.16 TZS 3,038

105.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ₾0.96

$0.40 TZS 1,036

-7.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.52 ₾40.16

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.94

$1.10 TZS 2,891

3.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 ₾2.05

$1.85 TZS 4,834

-57.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.57 ₾29.96

$2.61 TZS 6,831

343.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₾3.87

$1.22 TZS 3,204

22.95%

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

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

$88.3 ₾228

$23.68 TZS 62.0K

272.68%

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

$13.08 ₾33.86

$18.83 TZS 49.3K

-30.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.53 ₾50.6

$46.09 TZS 120.7K

-57.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.2 ₾166

$37.78 TZS 98.9K

69.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.18 ₾49.66

Cinema Ticket

$6.99 ₾18.10

$9.50 TZS 24.9K

-26.42%

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

$373 ₾966

$191 TZS 500.6K

95.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.7K

$1,129 TZS 3.0M

847.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 ₾266

$11.42 TZS 29.9K

799.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.48 ₾105

$9.23 TZS 24.2K

338.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ₾301

$19.08 TZS 50.0K

509.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾316

$26.12 TZS 68.4K

366.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$677 ₾1,753

$114 TZS 297.4K

496.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₾1,176

$76.4 TZS 200.0K

494.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,277 ₾3,305

$187 TZS 491.0K

581.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$890 ₾2,304

$112 TZS 292.3K

697.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,410 ₾6,238

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,418 ₾3,670

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$703 ₾1,819

$191 TZS 501.5K

267.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

-2.92%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: October 17, 2026

Last update for Mbeya: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Tbilisi

$454 35.8%

Mbeya

$76 17.9% 83.2% $378

Groceries & Markets

Tbilisi

$233 18.3%

Mbeya

$115 26.9% 50.8% $118

Eating Out

Tbilisi

$191 15%

Mbeya

$48 * 11.3% 74.7% $142

Clothing & Footwear

Tbilisi

$172 13.5%

Mbeya

$30 7% 82.7% $142

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tbilisi

$121 9.5%

Mbeya

$89 20.8% 26.7% $32

Sport & Entertainment

Tbilisi

$78 6.2%

Mbeya

$57 13.3% 27.4% $21

Getting Around

Tbilisi

$22 1.7%

Mbeya

$12 * 2.8% 46.1% $10

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $677 in Tbilisi versus $114 in Mbeya. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 267% higher in Tbilisi, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Tbilisi versus $23.00 in Mbeya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $233 vs $115 – making Mbeya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇬🇪 Tbilisi

🇹🇿 Mbeya

🕒 Local time

16:29 4:29 PM

15:29 3:29 PM

1 h behind Tbilisi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,241,700 Capital

541,603

💱 Currency

Georgian Lari GEL ₾

Tanzanian Shilling TZS Sh

📈 Exchange rate

1 GEL = 0.386 USD

1 GEL = 0.344 EUR

10,000 TZS = 3.82 USD

10,000 TZS = 3.4 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

TZS, USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇬🇪 Georgian Lari (₾)

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.386 USD). 1 EUR = 2.91 GEL (1 GEL = 0.344 EUR).

Tanzanian Shilling exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 2,619 TZS (10,000 TZS = 3.82 USD). 1 EUR = 2,944 TZS (10,000 TZS = 3.4 EUR).

USD to GEL in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Tbilisi Mbeya 5,740 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Tbilisi
Mbeya

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 Mbeya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tbilisi is pricier by about 198%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Tbilisi and $639 in Mbeya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mbeya, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,270 in Tbilisi and $426 in Mbeya. That's a gap of about 198%.

Kindergarten costs $373 per month in Tbilisi and $191 in Mbeya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mbeya, where all-in costs run around $426, than in Tbilisi at $1,270. In Mbeya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mbeya – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mbeya. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tbilisi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.