Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Mbeya Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Mbeya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,209 per month in Tbilisi vs $432 in Mbeya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,867 per month in Tbilisi vs $669 in Mbeya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,526 per month in Tbilisi vs $905 in Mbeya, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 180% more than Mbeya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tbilisi and Mbeya are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 10% lower, Mbeya 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 ₾28.71

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.18 ₾115

$23.32 TZS 60.1K

85.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.29 ₾22.04

$7.94 TZS 20.5K

4.41%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ₾7.97

$1.58 TZS 4,065

89.87%

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

$0.82 ₾2.17

$0.41 TZS 1,054

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.21

$0.41 TZS 1,048

12.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 ₾5.93

$0.73 TZS 1,896

205.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.75

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.12

$0.55 TZS 1,426

250.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.81

$0.99 TZS 2,555

-31.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 ₾5.00

$1.00 TZS 2,576

88.00%

Eggs

$2.54 ₾6.74

$2.28 TZS 5,881

11.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 ₾19.70

$3.92 TZS 10.1K

89.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ₾16.44

$3.81 TZS 9,832

62.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ₾24.87

$3.53 TZS 9,101

165.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 ₾3.25

$1.15 TZS 2,959

6.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ₾4.40

$0.79 TZS 2,048

110.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.78

$0.96 TZS 2,464

87.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 ₾5.96

$0.74 TZS 1,908

202.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.89

$0.95 TZS 2,461

-25.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.79

$0.81 TZS 2,076

-17.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.13

$0.55 TZS 1,430

114.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.76

$0.75 TZS 1,922

-12.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ₾7.91

$1.19 TZS 3,078

150.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₾20.22

$3.89 TZS 10.0K

95.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.08

$0.80 TZS 2,075

92.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.99

$1.17 TZS 3,023

92.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$0.37 TZS 962

-2.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 ₾38.38

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ₾3.97

$1.19 TZS 3,059

25.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.82

$1.76 TZS 4,540

-61.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 ₾19.20

$2.76 TZS 7,108

161.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.04

$1.27 TZS 3,263

-10.24%

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

$18.5K ₾49.1K

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

$20.0K ₾53.1K

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

$73.7 ₾196

$24.83 TZS 64.0K

196.74%

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

$11.64 ₾30.92

$19.42 TZS 50.1K

-40.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.84 ₾47.41

$45.89 TZS 118.4K

-61.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 ₾160

$38.67 TZS 99.7K

55.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ₾44.65

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ₾17.55

$9.49 TZS 24.5K

-30.45%

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

$266 ₾708

$193 TZS 498.9K

37.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,191 ₾13.8K

$1,179 TZS 3.0M

340.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾206

$11.44 TZS 29.5K

579.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.75 ₾119

$9.78 TZS 25.2K

357.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾310

$19.68 TZS 50.7K

493.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾300

$27.31 TZS 70.4K

313.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,840

$115 TZS 297.1K

501.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,227

$78.5 TZS 202.5K

487.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 ₾3,507

$191 TZS 492.9K

590.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₾2,057

$114 TZS 295.2K

576.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,430 ₾6,458

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 ₾3,842

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 ₾1,788

$191 TZS 491.4K

253.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

-8.54%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mbeya: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $693 in Tbilisi versus $115 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 253% 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 $43.00 in Tbilisi versus $23.00 in Mbeya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $203 vs $118 – making Mbeya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 180%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,813 per month in Tbilisi and $649 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 $1,209 in Tbilisi and $432 in Mbeya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $266 per month in Tbilisi and $193 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 $432, than in Tbilisi at $1,209. 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.