Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Mechelen Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Mechelen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,185 in Tbilisi versus $2,055 in Mechelen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,834 in Tbilisi versus $3,129 in Mechelen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,483 in Tbilisi versus $4,203 in Mechelen.

Living in Tbilisi costs roughly 42% less than in Mechelen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tbilisi is 12% below, Mechelen is 53% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.15 ₾30.00

$23.33 €19.97

-52.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.13 ₾116

$118 €101

-63.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 ₾22.11

$12.83 €10.98

-35.93%

Cappuccino

$3.13 ₾8.42

$4.16 €3.56

-24.76%

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

$0.74 ₾2.00

$3.37 €2.88

-78.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₾1.22

$3.08 €2.64

-85.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ₾5.74

$5.60 €4.80

-61.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ₾8.06

$4.68 €4.00

-36.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₾5.09

$1.28 €1.10

47.66%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₾1.97

$2.74 €2.35

-73.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.98

$2.37 €2.03

-21.94%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.58

$4.09 €3.50

-40.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.85 ₾21.12

$17.33 €14.84

-54.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ₾16.82

$12.01 €10.28

-47.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.77 ₾26.28

$19.00 €16.27

-48.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 ₾3.26

$3.01 €2.58

-59.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₾4.28

$2.43 €2.08

-34.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.81

$2.32 €1.99

-22.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 ₾6.25

$3.08 €2.64

-24.68%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.91

$1.84 €1.57

-61.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.81

$2.11 €1.81

-68.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.16

$1.37 €1.17

-13.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₾1.92

$0.81 €0.70

-12.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.85

$12.48 €10.68

-76.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.25 ₾19.50

$9.55 €8.17

-24.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₾4.17

$1.79 €1.53

-13.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.21

$2.33 €2.00

-0.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.03

$3.24 €2.77

-88.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.81 ₾39.83

$57.8 €49.48

-74.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ₾3.98

$5.81 €4.97

-74.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.86

$2.46 €2.11

-71.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾20.05

$46.97 €40.21

-84.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₾3.10

$1.86 €1.59

-38.17%

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

$18.0K ₾48.4K

$34.0K €29.1K

-47.11%

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

$19.8K ₾53.4K

$32.4K €27.7K

-38.75%

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

$73.4 ₾198

$201 €172

-63.47%

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

$11.64 ₾31.32

$24.77 €21.20

-53.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.77 ₾47.79

$51.6 €44.14

-65.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 ₾163

$30.33 €25.97

99.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 ₾44.21

$14.12 €12.09

16.43%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.52

$15.12 €12.95

-56.94%

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

$263 ₾707

$573 €490

-54.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,136 ₾13.8K

$13.7K €11.7K

-62.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾209

$113 €96.8

-31.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.39 ₾119

$52.1 €44.61

-14.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾317

$109 €93.4

7.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾307

$164 €140

-30.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,865

$889 €761

-22.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,244

$759 €650

-39.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 ₾3,597

$1,368 €1,171

-2.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$779 ₾2,096

$1,097 €939

-28.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,530 ₾6,805

$2,321 €1,987

8.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,430 ₾3,847

$1,150 €985

24.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$633 ₾1,702

$2,359 €2,020

-73.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

3.27

263.61%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: April 26, 2026

Last update for Mechelen: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $693 in Tbilisi and $889 in Mechelen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mechelen pays 273% 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: $43.00 in Tbilisi vs $118 in Mechelen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $347 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 Mechelen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 73% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Mechelen earns 273% 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: $693 in Tbilisi versus $889 in Mechelen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tbilisi runs roughly 290% less than in Mechelen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $263 in Tbilisi versus $573 in Mechelen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,185 in Tbilisi versus $2,055 in Mechelen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Mechelen. 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 Mechelen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Mechelen 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 73% less than in Mechelen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.