Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Medan Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Medan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,286 in Tbilisi versus $607 in Medan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,044 in Tbilisi versus $933 in Medan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,802 in Tbilisi versus $1,260 in Medan.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 112% more expensive than in Medan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 6% lower, Medan 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 ₾30.64

$1.72 Rp 30.6K

581.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.88 ₾99.0

$8.73 Rp 155.1K

333.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.74 ₾25.48

$2.96 Rp 52.5K

229.05%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ₾8.93

$1.55 Rp 27.6K

120.00%

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

$1.06 ₾2.77

$0.34 Rp 6,114

211.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 ₾1.69

$0.25 Rp 4,458

160.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 ₾7.07

$1.73 Rp 30.7K

56.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 ₾8.10

$3.58 Rp 63.6K

-13.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 ₾5.75

$1.08 Rp 19.1K

103.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 ₾2.11

$1.14 Rp 20.2K

-28.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.28

$0.83 Rp 14.8K

97.59%

Eggs

$2.75 ₾7.20

$1.33 Rp 23.6K

106.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.01 ₾23.56

$7.91 Rp 140.5K

13.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 ₾17.13

$3.53 Rp 62.7K

85.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.62 ₾33.00

$6.44 Rp 114.4K

95.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 ₾4.37

$2.43 Rp 43.2K

-31.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ₾4.74

$1.05 Rp 18.7K

72.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 ₾5.04

$1.48 Rp 26.4K

30.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.59 ₾6.77

$0.96 Rp 17.0K

169.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.26

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.69

$1.74 Rp 30.9K

-62.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ₾3.64

$0.41 Rp 7,334

239.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₾2.08

$0.44 Rp 7,756

81.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.36 ₾8.80

$3.02 Rp 53.7K

11.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.54 ₾19.71

$16.41 Rp 291.5K

-54.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ₾4.22

$1.92 Rp 34.2K

-16.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.87

$3.04 Rp 54.0K

-25.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ₾0.96

$0.27 Rp 4,759

37.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.11 ₾39.52

$6.07 Rp 107.9K

148.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ₾3.06

$0.53 Rp 9,394

120.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 ₾2.09

$0.20 Rp 3,602

300.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.33 ₾29.63

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₾3.48

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

72.73%

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

$25.0K ₾65.3K

$24.9K Rp 443.1M

0.18%

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

$22.4K ₾58.5K

$31.6K Rp 561.0M

-29.13%

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

$89.1 ₾233

$86.5 Rp 1.5M

3.07%

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

$13.25 ₾34.64

$3.29 Rp 58.5K

302.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.46 ₾50.9

$23.34 Rp 414.6K

-16.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.4 ₾179

$17.06 Rp 303.1K

301.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.68 ₾48.86

$8.69 Rp 154.3K

114.96%

Cinema Ticket

$6.63 ₾17.35

$3.43 Rp 61.0K

93.29%

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

$363 ₾951

$114 Rp 2.0M

217.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.9K

$1,720 Rp 30.6M

519.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ₾271

$56.4 Rp 1.0M

83.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.84 ₾102

$39.16 Rp 695.6K

-0.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾305

$105 Rp 1.9M

10.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 ₾321

$115 Rp 2.0M

6.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 ₾1,785

$177 Rp 3.1M

285.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$447 ₾1,168

$88.9 Rp 1.6M

402.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 ₾3,358

$497 Rp 8.8M

158.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$920 ₾2,406

$211 Rp 3.8M

335.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,487 ₾6,504

$1,148 Rp 20.4M

116.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,423 ₾3,721

$571 Rp 10.1M

149.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$646 ₾1,689

$214 Rp 3.8M

201.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.73

9.25

37.62%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medan: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $682 in Tbilisi and $177 in Medan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 202% 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: $38.00 in Tbilisi vs $9.00 in Medan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $182 per month, with Medan 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 Medan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 112% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 202% higher in Tbilisi, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $682 in Tbilisi versus $177 in Medan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medan runs roughly 149% less than in Tbilisi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $363 in Tbilisi versus $114 in Medan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $607 in Medan versus $1,286 in Tbilisi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medan but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Medan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tbilisi, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Medan 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 Medan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 112% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.