Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Meru Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Meru

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,247 in Tbilisi versus $517 in Meru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,025 in Tbilisi versus $848 in Meru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,803 in Tbilisi versus $1,178 in Meru.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 141% more expensive than in Meru, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 9% lower, Meru 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.33 ₾29.44

$4.60 KES 596

146.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.71 ₾101

$35.36 KES 4,580

9.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 ₾24.72

$6.21 KES 805

53.30%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ₾8.85

$2.86 KES 370

19.23%

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

$1.04 ₾2.71

$0.60 KES 77.3

73.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₾1.66

$0.59 KES 76.4

8.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 ₾6.79

$2.34 KES 303

11.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ₾8.43

$2.65 KES 344

22.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₾5.65

$0.82 KES 106

164.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ₾1.92

$0.37 KES 48.36

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 ₾4.45

$1.06 KES 137

61.32%

Eggs

$2.83 ₾7.36

$1.40 KES 181

102.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 ₾23.94

$10.63 KES 1,377

-13.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 ₾17.55

$6.27 KES 812

7.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.77 ₾33.16

$4.89 KES 633

161.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.26

$3.23 KES 419

-49.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ₾4.60

$0.75 KES 96.8

136.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾4.85

$0.80 KES 104

133.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 ₾6.34

$0.74 KES 95.2

229.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.25

$1.09 KES 141

-20.18%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$0.99 KES 128

-34.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 ₾3.63

$0.24 KES 31.11

483.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$0.40 KES 52.2

85.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 ₾8.86

$3.55 KES 460

-3.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.60 ₾19.75

$11.36 KES 1,472

-33.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₾4.41

$2.29 KES 297

-25.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.19

$2.85 KES 369

-16.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.94

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.24 ₾39.59

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₾3.07

$1.55 KES 201

-23.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ₾1.97

$1.53 KES 198

-50.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.34 ₾29.46

$2.85 KES 369

297.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₾3.46

$1.52 KES 197

-12.50%

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

$24.7K ₾64.2K

$21.9K KES 2.8M

12.96%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$20.2K KES 2.6M

9.25%

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

$88.9 ₾231

$63.1 KES 8,171

40.85%

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

$13.33 ₾34.62

$15.47 KES 2,003

-13.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ₾52.3

$35.65 KES 4,617

-43.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.7 ₾178

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.09 ₾46.99

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 ₾17.45

$7.79 KES 1,009

-13.74%

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

$374 ₾970

$247 KES 32.0K

51.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.8K

$11.8K KES 1.5M

-9.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₾263

$27.93 KES 3,618

262.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.33 ₾102

$28.47 KES 3,687

38.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾305

$69.3 KES 8,975

69.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$57.9 KES 7,502

111.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 ₾1,772

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,186

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 ₾3,384

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 ₾2,336

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,449 ₾6,363

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,452 ₾3,773

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 ₾1,694

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

14.71

-14.21%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: September 13, 2026

Last update for Meru: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $39.00 in Tbilisi vs $35.00 in Meru for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $178 per month, with Meru 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 Meru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Meru wins on cost – living expenses run 141% lower than in Tbilisi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Meru the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,870 in Tbilisi and $776 in Meru to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $374 in Tbilisi versus $247 in Meru. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Meru – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $39.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $517 in Meru versus $1,247 in Tbilisi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Meru but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Meru the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Meru delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $517 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Meru hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Meru 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 Meru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 141% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.