Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Middelburg

For one person, living is cheaper in Middelburg: $1,109 a month against $1,270 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

61

Cost of Living Index in Tbilisi
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Tbilisi Living Index
54

Cost of Living Index in Middelburg
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Middelburg Living Index

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Tbilisi

🇬🇪 Georgia

$1,270

/mo nomad

Middelburg

🇿🇦 South Africa

$1,109

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Middelburg

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,270 in Tbilisi versus $1,109 in Middelburg.

Tbilisi $1,270
Middelburg $1,109

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,008 in Tbilisi versus $1,715 in Middelburg.

Tbilisi $2,008
Middelburg $1,715

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,745 in Tbilisi versus $2,321 in Middelburg.

Tbilisi $2,745
Middelburg $2,321

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 15% more expensive than in Middelburg, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 6% lower, Middelburg 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.51 ₾29.79

$9.90 R 163

16.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.27 ₾99.1

$36.71 R 605

4.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.80 ₾25.36

$5.61 R 92.5

74.69%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ₾9.19

$1.31 R 21.64

170.99%

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

$1.06 ₾2.74

$0.84 R 13.81

26.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₾1.60

$0.66 R 10.84

-6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 ₾7.16

$1.26 R 20.70

119.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.77

$1.49 R 24.60

101.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ₾5.59

$1.20 R 19.78

80.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 ₾1.96

$1.10 R 18.19

-30.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 ₾4.51

$1.50 R 24.78

16.00%

Eggs

$2.79 ₾7.21

$1.71 R 28.21

63.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 ₾23.83

$5.97 R 98.3

54.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 ₾16.89

$4.96 R 81.7

31.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 ₾33.17

$6.78 R 112

88.94%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 ₾4.31

$1.67 R 27.53

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.79

$1.09 R 17.91

69.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ₾5.13

$1.19 R 19.55

66.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 ₾6.49

$1.31 R 21.64

91.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.26

$1.67 R 27.52

-47.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 ₾1.89

$1.24 R 20.50

-41.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 ₾3.67

$1.21 R 19.93

17.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₾1.88

$1.02 R 16.79

-29.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ₾8.74

$2.47 R 40.61

36.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 ₾20.31

$4.85 R 79.9

61.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ₾4.19

$1.88 R 30.99

-13.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.15

$2.19 R 36.10

8.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ₾0.96

$1.39 R 22.86

-73.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.52 ₾40.16

$42.23 R 696

-63.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.94

$0.55 R 9.08

107.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 ₾2.05

$0.92 R 15.10

-14.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.57 ₾29.96

$12.92 R 213

-10.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₾3.87

$1.39 R 22.87

7.91%

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

$24.6K ₾63.7K

$31.6K R 520.0K

-21.98%

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

$22.4K ₾57.9K

$34.7K R 572.1K

-35.60%

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

$88.3 ₾228

$148 R 2,435

-40.29%

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

$13.08 ₾33.86

$32.36 R 533

-59.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.53 ₾50.6

$37.53 R 618

-47.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.2 ₾166

$33.10 R 545

93.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.18 ₾49.66

$10.85 R 179

76.77%

Cinema Ticket

$6.99 ₾18.10

$7.46 R 123

-6.30%

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

$373 ₾966

$242 R 3,993

53.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.7K

$5,646 R 93.0K

89.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 ₾266

$53.6 R 883

91.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.48 ₾105

$32.69 R 539

23.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ₾301

$100 R 1,653

15.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾316

$86.3 R 1,422

41.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$677 ₾1,753

$398 R 6,562

69.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₾1,176

$367 R 6,053

23.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,277 ₾3,305

$739 R 12.2K

72.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$890 ₾2,304

$743 R 12.2K

19.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,410 ₾6,238

$880 R 14.5K

173.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,418 ₾3,670

$676 R 11.1K

109.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$703 ₾1,819

$1,201 R 19.8K

-41.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

10.94

15.36%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: October 17, 2026

Last update for Middelburg: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Tbilisi

$454 35.8%

Middelburg

$367 33.1% 19.1% $87

Groceries & Markets

Tbilisi

$233 18.3%

Middelburg

$173 15.6% 25.6% $60

Eating Out

Tbilisi

$191 15%

Middelburg

$127 11.5% 33.3% $64

Clothing & Footwear

Tbilisi

$172 13.5%

Middelburg

$123 11.1% 28.4% $49

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tbilisi

$121 9.5%

Middelburg

$218 19.6% 80.1% $97

Sport & Entertainment

Tbilisi

$78 6.2%

Middelburg

$48 4.3% 38.6% $30

Getting Around

Tbilisi

$22 1.7%

Middelburg

$53 4.8% 139% $31

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $677 in Tbilisi and $398 in Middelburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Middelburg pays 71% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $38.00 in Tbilisi vs $37.00 in Middelburg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $173 per month, with Middelburg cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇬🇪 Tbilisi

🇿🇦 Middelburg

🕒 Local time

18:24 6:24 PM

16:24 4:24 PM

2 h behind Tbilisi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,241,700 Capital

87,348

💱 Currency

Georgian Lari GEL ₾

South African Rand ZAR R

📈 Exchange rate

1 GEL = 0.386 USD

1 GEL = 0.344 EUR

100 ZAR = 6.07 USD

100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ZAR, 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).

South African Rand exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 16.48 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.07 USD). 1 EUR = 18.52 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR).

USD to GEL in detail →

On the map

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Tbilisi Middelburg 7,670 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Tbilisi
Middelburg

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 Middelburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Middelburg wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Tbilisi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Middelburg the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 71% lower in Middelburg. 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: $677 in Tbilisi versus $398 in Middelburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Middelburg runs roughly 172% less than in Tbilisi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $373 in Tbilisi versus $242 in Middelburg. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,109 in Middelburg versus $1,270 in Tbilisi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Middelburg but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Middelburg the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Middelburg delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,109 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Middelburg hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Middelburg 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 Middelburg gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.