Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Monterey, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Tbilisi: $1,270 a month against $3,616 in Monterey, CA, rent and utilities included – about $28,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

61

Cost of Living Index in Tbilisi
Learn more

Tbilisi Living Index
173

Cost of Living Index in Monterey, CA
Learn more

Monterey, CA Living Index

Jump to prices

Tbilisi

🇬🇪 Georgia

$1,270

/mo nomad

Monterey, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,616

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Monterey, CA

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

A single person spends $1,270 per month in Tbilisi vs $3,616 in Monterey, CA, rent included.

Tbilisi $1,270
Monterey, CA $3,616

A couple spends around $2,008 per month in Tbilisi vs $5,349 in Monterey, CA, rent included.

Tbilisi $2,008
Monterey, CA $5,349

A family of three spends $2,745 per month in Tbilisi vs $7,082 in Monterey, CA, rent included.

Tbilisi $2,745
Monterey, CA $7,082

Tbilisi is about 65% cheaper than Monterey, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Tbilisi sits 6% below the global median, while Monterey, CA is 167% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.51 ₾29.79

$20.27 $20.27

-43.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.27 ₾99.1

$78.6 $78.6

-51.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.80 ₾25.36

$12.10 $12.10

-19.01%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ₾9.19

$5.22 $5.22

-31.99%

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

$1.06 ₾2.74

$3.20 $3.20

-66.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₾1.60

$1.62 $1.62

-61.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 ₾7.16

$5.45 $5.45

-49.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.77

$6.06 $6.06

-50.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ₾5.59

$1.65 $1.65

30.91%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 ₾1.96

$3.17 $3.17

-76.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 ₾4.51

$2.63 $2.63

-33.84%

Eggs

$2.79 ₾7.21

$4.57 $4.57

-38.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 ₾23.83

$9.57 $9.57

-3.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 ₾16.89

$13.38 $13.38

-51.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 ₾33.17

$6.12 $6.12

109.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 ₾4.31

$3.66 $3.66

-54.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.79

$1.20 $1.20

54.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ₾5.13

$3.22 $3.22

-38.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 ₾6.49

$4.00 $4.00

-37.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.26

$2.75 $2.75

-68.36%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 ₾1.89

$1.96 $1.96

-62.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 ₾3.67

$1.74 $1.74

-18.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₾1.88

$1.25 $1.25

-42.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ₾8.74

$11.59 $11.59

-70.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 ₾20.31

$17.31 $17.31

-54.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ₾4.19

$2.73 $2.73

-40.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.15

$1.85 $1.85

28.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ₾0.96

$2.02 $2.02

-81.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.52 ₾40.16

$52.9 $52.9

-70.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.94

$1.58 $1.58

-27.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 ₾2.05

$0.95 $0.95

-16.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.57 ₾29.96

$35.04 $35.04

-66.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₾3.87

$1.53 $1.53

-1.96%

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

$24.6K ₾63.7K

$28.9K $28.9K

-14.75%

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

$22.4K ₾57.9K

$25.8K $25.8K

-13.28%

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

$88.3 ₾228

$238 $238

-62.93%

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

$13.08 ₾33.86

$75.1 $75.1

-82.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.53 ₾50.6

$71.7 $71.7

-72.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.2 ₾166

$84.1 $84.1

-23.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.18 ₾49.66

$10.63 $10.63

80.43%

Cinema Ticket

$6.99 ₾18.10

$12.75 $12.75

-45.18%

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

$373 ₾966

$555 $555

-32.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.7K

$12.5K $12.5K

-14.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 ₾266

$76.8 $76.8

33.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.48 ₾105

$90.2 $90.2

-55.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ₾301

$129 $129

-9.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾316

$135 $135

-9.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$677 ₾1,753

$2,490 $2,490

-72.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₾1,176

$2,205 $2,205

-79.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,277 ₾3,305

$4,056 $4,056

-68.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$890 ₾2,304

$4,027 $4,027

-77.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,410 ₾6,238

$7,909 $7,909

-69.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,418 ₾3,670

$5,838 $5,838

-75.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$703 ₾1,819

$4,771 $4,771

-85.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

6.62

90.63%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: October 17, 2026

Last update for Monterey, CA: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Tbilisi

$454 35.8%

Monterey, CA

$2.2K 61% 386% $1.8K

Groceries & Markets

Tbilisi

$233 18.3%

Monterey, CA

$335 9.3% 44.1% $103

Eating Out

Tbilisi

$191 15%

Monterey, CA

$320 8.8% 67.8% $129

Clothing & Footwear

Tbilisi

$172 13.5%

Monterey, CA

$194 5.4% 12.8% $22

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tbilisi

$121 9.5%

Monterey, CA

$385 10.6% 219% $264

Sport & Entertainment

Tbilisi

$78 6.2%

Monterey, CA

$110 3% 40.2% $31

Getting Around

Tbilisi

$22 1.7%

Monterey, CA

$67 1.9% 204% $45

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $677 in Tbilisi versus $2,490 in Monterey, CA. 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 579% higher in Monterey, CA, 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 $38.00 in Tbilisi versus $79.0 in Monterey, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $233 vs $335 – making Tbilisi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇬🇪 Tbilisi

🇺🇸 Monterey, CA

🕒 Local time

18:53 6:53 PM

07:53 7:53 AM

11 h behind Tbilisi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,241,700 Capital

28,803

💱 Currency

Georgian Lari GEL ₾

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 GEL = 0.386 USD

1 GEL = 0.344 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇬🇪 Georgian Lari (₾)

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.386 USD). 1 EUR = 2.91 GEL (1 GEL = 0.344 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to GEL in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Tbilisi Monterey, CA 11,200 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Tbilisi
Monterey, CA

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 Monterey, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Monterey, CA is pricier by about 185%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Tbilisi and $5,424 in Monterey, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tbilisi, 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 $1,270 in Tbilisi and $3,616 in Monterey, CA. That's a gap of about 185%.

Public transport costs about 241% less in Tbilisi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tbilisi, where all-in costs run around $1,270, than in Monterey, CA at $3,616. In Tbilisi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Monterey, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tbilisi – 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 Tbilisi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Monterey, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.