Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and North Shore Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and North Shore

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,185 in Tbilisi versus $1,794 in North Shore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,834 in Tbilisi versus $2,743 in North Shore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,483 in Tbilisi versus $3,693 in North Shore.

Living in Tbilisi costs roughly 34% less than in North Shore, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tbilisi is 12% below, North Shore is 34% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.15 ₾30.00

$14.93 NZ$25.53

-25.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.13 ₾116

$77.1 NZ$132

-44.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 ₾22.11

$8.24 NZ$14.09

-0.24%

Cappuccino

$3.13 ₾8.42

$3.36 NZ$5.75

-6.85%

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

$0.74 ₾2.00

$2.17 NZ$3.71

-65.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₾1.22

$1.85 NZ$3.16

-75.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ₾5.74

$7.38 NZ$12.62

-71.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ₾8.06

$7.43 NZ$12.70

-59.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₾5.09

$1.73 NZ$2.95

9.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₾1.97

$1.49 NZ$2.54

-51.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.98

$2.03 NZ$3.48

-8.87%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.58

$6.11 NZ$10.44

-59.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.85 ₾21.12

$8.63 NZ$14.75

-9.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ₾16.82

$9.56 NZ$16.35

-34.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.77 ₾26.28

$9.15 NZ$15.65

6.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 ₾3.26

$2.76 NZ$4.72

-56.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₾4.28

$2.11 NZ$3.62

-24.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.81

$3.20 NZ$5.47

-44.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 ₾6.25

$3.98 NZ$6.80

-41.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.91

$2.00 NZ$3.42

-64.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.81

$1.65 NZ$2.83

-59.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.16

$1.89 NZ$3.24

-37.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₾1.92

$0.71 NZ$1.21

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.85

$24.27 NZ$41.51

-87.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.25 ₾19.50

$10.17 NZ$17.38

-28.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₾4.17

$1.85 NZ$3.17

-16.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.21

$1.26 NZ$2.15

83.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.03

$2.40 NZ$4.11

-84.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.81 ₾39.83

$65.0 NZ$111

-77.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ₾3.98

$2.08 NZ$3.56

-28.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.86

$1.97 NZ$3.38

-64.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾20.05

$34.76 NZ$59.4

-78.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₾3.10

$1.69 NZ$2.88

-31.95%

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

$18.0K ₾48.4K

$27.9K NZ$47.8K

-35.56%

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

$19.8K ₾53.4K

$22.0K NZ$37.5K

-9.67%

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

$73.4 ₾198

$145 NZ$249

-49.50%

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

$11.64 ₾31.32

$14.87 NZ$25.42

-21.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.77 ₾47.79

$44.75 NZ$76.5

-60.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 ₾163

$28.38 NZ$48.53

113.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 ₾44.21

$12.18 NZ$20.82

34.98%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.52

$11.01 NZ$18.83

-40.87%

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

$263 ₾707

$905 NZ$1,548

-70.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,136 ₾13.8K

$13.7K NZ$23.4K

-62.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾209

$71.1 NZ$122

9.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.39 ₾119

$50.6 NZ$86.5

-12.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾317

$93.4 NZ$160

25.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾307

$89.9 NZ$154

26.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,865

$1,049 NZ$1,794

-33.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,244

$800 NZ$1,369

-42.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 ₾3,597

$2,910 NZ$4,977

-54.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$779 ₾2,096

$1,375 NZ$2,351

-43.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,530 ₾6,805

$7,451 NZ$12.7K

-66.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,430 ₾3,847

$6,175 NZ$10.6K

-76.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$633 ₾1,702

$3,016 NZ$5,158

-79.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

6.37

86.66%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: April 26, 2026

Last update for North Shore: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $693 in Tbilisi and $1,049 in North Shore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

North Shore pays 377% 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 $77.0 in North Shore for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $283 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 North Shore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi and North Shore differ by about 51% in total monthly costs ($1,185 vs $1,794 including rent). Tbilisi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, North Shore earns 377% 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 $1,049 in North Shore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Tbilisi – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $77.0 in North Shore. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,185 per month in Tbilisi versus $1,794 in North Shore – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,185 in Tbilisi versus $1,794 in North Shore, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in North Shore. The gap between the two cities makes Tbilisi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and North Shore 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 51% less than in North Shore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.