Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Novokuznetsk Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Novokuznetsk

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,197 in Tbilisi versus $963 in Novokuznetsk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,868 in Tbilisi versus $1,470 in Novokuznetsk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,538 in Tbilisi versus $1,977 in Novokuznetsk.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 24% more expensive than in Novokuznetsk, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 10% lower, Novokuznetsk 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.82 ₾28.38

$9.28 ₽729

16.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.85 ₾115

$37.89 ₽2,977

15.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.31 ₾21.79

$5.82 ₽457

42.78%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ₾7.78

$2.27 ₽178

30.84%

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

$0.77 ₾2.01

$1.12 ₽87.9

-31.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.20

$0.49 ₽38.42

-6.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ₾5.63

$1.41 ₽111

51.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ₾7.52

$2.58 ₽203

11.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₾4.99

$1.11 ₽87.0

71.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 ₾1.86

$0.71 ₽56.0

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 ₾5.00

$1.38 ₽108

38.41%

Eggs

$2.48 ₾6.52

$1.80 ₽141

37.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 ₾20.29

$10.70 ₽841

-27.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 ₾16.20

$4.78 ₽376

29.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.57 ₾25.11

$8.89 ₽698

7.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 ₾3.06

$1.73 ₽136

-32.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₾4.34

$1.81 ₽143

-8.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.84

$1.97 ₽155

-6.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 ₾6.11

$2.69 ₽212

-13.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.85

$0.80 ₽63.0

-11.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.76

$0.67 ₽53.0

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.12

$1.41 ₽111

-15.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.72

$0.67 ₽52.6

-1.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.65

$2.88 ₽226

1.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.69 ₾20.17

$6.66 ₽523

15.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₾4.18

$1.02 ₽79.8

55.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.06

$1.88 ₽148

22.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.01

$0.49 ₽38.29

-22.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.76 ₾38.71

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.92

$1.85 ₽145

-18.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$0.33 ₽25.56

106.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.26 ₾19.03

$6.40 ₽503

13.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.87

$0.79 ₽61.8

37.97%

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

$18.6K ₾48.8K

$33.6K ₽2.6M

-44.66%

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

$20.5K ₾53.7K

$35.2K ₽2.8M

-41.88%

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

$73.0 ₾191

$111 ₽8,742

-34.40%

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

$11.97 ₾31.40

$5.86 ₽460

104.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ₾47.21

$7.70 ₽605

133.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 ₾160

$35.48 ₽2,787

71.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.52 ₾43.33

Cinema Ticket

$6.70 ₾17.58

$5.16 ₽405

29.84%

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

$269 ₾705

$329 ₽25.8K

-18.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,152 ₾13.5K

$6,888 ₽541.1K

-25.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.5 ₾201

$71.2 ₽5,592

7.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.41 ₾114

$45.27 ₽3,556

-4.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 ₾316

$116 ₽9,081

4.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾290

$106 ₽8,312

4.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$687 ₾1,802

$441 ₽34.7K

55.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 ₾1,234

$299 ₽23.5K

57.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 ₾3,549

$770 ₽60.5K

75.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,069

$506 ₽39.8K

55.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,468 ₾6,472

$2,909 ₽228.6K

-15.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,456 ₾3,817

$1,910 ₽150.1K

-23.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$659 ₾1,729

$451 ₽35.4K

46.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

13.62

-12.70%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: July 13, 2026

Last update for Novokuznetsk: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $687 in Tbilisi and $441 in Novokuznetsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 46% 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: $44.00 in Tbilisi vs $38.00 in Novokuznetsk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $194 per month, with Novokuznetsk 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 Novokuznetsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi and Novokuznetsk differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($1,197 vs $963 including rent). Novokuznetsk is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 46% 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: $687 in Tbilisi versus $441 in Novokuznetsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $269 in Tbilisi versus $329 in Novokuznetsk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Novokuznetsk – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $44.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $963 in Novokuznetsk versus $1,197 in Tbilisi, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Novokuznetsk but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Novokuznetsk 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 Novokuznetsk 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 Novokuznetsk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.