Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Nuku'alofa Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Nuku'alofa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,185 in Tbilisi versus $997 in Nuku'alofa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,834 in Tbilisi versus $1,864 in Nuku'alofa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,483 in Tbilisi versus $2,731 in Nuku'alofa.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 19% more expensive than Nuku'alofa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 12% lower, Nuku'alofa 26% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tbilisi
Nuku'alofa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.15 ₾30.00
$8.47 TOP 19.90
31.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.13 ₾116
$61.2 TOP 144
-29.54%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.22 ₾22.11
$10.26 TOP 24.10
-19.88%
Cappuccino
$3.13 ₾8.42
$2.83 TOP 6.65
10.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74 ₾2.00
$2.86 TOP 6.73
-74.13%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.45 ₾1.22
$2.42 TOP 5.69
-81.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.13 ₾5.74
$3.24 TOP 7.61
-34.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.99 ₾8.06
$4.85 TOP 11.40
-38.35%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
Nuku'alofa
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.89 ₾5.09
$1.59 TOP 3.73
18.87%
White Bread (500g)
$0.73 ₾1.97
$1.07 TOP 2.51
-31.78%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.85 ₾4.98
$2.08 TOP 4.89
-11.06%
Eggs
$2.45 ₾6.58
$5.17 TOP 12.16
-52.61%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.85 ₾21.12
$9.10 TOP 21.38
-13.74%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.25 ₾16.82
$5.82 TOP 13.69
7.39%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.77 ₾26.28
$7.76 TOP 18.23
25.90%
Apples (1kg)
$1.21 ₾3.26
$2.84 TOP 6.68
-57.39%
Banana (1kg)
$1.59 ₾4.28
$2.70 TOP 6.34
-41.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.79 ₾4.81
$2.85 TOP 6.70
-37.19%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.32 ₾6.25
$3.83 TOP 9.00
-39.43%
Potato (1kg)
$0.71 ₾1.91
$3.24 TOP 7.62
-78.09%
Onion (1kg)
$0.67 ₾1.81
$2.62 TOP 6.15
-74.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 ₾3.16
$2.16 TOP 5.07
-45.37%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.71 ₾1.92
$1.42 TOP 3.34
-50.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.92 ₾7.85
$10.13 TOP 23.80
-71.17%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.25 ₾19.50
$16.85 TOP 39.60
-56.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.55 ₾4.17
$3.22 TOP 7.57
-51.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.31 ₾6.21
$3.41 TOP 8.00
-32.26%
🚌 Getting Around
Tbilisi
Nuku'alofa
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.38 ₾1.03
$2.04 TOP 4.79
-81.37%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$14.81 ₾39.83
$41.19 TOP 96.8
-64.04%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.48 ₾3.98
$2.05 TOP 4.82
-27.80%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.69 ₾1.86
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.45 ₾20.05
$41.69 TOP 98.0
-82.13%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.15 ₾3.10
$1.43 TOP 3.37
-19.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.0K ₾48.4K
$5,728 TOP 13.5K
214.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.8K ₾53.4K
$8,199 TOP 19.3K
141.89%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
Nuku'alofa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$73.4 ₾198
$190 TOP 446
-61.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.64 ₾31.32
$21.90 TOP 51.5
-46.85%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.77 ₾47.79
$123 TOP 288
-85.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
Nuku'alofa
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.6 ₾163
$31.25 TOP 73.4
93.82%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.44 ₾44.21
$41.47 TOP 97.5
-60.36%
Cinema Ticket
$6.51 ₾17.52
$42.05 TOP 98.8
-84.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tbilisi
Nuku'alofa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$263 ₾707
$157 TOP 368
67.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,136 ₾13.8K
$249 TOP 586
1960.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
Nuku'alofa
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$77.7 ₾209
$14.56 TOP 34.22
433.65%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.39 ₾119
$17.82 TOP 41.87
149.10%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$118 ₾317
$20.37 TOP 47.87
477.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$114 ₾307
$28.55 TOP 67.1
299.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
Nuku'alofa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$693 ₾1,865
$629 TOP 1,479
10.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$462 ₾1,244
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,337 ₾3,597
$825 TOP 1,938
62.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$779 ₾2,096
$546 TOP 1,283
42.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,530 ₾6,805
$416 TOP 978
507.87%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,430 ₾3,847
$252 TOP 592
467.34%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tbilisi
Nuku'alofa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$633 ₾1,702
$677 TOP 1,590
-6.51%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.89
0
-

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

Last update for Tbilisi: April 26, 2026

Last update for Nuku'alofa: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $693 in Tbilisi and $629 in Nuku'alofa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nuku'alofa pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $43.00 in Tbilisi vs $61.0 in Nuku'alofa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $294 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 Nuku'alofa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Tbilisi and Nuku'alofa?
Tbilisi and Nuku'alofa differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($1,185 vs $997 including rent). Nuku'alofa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Nuku'alofa earns 7% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Tbilisi and Nuku'alofa?
Rent for a central apartment: $693 in Tbilisi versus $629 in Nuku'alofa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Nuku'alofa – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $43.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Tbilisi or Nuku'alofa?
All in, you'll spend $1,185 per month in Tbilisi versus $997 in Nuku'alofa – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $997 in Nuku'alofa versus $1,185 in Tbilisi, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Nuku'alofa but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Nuku'alofa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Tbilisi and Nuku'alofa?
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.
Is Tbilisi or Nuku'alofa safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Nuku'alofa are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Tbilisi or Nuku'alofa?
Expats usually find Nuku'alofa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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