Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Ottawa, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Tbilisi: $1,269 a month against $2,495 in Ottawa, IL, rent and utilities included – about $14,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Tbilisi, Georgia
Ottawa, IL, United States
Tbilisi
🇬🇪 Georgia
$1,269
/mo nomad
Ottawa, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$2,495
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Ottawa, IL

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

A single person spends $1,269 per month in Tbilisi vs $2,495 in Ottawa, IL, rent included.

  • Tbilisi $1,269
  • Ottawa, IL $2,495

A couple spends around $2,016 per month in Tbilisi vs $3,579 in Ottawa, IL, rent included.

  • Tbilisi $2,016
  • Ottawa, IL $3,579

A family of three spends $2,763 per month in Tbilisi vs $4,663 in Ottawa, IL, rent included.

  • Tbilisi $2,763
  • Ottawa, IL $4,663

Tbilisi is about 49% cheaper than Ottawa, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Tbilisi sits 7% below the global median, while Ottawa, IL is 83% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tbilisi
Ottawa, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.63 ₾30.07
$14.87 $14.87
-21.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.83 ₾97.8
$59.8 $59.8
-36.78%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.66 ₾24.98
$9.81 $9.81
-1.53%
Cappuccino
$3.57 ₾9.24
$4.79 $4.79
-25.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.08 ₾2.78
$2.17 $2.17
-50.23%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₾1.45
$1.79 $1.79
-68.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.62 ₾6.78
$5.47 $5.47
-52.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04 ₾7.85
$5.36 $5.36
-43.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
Ottawa, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.17 ₾5.60
$0.78 $0.78
178.21%
White Bread (500g)
$0.80 ₾2.06
$3.11 $3.11
-74.28%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.74 ₾4.51
$3.00 $3.00
-42.00%
Eggs
$2.83 ₾7.31
$3.85 $3.85
-26.49%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.31 ₾24.07
$12.28 $12.28
-24.19%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.52 ₾16.85
$5.99 $5.99
8.85%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.95 ₾33.50
$12.40 $12.40
4.44%
Apples (1kg)
$1.68 ₾4.34
$3.53 $3.53
-52.41%
Banana (1kg)
$1.85 ₾4.79
$1.44 $1.44
28.47%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.97 ₾5.10
$3.22 $3.22
-38.82%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.42 ₾6.25
$4.36 $4.36
-44.50%
Potato (1kg)
$0.82 ₾2.11
$2.02 $2.02
-59.41%
Onion (1kg)
$0.74 ₾1.91
$2.26 $2.26
-67.26%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.34 ₾3.47
$2.20 $2.20
-39.09%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 ₾2.00
$1.22 $1.22
-36.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.57 ₾9.24
$12.39 $12.39
-71.19%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.67 ₾19.83
$14.80 $14.80
-48.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 ₾4.39
$2.16 $2.16
-21.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 ₾6.21
$3.92 $3.92
-38.78%
🚌 Getting Around
Tbilisi
Ottawa, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.40 ₾1.05
$1.92 $1.92
-79.17%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.23 ₾39.38
$63.2 $63.2
-75.89%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.14 ₾2.95
$2.48 $2.48
-54.03%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ₾2.02
$1.58 $1.58
-50.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.83 ₾30.58
$28.24 $28.24
-58.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ₾3.75
$1.12 $1.12
29.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.6K ₾63.6K
$27.1K $27.1K
-9.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.3K ₾57.8K
$27.1K $27.1K
-17.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
Ottawa, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.8 ₾230
$241 $241
-63.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.12 ₾33.93
$45.26 $45.26
-71.01%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.67 ₾50.9
$68.2 $68.2
-71.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
Ottawa, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$64.1 ₾166
$36.92 $36.92
73.48%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04 ₾49.24
$26.55 $26.55
-28.29%
Cinema Ticket
$7.12 ₾18.42
$11.43 $11.43
-37.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tbilisi
Ottawa, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$375 ₾971
$1,012 $1,012
-62.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.5K ₾27.1K
$19.8K $19.8K
-47.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
Ottawa, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 ₾268
$49.00 $49.00
111.51%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.26 ₾102
$44.39 $44.39
-11.56%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$117 ₾303
$118 $118
-0.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 ₾315
$121 $121
0.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
Ottawa, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$695 ₾1,798
$1,494 $1,494
-53.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$451 ₾1,167
$1,276 $1,276
-64.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,355 ₾3,504
$2,510 $2,510
-46.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$906 ₾2,343
$2,088 $2,088
-56.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,295 ₾5,934
$3,189 $3,189
-28.03%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,345 ₾3,478
$2,643 $2,643
-49.11%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tbilisi
Ottawa, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$664 ₾1,718
$2,383 $2,383
-72.13%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.62
6.82
85.04%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: October 27, 2026

Last update for Ottawa, IL: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
$451
Ottawa, IL
$1.3K 183% $825
Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
$234
Ottawa, IL
$314 34% $80
Eating Out
Tbilisi
$191
Ottawa, IL
$260 36.3% $69
Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
$172
Ottawa, IL
$150 12.9% $22
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
$122
Ottawa, IL
$354 191% $232
Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
$78
Ottawa, IL
$60 23.7% $19
Getting Around
Tbilisi
$22
Ottawa, IL
$81 271% $59

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $695 in Tbilisi versus $1,494 in Ottawa, IL. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Ottawa, IL are about 3.6 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38 in Tbilisi versus $60 in Ottawa, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $314 – making Tbilisi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇪 Tbilisi
🇺🇸 Ottawa, IL
🕒 Local time
03:46 3:46 AM
18:46 6:46 PM
9 h behind Tbilisi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,241,700 Capital
18,342
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.387 USD). 1 EUR = 2.88 GEL (1 GEL = 0.347 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tbilisi Ottawa, IL 9,670 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Tbilisi
  • Ottawa, IL

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 Ottawa, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tbilisi cheaper than Ottawa, IL?
Yes – Ottawa, IL is pricier by about 97%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in utilities.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,904 per month in Tbilisi and $3,742 in Ottawa, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Tbilisi, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $695 there versus $1,494 in Ottawa, IL.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $375 per month in Tbilisi and $1,012 in Ottawa, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Tbilisi and in Ottawa, IL?
Groceries cost about 34% more in Ottawa, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Tbilisi or in Ottawa, IL?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tbilisi, where all-in costs run around $1,269, than in Ottawa, IL at $2,495. In Tbilisi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ottawa, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Tbilisi or Ottawa, IL more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Tbilisi. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ottawa, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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