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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,197 in Tbilisi versus $1,662 in Palmerston North.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,868 in Tbilisi versus $2,665 in Palmerston North.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,538 in Tbilisi versus $3,668 in Palmerston North.

Living in Tbilisi costs roughly 28% less than in Palmerston North, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tbilisi is 10% below, Palmerston North is 24% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.82 ₾28.39

$16.84 NZ$28.83

-35.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.85 ₾115

$72.5 NZ$124

-39.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.31 ₾21.80

$12.04 NZ$20.62

-30.98%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ₾7.78

$3.41 NZ$5.83

-12.90%

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

$0.77 ₾2.01

$2.30 NZ$3.93

-66.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.20

$2.08 NZ$3.56

-77.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ₾5.63

$7.36 NZ$12.59

-70.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ₾7.52

$6.20 NZ$10.62

-53.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₾4.99

$1.92 NZ$3.29

-1.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 ₾1.86

$2.07 NZ$3.54

-65.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 ₾5.00

$1.81 NZ$3.09

5.52%

Eggs

$2.48 ₾6.52

$5.28 NZ$9.03

-53.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 ₾20.29

$8.19 NZ$14.03

-5.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 ₾16.21

$9.27 NZ$15.87

-33.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.57 ₾25.12

$12.59 NZ$21.55

-23.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 ₾3.06

$2.50 NZ$4.27

-53.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₾4.34

$1.83 NZ$3.13

-9.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.84

$2.43 NZ$4.16

-23.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 ₾6.11

$3.48 NZ$5.96

-33.05%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.85

$2.13 NZ$3.65

-66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.76

$2.16 NZ$3.69

-68.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.12

$2.04 NZ$3.49

-41.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.72

$0.99 NZ$1.70

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.65

$20.47 NZ$35.04

-85.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.69 ₾20.18

$8.79 NZ$15.05

-12.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₾4.18

$2.45 NZ$4.20

-35.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.06

$5.21 NZ$8.93

-55.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.01

$4.59 NZ$7.86

-91.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.76 ₾38.72

$30.29 NZ$51.9

-51.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.92

$2.38 NZ$4.07

-36.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$1.80 NZ$3.08

-62.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.26 ₾19.04

$17.45 NZ$29.88

-58.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.87

$1.64 NZ$2.81

-33.54%

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

$18.6K ₾48.8K

$18.4K NZ$31.5K

1.20%

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

$20.5K ₾53.7K

$21.8K NZ$37.3K

-6.04%

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

$73.0 ₾192

$89.6 NZ$153

-18.54%

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

$11.97 ₾31.41

$36.80 NZ$63.0

-67.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ₾47.22

$47.79 NZ$81.8

-62.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 ₾160

$35.51 NZ$60.8

71.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.52 ₾43.34

$13.17 NZ$22.56

25.44%

Cinema Ticket

$6.70 ₾17.58

$9.14 NZ$15.65

-26.70%

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

$269 ₾705

$993 NZ$1,700

-72.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,152 ₾13.5K

$6,069 NZ$10.4K

-15.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.5 ₾201

$56.9 NZ$97.5

34.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.41 ₾114

$37.10 NZ$63.5

17.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 ₾316

$92.4 NZ$158

30.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾290

$90.6 NZ$155

22.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$687 ₾1,803

$844 NZ$1,445

-18.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 ₾1,234

$688 NZ$1,177

-31.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 ₾3,550

$1,570 NZ$2,688

-13.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,069

$1,391 NZ$2,382

-43.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,468 ₾6,473

$2,125 NZ$3,638

16.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,456 ₾3,818

$1,887 NZ$3,231

-22.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$659 ₾1,729

$2,576 NZ$4,411

-74.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

6.69

77.73%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: July 13, 2026

Last update for Palmerston North: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $687 in Tbilisi and $844 in Palmerston North. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Palmerston North pays 291% 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 $73.0 in Palmerston North for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $298 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 Palmerston North: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi and Palmerston North differ by about 39% in total monthly costs ($1,197 vs $1,662 including rent). Tbilisi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 291% lower in Palmerston North. 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: $687 in Tbilisi versus $844 in Palmerston North. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $269 in Tbilisi versus $993 in Palmerston North. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 45% higher in Palmerston North. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,197 in Tbilisi versus $1,662 in Palmerston North, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Palmerston North. 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 Palmerston North 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 39% less than in Palmerston North. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.