Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Polokwane Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Polokwane

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,209 per month in Tbilisi vs $820 in Polokwane, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,867 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,289 in Polokwane, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,526 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,757 in Polokwane, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 47% more than Polokwane, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tbilisi and Polokwane are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 10% lower, Polokwane 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 ₾28.71

$9.87 R 160

9.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.18 ₾115

$42.61 R 692

1.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.29 ₾22.04

$4.73 R 76.9

75.26%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ₾7.97

$2.17 R 35.33

38.25%

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

$0.82 ₾2.17

$0.81 R 13.14

1.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.21

$0.80 R 13.06

-42.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 ₾5.93

$1.69 R 27.52

31.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.75

$2.02 R 32.78

44.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.12

$1.19 R 19.34

62.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.81

$0.95 R 15.51

-28.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 ₾5.00

$1.72 R 27.89

9.30%

Eggs

$2.54 ₾6.74

$2.47 R 40.13

2.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 ₾19.70

$7.11 R 116

4.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ₾16.44

$3.26 R 52.9

89.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ₾24.87

$5.73 R 93.1

63.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 ₾3.25

$1.63 R 26.55

-25.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ₾4.40

$1.52 R 24.78

9.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.78

$1.52 R 24.76

18.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 ₾5.96

$1.66 R 26.97

34.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.89

$1.45 R 23.54

-51.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.79

$1.23 R 19.97

-45.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.13

$1.05 R 17.06

12.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.76

$0.71 R 11.59

-7.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ₾7.91

$2.62 R 42.66

13.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₾20.22

$4.76 R 77.3

59.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.08

$1.07 R 17.41

43.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.99

$1.24 R 20.12

81.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$3.19 R 51.9

-88.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 ₾38.38

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ₾3.97

$0.88 R 14.30

69.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.82

$0.94 R 15.34

-27.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 ₾19.20

$4.02 R 65.3

79.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.04

$1.21 R 19.59

-5.79%

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

$18.5K ₾49.1K

$13.7K R 223.1K

34.44%

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

$20.0K ₾53.1K

$22.6K R 366.5K

-11.46%

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

$73.7 ₾196

$119 R 1,928

-37.90%

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

$11.64 ₾30.92

$39.74 R 646

-70.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.84 ₾47.41

$37.33 R 607

-52.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 ₾160

$22.36 R 363

168.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ₾44.65

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ₾17.55

$7.09 R 115

-6.91%

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

$266 ₾708

$169 R 2,751

57.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,191 ₾13.8K

$1,354 R 22.0K

283.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾206

$33.90 R 551

129.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.75 ₾119

$33.31 R 541

34.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾310

$75.7 R 1,229

54.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾300

$79.8 R 1,296

41.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,840

$249 R 4,041

178.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,227

$176 R 2,864

162.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 ₾3,507

$383 R 6,228

244.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₾2,057

$275 R 4,474

181.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,430 ₾6,458

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 ₾3,842

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 ₾1,788

$1,529 R 24.9K

-56.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

11.51

3.30%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Polokwane: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $693 in Tbilisi versus $249 in Polokwane. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 127% higher in Polokwane, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Tbilisi versus $43.00 in Polokwane. Groceries tell a different story – $203 in Tbilisi vs $162 in Polokwane – so Polokwane wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Polokwane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi costs about 47% more than Polokwane, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,813 per month in Tbilisi and $1,230 in Polokwane. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Polokwane, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Tbilisi and $43.00 in Polokwane. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% more in Tbilisi, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Polokwane, where all-in costs run around $820, than in Tbilisi at $1,209. In Polokwane it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Polokwane costs $820 versus $1,209 in Tbilisi. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Polokwane. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tbilisi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.