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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,286 per month in Tbilisi vs $992 in Polokwane, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,044 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,461 in Polokwane, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,802 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,931 in Polokwane, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 30% more than Polokwane, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tbilisi and Polokwane are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 6% lower, Polokwane 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 ₾30.58

$12.44 R 199

-5.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.88 ₾98.9

$31.20 R 499

21.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.74 ₾25.43

$7.38 R 118

31.98%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ₾8.91

$2.47 R 39.50

38.06%

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

$1.06 ₾2.77

$0.98 R 15.75

8.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 ₾1.69

$0.97 R 15.50

-32.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 ₾7.06

$1.77 R 28.31

52.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 ₾8.09

$2.13 R 34.10

45.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 ₾5.74

$1.37 R 21.94

60.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 ₾2.10

$1.19 R 18.97

-31.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.27

$1.80 R 28.86

-8.89%

Eggs

$2.75 ₾7.19

$2.62 R 41.85

4.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.01 ₾23.52

$7.70 R 123

17.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 ₾17.10

$4.11 R 65.7

59.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.62 ₾32.94

$6.09 R 97.5

107.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 ₾4.36

$2.10 R 33.56

-20.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ₾4.73

$1.95 R 31.17

-7.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 ₾5.04

$1.82 R 29.10

6.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.59 ₾6.76

$2.03 R 32.51

27.59%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.26

$1.75 R 28.00

-50.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.69

$1.61 R 25.70

-59.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ₾3.63

$1.15 R 18.39

20.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₾2.08

$0.82 R 13.11

-2.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.36 ₾8.78

$2.72 R 43.55

23.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.54 ₾19.68

$4.80 R 76.8

57.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ₾4.21

$1.24 R 19.78

29.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.86

$1.63 R 26.12

38.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ₾0.96

$0.89 R 14.24

-58.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.11 ₾39.45

$31.55 R 505

-52.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ₾3.06

$0.90 R 14.44

30.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 ₾2.09

$0.90 R 14.32

-11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.33 ₾29.58

$14.78 R 236

-23.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₾3.47

$1.42 R 22.73

-6.34%

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

$25.0K ₾65.2K

$26.1K R 418.1K

-4.41%

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

$22.4K ₾58.4K

$29.3K R 468.5K

-23.60%

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

$89.1 ₾233

$138 R 2,214

-35.64%

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

$13.25 ₾34.58

$39.69 R 635

-66.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.46 ₾50.8

$34.33 R 549

-43.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.4 ₾179

$23.26 R 372

194.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.68 ₾48.77

Cinema Ticket

$6.63 ₾17.32

$8.30 R 133

-20.12%

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

$363 ₾949

$185 R 2,957

96.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.8K

$1,482 R 23.7K

619.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ₾270

$47.04 R 752

120.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.84 ₾101

$37.70 R 603

3.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾304

$82.3 R 1,316

41.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 ₾320

$96.6 R 1,545

27.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 ₾1,782

$297 R 4,745

130.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$447 ₾1,166

$211 R 3,371

111.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 ₾3,353

$438 R 7,001

193.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$920 ₾2,401

$289 R 4,617

218.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,487 ₾6,492

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,423 ₾3,715

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$646 ₾1,686

$1,546 R 24.7K

-58.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.73

10.91

16.68%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: August 31, 2026

Last update for Polokwane: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $682 in Tbilisi versus $297 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 139% 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 $38.00 in Tbilisi versus $31.00 in Polokwane. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $232 vs $187 – making Polokwane the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 30% 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 $1,929 per month in Tbilisi and $1,488 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.

Kindergarten costs $363 per month in Tbilisi and $185 in Polokwane. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% 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 $992, than in Tbilisi at $1,286. 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 $992 versus $1,286 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.