Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Popayan Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Popayan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,185 per month in Tbilisi vs $775 in Popayan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,834 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,180 in Popayan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,483 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,586 in Popayan, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 53% more than Popayan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tbilisi and Popayan are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 12% lower, Popayan 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.15 ₾30.00

$3.83 COP 13.8K

191.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.13 ₾116

$23.38 COP 84.4K

84.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 ₾22.11

$7.36 COP 26.6K

11.68%

Cappuccino

$3.13 ₾8.42

$1.56 COP 5,647

100.64%

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

$0.74 ₾2.00

$0.86 COP 3,087

-13.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₾1.22

$0.56 COP 2,034

-19.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ₾5.74

$1.16 COP 4,185

83.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ₾8.06

$2.12 COP 7,652

41.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₾5.09

$1.10 COP 3,956

71.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₾1.97

$1.29 COP 4,657

-43.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.98

$1.13 COP 4,078

63.72%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.58

$2.16 COP 7,793

13.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.85 ₾21.12

$4.46 COP 16.1K

76.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ₾16.82

$5.24 COP 18.9K

19.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.77 ₾26.28

$7.25 COP 26.2K

34.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 ₾3.26

$2.56 COP 9,251

-52.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₾4.28

$1.11 COP 3,989

43.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.81

$1.29 COP 4,673

38.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 ₾6.25

$0.86 COP 3,118

169.77%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.91

$1.11 COP 4,015

-36.04%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.81

$1.12 COP 4,032

-40.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.16

$0.83 COP 2,993

42.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₾1.92

$0.70 COP 2,511

1.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.85

$2.32 COP 8,383

25.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.25 ₾19.50

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₾4.17

$1.09 COP 3,920

42.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.21

$1.74 COP 6,275

32.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.03

$0.72 COP 2,587

-47.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.81 ₾39.83

$30.48 COP 110.0K

-51.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ₾3.98

$1.44 COP 5,190

2.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.86

$1.66 COP 5,976

-58.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾20.05

$6.18 COP 22.3K

20.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₾3.10

$1.00 COP 3,604

15.00%

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

$18.0K ₾48.4K

$17.7K COP 63.8M

1.95%

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

$19.8K ₾53.4K

$25.4K COP 91.5M

-21.77%

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

$73.4 ₾198

$82.6 COP 298.2K

-11.10%

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

$11.64 ₾31.32

$8.95 COP 32.3K

30.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.77 ₾47.79

$23.10 COP 83.4K

-23.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 ₾163

$23.84 COP 86.1K

154.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 ₾44.21

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.52

$3.96 COP 14.3K

64.39%

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

$263 ₾707

$242 COP 873.4K

8.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,136 ₾13.8K

$5,882 COP 21.2M

-12.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾209

$58.1 COP 209.6K

33.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.39 ₾119

$32.72 COP 118.1K

35.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾317

$83.9 COP 303.0K

40.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾307

$73.5 COP 265.4K

55.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,865

$284 COP 1.0M

144.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,244

$242 COP 874.1K

91.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 ₾3,597

$520 COP 1.9M

157.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$779 ₾2,096

$428 COP 1.5M

82.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,530 ₾6,805

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,430 ₾3,847

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$633 ₾1,702

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

13.18

-9.79%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: April 26, 2026

Last update for Popayan: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $693 in Tbilisi versus $284 in Popayan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Tbilisi versus $23.00 in Popayan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $153 – making Popayan 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 Popayan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,185 in Tbilisi, $775 in Popayan – roughly 53% apart. Tbilisi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,777 per month in Tbilisi and $1,162 in Popayan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $263 per month in Tbilisi and $242 in Popayan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Popayan, where all-in costs run around $775, than in Tbilisi at $1,185. In Popayan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Tbilisi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $775 in Popayan to $1,185 in Tbilisi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Popayan. 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.