Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Port Elizabeth

For one person, living costs are similar in Tbilisi and in Port Elizabeth: $1,266 and $1,216 a month, rent and utilities included.

62

Cost of Living Index in Tbilisi
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Tbilisi Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Port Elizabeth
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Port Elizabeth Living Index

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Tbilisi

🇬🇪 Georgia

$1,266

/mo nomad

Port Elizabeth

🇿🇦 South Africa

$1,216

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Port Elizabeth

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 Port Elizabeth actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,216 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

Tbilisi $1,266
Port Elizabeth $1,216

A couple spends around $2,007 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,835 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

Tbilisi $2,007
Port Elizabeth $1,835

A family of three spends $2,749 per month in Tbilisi vs $2,453 in Port Elizabeth, rent included.

Tbilisi $2,749
Port Elizabeth $2,453

Tbilisi costs about 4% more than Port Elizabeth, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Tbilisi and Port Elizabeth are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 6% lower, Port Elizabeth 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.34 ₾29.35

$11.00 R 181

3.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.05 ₾101

$41.67 R 687

-6.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.63 ₾24.92

$5.84 R 96.2

64.90%

Cappuccino

$3.46 ₾8.95

$2.17 R 35.81

59.45%

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

$1.09 ₾2.82

$1.03 R 16.91

5.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₾1.62

$0.76 R 12.59

-17.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.77 ₾7.17

$2.69 R 44.37

2.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 ₾8.04

$3.24 R 53.3

-4.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 ₾5.81

$1.12 R 18.39

100.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 ₾2.07

$1.04 R 17.20

-23.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 ₾4.55

$1.51 R 24.94

16.56%

Eggs

$2.75 ₾7.11

$2.81 R 46.35

-2.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.39 ₾24.32

$8.58 R 141

9.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.66 ₾17.23

$5.33 R 87.7

24.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.92 ₾33.45

$8.36 R 138

54.55%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 ₾4.31

$2.19 R 36.04

-23.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.65

$1.49 R 24.58

20.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 ₾4.97

$1.70 R 28.04

12.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 ₾6.24

$1.81 R 29.74

33.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 ₾2.23

$1.66 R 27.41

-48.19%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 ₾1.80

$1.45 R 23.83

-52.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 ₾3.62

$1.26 R 20.72

11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₾1.85

$0.99 R 16.39

-28.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.51 ₾9.08

$3.26 R 53.8

7.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₾19.69

$4.82 R 79.4

57.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ₾4.21

$1.27 R 20.99

28.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾5.98

$1.82 R 30.00

26.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ₾0.96

$1.10 R 18.17

-66.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.67 ₾40.57

$36.67 R 604

-57.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.95

$2.04 R 33.68

-44.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 ₾2.05

$0.50 R 8.25

58.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.86 ₾30.70

$8.45 R 139

40.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 ₾3.62

$1.48 R 24.38

-5.41%

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

$24.8K ₾64.2K

$35.8K R 589.5K

-30.72%

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

$21.9K ₾56.6K

$34.1K R 562.5K

-35.98%

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

$89.1 ₾231

$125 R 2,058

-28.66%

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

$13.21 ₾34.19

$34.90 R 575

-62.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.76 ₾51.1

$44.55 R 734

-55.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.9 ₾168

$32.20 R 530

101.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.02 ₾49.24

$23.27 R 383

-18.26%

Cinema Ticket

$6.57 ₾17.02

$10.74 R 177

-38.83%

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

$377 ₾975

$177 R 2,924

112.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K ₾27.9K

$6,046 R 99.6K

78.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 ₾265

$72.4 R 1,193

41.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.70 ₾103

$38.28 R 631

3.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾305

$110 R 1,806

7.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 ₾320

$95.6 R 1,574

29.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 ₾1,724

$598 R 9,859

11.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$449 ₾1,163

$415 R 6,838

8.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 ₾3,324

$808 R 13.3K

58.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$890 ₾2,303

$682 R 11.2K

30.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,425 ₾6,276

$764 R 12.6K

217.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,380 ₾3,573

$522 R 8,604

164.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$680 ₾1,760

$1,625 R 26.8K

-58.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

11.94

5.70%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: October 12, 2026

Last update for Port Elizabeth: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Tbilisi

$449 35.5%

Port Elizabeth

$415 34.1% 7.6% $34

Groceries & Markets

Tbilisi

$234 18.5%

Port Elizabeth

$197 16.2% 15.9% $37

Eating Out

Tbilisi

$188 14.9%

Port Elizabeth

$159 13.1% 15.6% $29

Clothing & Footwear

Tbilisi

$172 13.6%

Port Elizabeth

$142 11.7% 17.5% $30

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tbilisi

$122 9.7%

Port Elizabeth

$204 16.8% 67.4% $82

Sport & Entertainment

Tbilisi

$78 6.2%

Port Elizabeth

$54 4.4% 31.2% $24

Getting Around

Tbilisi

$22 1.8%

Port Elizabeth

$46 3.8% 105% $23

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $666 in Tbilisi versus $598 in Port Elizabeth. 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 Port Elizabeth, 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 $39.00 in Tbilisi versus $42.00 in Port Elizabeth. Groceries tell a different story – $234 in Tbilisi vs $197 in Port Elizabeth – so Port Elizabeth wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇬🇪 Tbilisi

🇿🇦 Port Elizabeth

🕒 Local time

16:34 4:34 PM

14:34 2:34 PM

2 h behind Tbilisi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,241,700 Capital

1,050,000

💱 Currency

Georgian Lari GEL ₾

South African Rand ZAR R

📈 Exchange rate

1 GEL = 0.386 USD

1 GEL = 0.344 EUR

100 ZAR = 6.07 USD

100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ZAR, USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇬🇪 Georgian Lari (₾)

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.386 USD). 1 EUR = 2.91 GEL (1 GEL = 0.344 EUR).

South African Rand exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 16.48 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.07 USD). 1 EUR = 18.52 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.4 EUR).

USD to GEL in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Tbilisi Port Elizabeth 8,640 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Tbilisi
Port Elizabeth

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 Port Elizabeth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi costs about 4% more than Port Elizabeth, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from utilities. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Tbilisi and $1,824 in Port Elizabeth. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 19% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Tbilisi and $42.00 in Port Elizabeth. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Port Elizabeth, where all-in costs run around $1,216, than in Tbilisi at $1,266. In Port Elizabeth it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Port Elizabeth costs $1,216 versus $1,266 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 Port Elizabeth. 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.