Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Pretoria Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Pretoria

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,209 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,158 in Pretoria, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,867 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,776 in Pretoria, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,526 per month in Tbilisi vs $2,394 in Pretoria, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 4% more than Pretoria, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Tbilisi and Pretoria are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 10% lower, Pretoria 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 ₾28.71

$8.23 R 134

31.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.18 ₾115

$33.05 R 537

30.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.29 ₾22.04

$4.71 R 76.6

76.01%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ₾7.97

$2.02 R 32.84

48.51%

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

$0.82 ₾2.17

$1.01 R 16.48

-18.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.21

$0.83 R 13.57

-44.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 ₾5.93

$2.17 R 35.34

2.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.75

$2.82 R 45.89

3.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.12

$1.19 R 19.37

62.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.81

$1.06 R 17.15

-35.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 ₾5.00

$1.57 R 25.49

19.75%

Eggs

$2.54 ₾6.74

$2.38 R 38.71

6.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 ₾19.70

$7.78 R 127

-4.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ₾16.44

$4.56 R 74.1

35.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ₾24.87

$6.39 R 104

46.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 ₾3.25

$1.63 R 26.49

-25.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ₾4.40

$1.62 R 26.28

2.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.78

$1.62 R 26.28

11.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 ₾5.96

$1.70 R 27.55

31.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.89

$1.35 R 21.99

-47.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.79

$1.17 R 18.99

-42.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.13

$1.12 R 18.24

5.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.76

$1.12 R 18.24

-41.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ₾7.91

$2.82 R 45.77

5.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₾20.22

$5.29 R 86.0

43.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.08

$1.55 R 25.25

-0.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.99

$1.83 R 29.78

22.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$3.22 R 52.3

-88.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 ₾38.38

$63.9 R 1,038

-77.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ₾3.97

$1.37 R 22.34

8.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.82

$1.32 R 21.41

-48.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 ₾19.20

$3.12 R 50.7

131.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.04

$1.32 R 21.39

-13.64%

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

$18.5K ₾49.1K

$19.3K R 313.1K

-4.19%

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

$20.0K ₾53.1K

$25.7K R 417.9K

-22.36%

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

$73.7 ₾196

$122 R 1,979

-39.51%

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

$11.64 ₾30.92

$37.75 R 614

-69.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.84 ₾47.41

$37.89 R 616

-52.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 ₾160

$32.18 R 523

86.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ₾44.65

$10.50 R 171

60.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ₾17.55

$7.46 R 121

-11.53%

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

$266 ₾708

$196 R 3,183

36.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,191 ₾13.8K

$4,381 R 71.2K

18.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾206

$50.7 R 824

53.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.75 ₾119

$32.29 R 525

38.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾310

$87.3 R 1,419

33.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾300

$89.8 R 1,459

25.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,840

$399 R 6,491

73.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,227

$393 R 6,385

17.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 ₾3,507

$733 R 11.9K

80.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₾2,057

$766 R 12.4K

1.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,430 ₾6,458

$889 R 14.4K

173.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 ₾3,842

$707 R 11.5K

104.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 ₾1,788

$1,510 R 24.5K

-55.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

11.69

1.71%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Pretoria: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $693 in Tbilisi versus $399 in Pretoria. 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 124% higher in Pretoria, 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 $33.00 in Pretoria. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $203 vs $183 – making Pretoria 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 Pretoria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tbilisi is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,813 per month in Tbilisi and $1,737 in Pretoria. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 342% less in Pretoria. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $266 per month in Tbilisi and $196 in Pretoria. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Pretoria, where all-in costs run around $1,158, than in Tbilisi at $1,209. In Pretoria it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pretoria – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Pretoria. 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.