Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Puntarenas Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Puntarenas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,279 in Tbilisi versus $1,021 in Puntarenas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,011 in Tbilisi versus $1,588 in Puntarenas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,743 in Tbilisi versus $2,156 in Puntarenas.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 25% more expensive than in Puntarenas, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 7% lower, Puntarenas 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.43 ₾29.72

$8.04 ₡3,596

42.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.16 ₾99.2

$40.46 ₡18.1K

-5.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.40 ₾24.45

$9.65 ₡4,320

-2.59%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ₾8.78

$4.33 ₡1,940

-21.94%

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

$1.04 ₾2.70

$2.50 ₡1,117

-58.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₾1.56

$1.93 ₡865

-68.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 ₾7.05

$3.29 ₡1,473

-17.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ₾7.90

$4.52 ₡2,021

-32.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 ₾5.90

$2.07 ₡927

9.66%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ₾2.04

$3.14 ₡1,406

-74.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ₾4.21

$2.01 ₡901

-19.40%

Eggs

$2.74 ₾7.13

$2.88 ₡1,288

-4.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.30 ₾24.19

$6.17 ₡2,762

50.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.79 ₾17.65

$7.61 ₡3,405

-10.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.01 ₾33.84

$12.90 ₡5,774

0.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.27

$4.00 ₡1,790

-59.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ₾4.77

$1.42 ₡636

28.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 ₾4.94

$2.37 ₡1,060

-19.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 ₾6.68

$2.38 ₡1,066

7.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 ₾2.19

$2.40 ₡1,073

-65.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$2.40 ₡1,074

-72.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₾3.54

$0.98 ₡436

38.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₾2.07

$2.71 ₡1,211

-70.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ₾8.85

$4.98 ₡2,230

-31.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.67 ₾19.94

$8.26 ₡3,696

-7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₾4.36

$1.80 ₡804

-6.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.18

$2.25 ₡1,009

5.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ₾1.02

$1.05 ₡468

-62.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.55 ₾40.44

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.96

$2.26 ₡1,011

-49.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$1.09 ₡486

-32.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.32 ₾29.42

$8.63 ₡3,861

31.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 ₾3.60

$1.46 ₡651

-5.48%

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

$24.6K ₾63.9K

$22.2K ₡9.9M

10.94%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$19.0K ₡8.5M

15.96%

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

$88.7 ₾231

$55.4 ₡24.8K

60.10%

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

$13.18 ₾34.26

$28.96 ₡13.0K

-54.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.68 ₾51.2

$41.30 ₡18.5K

-52.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 ₾177

$26.79 ₡12.0K

154.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.94 ₾46.65

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ₾16.70

$8.32 ₡3,724

-22.84%

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

$372 ₾967

$988 ₡442.4K

-62.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K ₾28.1K

$17.3K ₡7.8M

-37.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₾272

$26.33 ₡11.8K

296.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.83 ₾101

$17.57 ₡7,863

121.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₾299

$128 ₡57.1K

-9.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$53.9 ₡24.1K

127.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 ₾1,770

$364 ₡162.7K

87.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,185

$259 ₡115.8K

76.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 ₾3,410

$535 ₡239.5K

145.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$892 ₾2,321

$418 ₡186.9K

113.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,391 ₾6,216

$1,010 ₡451.9K

136.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,425 ₾3,704

$652 ₡291.7K

118.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$640 ₾1,663

$881 ₡394.2K

-27.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

8.78

43.74%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: September 5, 2026

Last update for Puntarenas: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $681 in Tbilisi and $364 in Puntarenas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Puntarenas pays 38% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $38.00 in Tbilisi vs $40.00 in Puntarenas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $236 vs $295 per month, with Tbilisi cheaper across the board.

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 Puntarenas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Puntarenas wins on cost – living expenses run 25% lower than in Tbilisi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Puntarenas the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 38% lower in Puntarenas. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $681 in Tbilisi versus $364 in Puntarenas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Tbilisi pay roughly 25% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,279 per month in Tbilisi versus $1,021 in Puntarenas – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,021 in Puntarenas versus $1,279 in Tbilisi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Puntarenas but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Puntarenas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Puntarenas delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,021 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Puntarenas hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Puntarenas are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Puntarenas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.