Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Rolleston

For one person, living is cheaper in Rolleston: $1,142 a month against $1,266 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Tbilisi outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Tbilisi
🇬🇪 Georgia
$1,266
/mo nomad
Rolleston
🇳🇿 New Zealand
$1,142
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Rolleston

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

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,142 in Rolleston, rent included.

  • Tbilisi $1,266
  • Rolleston $1,142

A couple spends around $2,007 per month in Tbilisi vs $2,160 in Rolleston, rent included.

  • Tbilisi $2,007
  • Rolleston $2,160

A family of three spends $2,749 per month in Tbilisi vs $3,178 in Rolleston, rent included.

  • Tbilisi $2,749
  • Rolleston $3,178

Tbilisi costs about 11% more than Rolleston, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Tbilisi and Rolleston are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 6% lower, Rolleston 15% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tbilisi
Rolleston
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.34 ₾29.35
$14.22 NZ$25.14
-20.25%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$39.05 ₾101
$68.1 NZ$120
-42.67%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.63 ₾24.92
$8.79 NZ$15.54
9.56%
Cappuccino
$3.46 ₾8.95
$3.28 NZ$5.81
5.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.09 ₾2.82
$2.13 NZ$3.77
-48.83%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.63 ₾1.62
$1.76 NZ$3.12
-64.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.77 ₾7.17
$6.62 NZ$11.70
-58.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10 ₾8.04
$6.18 NZ$10.93
-49.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
Rolleston
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.25 ₾5.81
$1.65 NZ$2.92
36.36%
White Bread (500g)
$0.80 ₾2.07
$1.81 NZ$3.19
-55.80%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.76 ₾4.55
$1.50 NZ$2.66
17.33%
Eggs
$2.75 ₾7.11
$5.66 NZ$10.02
-51.41%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.39 ₾24.32
$7.09 NZ$12.53
32.44%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.66 ₾17.23
$9.38 NZ$16.58
-29.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.92 ₾33.45
$13.71 NZ$24.25
-5.76%
Apples (1kg)
$1.67 ₾4.31
$2.57 NZ$4.55
-35.02%
Banana (1kg)
$1.80 ₾4.65
$2.32 NZ$4.11
-22.41%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.92 ₾4.97
$2.73 NZ$4.82
-29.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.41 ₾6.24
$5.10 NZ$9.01
-52.75%
Potato (1kg)
$0.86 ₾2.23
$1.79 NZ$3.16
-51.96%
Onion (1kg)
$0.69 ₾1.80
$1.45 NZ$2.57
-52.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.40 ₾3.62
$2.29 NZ$4.05
-38.86%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.71 ₾1.85
$0.59 NZ$1.05
20.34%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.51 ₾9.08
$23.39 NZ$41.36
-84.99%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.61 ₾19.69
$8.16 NZ$14.43
-6.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.63 ₾4.21
$3.33 NZ$5.89
-51.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.31 ₾5.98
$3.30 NZ$5.83
-30.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Tbilisi
Rolleston
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.37 ₾0.96
$1.14 NZ$2.02
-67.54%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.67 ₾40.57
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.14 ₾2.95
$2.44 NZ$4.32
-53.28%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.79 ₾2.05
$1.71 NZ$3.02
-53.80%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.86 ₾30.70
$27.51 NZ$48.65
-56.89%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.40 ₾3.62
$1.74 NZ$3.07
-19.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.8K ₾64.2K
$24.8K NZ$43.8K
0.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.9K ₾56.6K
$24.0K NZ$42.5K
-8.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
Rolleston
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$89.1 ₾231
$108 NZ$191
-17.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.21 ₾34.19
$22.38 NZ$39.58
-40.97%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.76 ₾51.1
$45.15 NZ$79.9
-56.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
Rolleston
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$64.9 ₾168
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.02 ₾49.24
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.57 ₾17.02
$10.08 NZ$17.82
-34.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tbilisi
Rolleston
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$377 ₾975
$341 NZ$602
10.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.8K ₾27.9K
$6,755 NZ$11.9K
59.82%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
Rolleston
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 ₾265
$57.5 NZ$102
77.58%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.70 ₾103
$35.21 NZ$62.3
12.75%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$118 ₾305
$89.5 NZ$158
31.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$123 ₾320
$122 NZ$215
1.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
Rolleston
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$666 ₾1,724
$278 NZ$491
139.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$449 ₾1,163
$254 NZ$449
77.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,284 ₾3,324
$1,025 NZ$1,813
25.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$890 ₾2,303
$1,082 NZ$1,914
-17.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,425 ₾6,276
$2,022 NZ$3,576
19.91%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,380 ₾3,573
$1,805 NZ$3,192
-23.52%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tbilisi
Rolleston
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$680 ₾1,760
$4,358 NZ$7,707
-84.40%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.62
5.91
113.54%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: October 12, 2026

Last update for Rolleston: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
$449
Rolleston
$254 43.5% $195
Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
$234
Rolleston
$300 28.3% $66
Eating Out
Tbilisi
$188
Rolleston
$241 27.9% $53
Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
$172
Rolleston
$137 20.7% $36
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
$122
Rolleston
$176 43.9% $54
Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
$78
Rolleston
$20 * 74.2% $58
Getting Around
Tbilisi
$22
Rolleston
$16 * 30.1% $6.7

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $666 in Tbilisi versus $278 in Rolleston. 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 541% higher in Rolleston, 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 $68.0 in Rolleston. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $300 – making Tbilisi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇪 Tbilisi
🇳🇿 Rolleston
🕒 Local time
05:52 5:52 AM
14:52 2:52 PM
9 h ahead of Tbilisi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,241,700 Capital
28,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

NZD, USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.386 USD). 1 EUR = 2.91 GEL (1 GEL = 0.344 EUR).

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.77 NZD (1 NZD = 0.565 USD). 1 EUR = 1.99 NZD (1 NZD = 0.503 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tbilisi Rolleston 15,790 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Tbilisi
  • Rolleston

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 Rolleston: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Tbilisi and in Rolleston compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,266 in Tbilisi, $1,142 in Rolleston – roughly 11% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Tbilisi compared to Rolleston?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Tbilisi and $1,713 in Rolleston. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Tbilisi and Rolleston?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Rolleston, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Tbilisi or Rolleston?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Tbilisi and $1,142 in Rolleston. That's a gap of about 11%.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Tbilisi and Rolleston?
Kindergarten costs $377 per month in Tbilisi and $341 in Rolleston. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rolleston, where all-in costs run around $1,142, than in Tbilisi at $1,266. In Rolleston it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Tbilisi and Rolleston?
It depends on your priorities. Tbilisi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,142 in Rolleston to $1,266 in Tbilisi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Tbilisi or Rolleston safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Tbilisi and Rolleston?
If budget matters most, go with Rolleston. 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.

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