Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Rustenburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Rustenburg

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,247 in Tbilisi versus $800 in Rustenburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,025 in Tbilisi versus $1,341 in Rustenburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,803 in Tbilisi versus $1,882 in Rustenburg.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 56% more expensive than in Rustenburg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 9% lower, Rustenburg 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.33 ₾29.45

$6.30 R 103

79.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.71 ₾101

$47.97 R 786

-19.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 ₾24.73

$6.42 R 105

48.29%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ₾8.85

$2.12 R 34.68

60.85%

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

$1.04 ₾2.71

$0.90 R 14.71

15.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₾1.66

$0.48 R 7.83

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 ₾6.79

$1.59 R 25.97

64.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ₾8.43

$2.21 R 36.15

46.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₾5.65

$1.17 R 19.18

85.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ₾1.92

$1.01 R 16.59

-26.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 ₾4.45

$1.80 R 29.52

-5.00%

Eggs

$2.83 ₾7.36

$2.77 R 45.37

2.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 ₾23.95

$7.62 R 125

21.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 ₾17.55

$4.92 R 80.6

37.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.77 ₾33.17

$6.32 R 104

102.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.26

$1.88 R 30.72

-12.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ₾4.60

$1.66 R 27.23

6.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾4.85

$1.79 R 29.39

4.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 ₾6.34

$1.14 R 18.70

114.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.25

$1.36 R 22.25

-36.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$1.11 R 18.20

-41.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 ₾3.64

$1.30 R 21.27

7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$0.96 R 15.67

-22.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 ₾8.86

$3.22 R 52.7

5.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.60 ₾19.75

$6.09 R 99.7

24.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₾4.41

$0.63 R 10.37

169.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.20

$0.91 R 14.89

161.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.94

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.24 ₾39.60

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₾3.07

$0.94 R 15.42

25.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ₾1.97

$0.95 R 15.56

-20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.34 ₾29.47

$15.05 R 247

-24.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₾3.46

$1.46 R 23.95

-8.90%

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

$24.7K ₾64.2K

$29.5K R 482.5K

-16.08%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$27.3K R 447.2K

-19.33%

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

$88.9 ₾231

$76.2 R 1,249

16.55%

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

$13.33 ₾34.63

$13.75 R 225

-3.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ₾52.3

$37.01 R 606

-45.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.7 ₾178

$21.91 R 359

213.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.09 ₾47.01

$6.05 R 99.2

199.01%

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 ₾17.46

$4.96 R 81.3

35.48%

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

$374 ₾971

$112 R 1,831

234.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.8K

$5,636 R 92.3K

89.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₾263

$43.42 R 711

133.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.33 ₾102

$47.21 R 773

-16.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾305

$110 R 1,808

6.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$55.9 R 916

118.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 ₾1,773

$333 R 5,461

104.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,186

$250 R 4,090

82.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 ₾3,385

$750 R 12.3K

73.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 ₾2,337

$520 R 8,525

72.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,449 ₾6,365

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,452 ₾3,774

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 ₾1,695

$1,117 R 18.3K

-41.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

9.9

27.47%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: September 13, 2026

Last update for Rustenburg: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $682 in Tbilisi and $333 in Rustenburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rustenburg pays 71% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $39.00 in Tbilisi vs $48.00 in Rustenburg. Groceries flip the comparison at $232 vs $179, with Rustenburg cheaper for home cooking.

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 Rustenburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rustenburg is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 71% lower in Rustenburg. 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: $682 in Tbilisi versus $333 in Rustenburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $374 in Tbilisi versus $112 in Rustenburg. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Rustenburg – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $39.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $800 in Rustenburg versus $1,247 in Tbilisi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Rustenburg but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Rustenburg the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Rustenburg is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tbilisi, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Rustenburg 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 Rustenburg gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.