Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Salo Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Salo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,247 in Tbilisi versus $1,092 in Salo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,025 in Tbilisi versus $1,903 in Salo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,803 in Tbilisi versus $2,714 in Salo.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 14% more expensive than in Salo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 9% lower, Salo 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.33 ₾29.45

$16.96 €14.79

-33.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.71 ₾101

$91.5 €79.7

-57.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 ₾24.73

$12.02 €10.48

-20.80%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ₾8.85

$5.29 €4.61

-35.54%

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

$1.04 ₾2.71

$3.14 €2.74

-66.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₾1.66

$2.02 €1.76

-68.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 ₾6.79

$4.11 €3.58

-36.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ₾8.43

$9.27 €8.08

-65.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₾5.65

$1.07 €0.93

102.80%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ₾1.92

$2.84 €2.47

-73.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 ₾4.45

$2.44 €2.13

-29.92%

Eggs

$2.83 ₾7.36

$3.37 €2.94

-16.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 ₾23.95

$9.47 €8.26

-2.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 ₾17.55

$14.88 €12.97

-54.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.77 ₾33.17

$22.00 €19.18

-41.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.26

$2.42 €2.11

-32.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ₾4.60

$2.08 €1.81

-14.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾4.85

$2.67 €2.33

-29.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 ₾6.34

$3.96 €3.45

-38.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.25

$1.37 €1.19

-36.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$1.94 €1.69

-66.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 ₾3.64

$3.01 €2.63

-53.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$2.12 €1.84

-65.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 ₾8.86

$11.49 €10.02

-70.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.60 ₾19.75

$16.60 €14.47

-54.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₾4.41

$3.20 €2.79

-46.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.20

$3.42 €2.99

-30.41%

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

$4.37 €3.81

-73.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ₾1.97

$1.35 €1.17

-43.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.34 ₾29.47

$67.9 €59.2

-83.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₾3.46

$2.16 €1.88

-38.43%

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

$24.7K ₾64.2K

$38.0K €33.1K

-34.93%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$38.3K €33.3K

-42.42%

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

$88.9 ₾231

$134 €117

-33.78%

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

$13.33 ₾34.63

$25.10 €21.88

-46.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ₾52.3

$24.55 €21.40

-18.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.7 ₾178

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.09 ₾47.01

$21.93 €19.11

-17.51%

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 ₾17.46

$18.14 €15.81

-62.95%

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

$374 ₾971

$347 €303

7.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₾263

$99.9 €87.1

1.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.33 ₾102

$50.9 €44.35

-22.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾305

$106 €92.2

11.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$161 €140

-23.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 ₾1,773

$659 €575

3.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,186

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 ₾3,385

$868 €757

50.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 ₾2,337

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,449 ₾6,365

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,452 ₾3,774

$1,368 €1,193

6.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 ₾1,695

$2,677 €2,333

-75.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

3.51

259.54%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: September 13, 2026

Last update for Salo: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $682 in Tbilisi and $659 in Salo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Salo pays 310% 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 $91.0 in Salo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $388 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 Salo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi and Salo differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($1,247 vs $1,092 including rent). Salo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 310% lower in Salo. 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 $659 in Salo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Tbilisi pay roughly 67% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,247 per month in Tbilisi versus $1,092 in Salo – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,092 in Salo versus $1,247 in Tbilisi, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Salo but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Salo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Salo 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 Salo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.