Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and SalwaCost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Salwa
Monthly Cost of Living
🙂A single person spends $1,185 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,346 in Salwa, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,834 per month in Tbilisi vs $2,259 in Salwa, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $2,483 per month in Tbilisi vs $3,173 in Salwa, rent included.
🙂Tbilisi is about 12% cheaper than Salwa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Tbilisi sits 12% below the global median, while Salwa is 0% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tbilisi
Salwa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.15₾30.00
$9.64KWD 2.96
15.66%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.13₾116
$65.9KWD 20.24
-34.57%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.22₾22.11
$6.70KWD 2.06
22.69%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.52KWD 0.77
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.75KWD 1.15
-
Cappuccino
$3.13₾8.42
$5.90KWD 1.81
-46.95%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74₾2.00
$0.51KWD 0.16
45.10%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.45₾1.22
$0.34KWD 0.11
32.35%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.13₾5.74
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.99₾8.06
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
Salwa
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.89₾5.09
$1.57KWD 0.48
20.38%
White Bread(500g)
$0.73₾1.97
$0.74KWD 0.23
-1.35%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.85₾4.98
$0.86KWD 0.26
115.12%
Eggs
$2.45₾6.58
$2.06KWD 0.63
18.93%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.85₾21.12
$5.14KWD 1.58
52.72%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.25₾16.82
$6.68KWD 2.05
-6.44%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.77₾26.28
$10.16KWD 3.12
-3.84%
Apples(1kg)
$1.21₾3.26
$2.37KWD 0.73
-48.95%
Banana(1kg)
$1.59₾4.28
$1.87KWD 0.58
-14.97%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.79₾4.81
$1.74KWD 0.53
2.87%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.32₾6.25
$0.79KWD 0.24
193.67%
Potato(1kg)
$0.71₾1.91
$0.67KWD 0.21
5.97%
Onion(1kg)
$0.67₾1.81
$1.27KWD 0.39
-47.24%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.18₾3.16
$1.61KWD 0.50
-26.71%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.71₾1.92
$0.46KWD 0.14
54.35%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
-
$3.23KWD 0.99
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.02KWD 0.31
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.33KWD 0.41
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.92₾7.85
$2.82KWD 0.87
3.55%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.25₾19.50
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.55₾4.17
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.31₾6.21
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Tbilisi
Salwa
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.38₾1.03
$0.83KWD 0.25
-54.22%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$14.81₾39.83
$44.06KWD 13.53
-66.39%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.48₾3.98
$3.19KWD 0.98
-53.61%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.69₾1.86
$3.17KWD 0.97
-78.23%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.45₾20.05
$16.21KWD 4.98
-54.04%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.15₾3.10
$0.36KWD 0.11
219.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.0K₾48.4K
$21.2KKWD 6,522
-15.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.8K₾53.4K
$18.2KKWD 5,581
9.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
Salwa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$73.4₾198
$63.7KWD 19.54
15.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.64₾31.32
$18.54KWD 5.69
-37.22%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.77₾47.79
$25.57KWD 7.85
-30.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
Salwa
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.6₾163
$92.9KWD 28.51
-34.77%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.44₾44.21
$46.94KWD 14.41
-64.98%
Cinema Ticket
$6.51₾17.52
$11.66KWD 3.58
-44.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tbilisi
Salwa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$263₾707
$399KWD 123
-34.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,136₾13.8K
$6,542KWD 2,008
-21.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
Salwa
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$77.7₾209
$38.45KWD 11.80
102.08%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.39₾119
$43.14KWD 13.24
2.90%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$118₾317
$81.4KWD 24.99
44.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$114₾307
$65.2KWD 20.00
75.20%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
Salwa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$693₾1,865
$781KWD 240
-11.29%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$462₾1,244
$606KWD 186
-23.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,337₾3,597
$1,555KWD 477
-13.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$779₾2,096
$1,265KWD 388
-38.42%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,530₾6,805
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,430₾3,847
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tbilisi
Salwa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$633₾1,702
$3,537KWD 1,086
-82.12%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.89
7.14
66.53%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Tbilisi: April 26, 2026
Last update for Salwa: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $693 in Tbilisi versus $781 in Salwa. 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 459% higher in Salwa, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Tbilisi versus $66.0 in Salwa. Groceries tell a different story – $206 in Tbilisi vs $165 in Salwa – so Salwa wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.
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 Salwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Tbilisi and Salwa compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,185 in Tbilisi, $1,346 in Salwa – roughly 14% apart. Salwa costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Tbilisi compared to Salwa?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,777 per month in Tbilisi and $2,018 in Salwa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Tbilisi and Salwa?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Tbilisi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 25% cheaper in Salwa – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Tbilisi and $66.0 in Salwa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tbilisi, where all-in costs run around $1,185, than in Salwa at $1,346. In Tbilisi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Salwa it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Tbilisi and Salwa?
It depends on your priorities. Tbilisi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,185 in Tbilisi to $1,346 in Salwa. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Tbilisi or Salwa 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 Salwa?
If budget matters most, go with Tbilisi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Salwa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.