Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Samara Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Samara

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,286 in Tbilisi versus $941 in Samara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,044 in Tbilisi versus $1,386 in Samara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,802 in Tbilisi versus $1,832 in Samara.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 37% more expensive than in Samara, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 6% lower, Samara 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 ₾30.55

$7.18 ₽616

63.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.88 ₾98.8

$34.69 ₽2,977

9.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.74 ₾25.41

$5.15 ₽442

89.13%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ₾8.90

$2.11 ₽181

61.61%

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

$1.06 ₾2.76

$0.97 ₽83.4

9.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 ₾1.69

$0.46 ₽39.31

41.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 ₾7.05

$1.00 ₽85.5

170.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 ₾8.08

$1.83 ₽157

69.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 ₾5.73

$1.05 ₽90.4

109.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 ₾2.10

$0.84 ₽72.4

-3.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.26

$1.30 ₽111

26.15%

Eggs

$2.75 ₾7.18

$1.44 ₽124

90.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.01 ₾23.50

$10.34 ₽887

-12.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 ₾17.09

$5.04 ₽433

29.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.62 ₾32.91

$7.28 ₽625

73.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 ₾4.36

$1.60 ₽137

4.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ₾4.73

$1.80 ₽154

0.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 ₾5.03

$1.52 ₽130

26.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.59 ₾6.76

$2.69 ₽231

-3.72%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.26

$0.95 ₽81.4

-8.42%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.68

$0.42 ₽35.71

54.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ₾3.63

$1.12 ₽96.0

24.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₾2.08

$0.53 ₽45.67

50.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.36 ₾8.78

$2.52 ₽216

33.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.54 ₾19.66

$4.15 ₽356

81.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ₾4.21

$0.78 ₽66.9

106.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.86

$1.29 ₽110

74.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ₾0.96

$0.45 ₽38.36

-17.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.11 ₾39.41

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ₾3.05

$3.51 ₽302

-66.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 ₾2.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.33 ₾29.55

$3.41 ₽292

232.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₾3.47

$0.78 ₽66.9

70.51%

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

$25.0K ₾65.2K

$26.4K ₽2.3M

-5.20%

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

$22.4K ₾58.4K

$36.0K ₽3.1M

-37.89%

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

$89.1 ₾232

$116 ₽9,940

-23.06%

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

$13.25 ₾34.55

$5.38 ₽461

146.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.46 ₾50.8

$10.42 ₽894

86.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.4 ₾178

$44.28 ₽3,800

54.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.68 ₾48.73

$21.61 ₽1,855

-13.56%

Cinema Ticket

$6.63 ₾17.30

$5.12 ₽440

29.49%

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

$363 ₾948

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ₾270

$72.6 ₽6,233

42.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.84 ₾101

$44.45 ₽3,815

-12.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾304

$105 ₽8,979

11.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 ₾320

$82.3 ₽7,062

49.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 ₾1,780

$526 ₽45.1K

29.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$447 ₾1,165

$328 ₽28.1K

36.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 ₾3,349

$853 ₽73.2K

50.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$920 ₾2,399

$410 ₽35.2K

124.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,487 ₾6,486

$2,326 ₽199.6K

6.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,423 ₾3,711

$1,496 ₽128.4K

-4.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$646 ₾1,684

$859 ₽73.7K

-24.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.73

25.03

-49.14%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: August 31, 2026

Last update for Samara: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $682 in Tbilisi and $526 in Samara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Samara pays 33% 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 $35.00 in Samara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $176 per month, with Samara 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 Samara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi and Samara differ by about 37% in total monthly costs ($1,286 vs $941 including rent). Samara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 33% lower in Samara. 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 $526 in Samara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Samara – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $38.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,286 per month in Tbilisi versus $941 in Samara – a 37% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $941 in Samara versus $1,286 in Tbilisi, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Samara but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Samara 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 Samara 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 Samara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.