Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Samokov

For one person, living is cheaper in Samokov: $1,040 a month against $1,269 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

61

Cost of Living Index in Tbilisi
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Tbilisi Living Index
51

Cost of Living Index in Samokov
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Samokov Living Index

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Tbilisi

🇬🇪 Georgia

$1,269

/mo nomad

Samokov

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$1,040

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Samokov

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

A single person spends $1,269 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,040 in Samokov, rent included.

Tbilisi $1,269
Samokov $1,040

A couple spends around $2,016 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,626 in Samokov, rent included.

Tbilisi $2,016
Samokov $1,626

A family of three spends $2,763 per month in Tbilisi vs $2,211 in Samokov, rent included.

Tbilisi $2,763
Samokov $2,211

Tbilisi costs about 22% more than Samokov, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Tbilisi and Samokov are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 7% lower, Samokov 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.63 ₾30.07

$9.39 BGN 16.53

23.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.83 ₾97.8

$45.86 BGN 80.7

-17.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.66 ₾24.98

$9.56 BGN 16.82

1.05%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ₾9.24

$2.89 BGN 5.09

23.53%

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

$1.08 ₾2.78

$1.76 BGN 3.10

-38.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₾1.45

$1.52 BGN 2.68

-63.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 ₾6.78

$2.64 BGN 4.65

-0.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ₾7.85

$4.26 BGN 7.50

-28.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₾5.60

$1.80 BGN 3.16

20.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 ₾2.06

$1.20 BGN 2.11

-33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 ₾4.51

$2.22 BGN 3.91

-21.62%

Eggs

$2.83 ₾7.31

$3.57 BGN 6.27

-20.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.31 ₾24.07

$11.67 BGN 20.54

-20.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.52 ₾16.85

$8.22 BGN 14.46

-20.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.95 ₾33.50

$13.86 BGN 24.39

-6.57%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 ₾4.34

$1.72 BGN 3.02

-2.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.79

$1.87 BGN 3.29

-1.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 ₾5.10

$1.94 BGN 3.41

1.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.42 ₾6.25

$2.65 BGN 4.66

-8.68%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ₾2.11

$1.04 BGN 1.83

-21.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 ₾1.91

$1.09 BGN 1.92

-32.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ₾3.47

$1.22 BGN 2.14

9.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₾2.00

$0.72 BGN 1.26

6.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.57 ₾9.24

$4.13 BGN 7.27

-13.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.67 ₾19.83

$6.04 BGN 10.64

26.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₾4.39

$1.13 BGN 2.00

50.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₾6.21

$2.07 BGN 3.64

15.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ₾1.05

$0.78 BGN 1.38

-48.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.23 ₾39.38

$29.05 BGN 51.1

-47.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.95

$1.27 BGN 2.24

-10.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ₾2.02

$0.65 BGN 1.14

20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.83 ₾30.58

$10.14 BGN 17.85

16.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ₾3.75

$1.74 BGN 3.06

-16.67%

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

$24.6K ₾63.6K

$30.3K BGN 53.3K

-18.84%

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

$22.3K ₾57.8K

$24.6K BGN 43.3K

-9.21%

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

$88.8 ₾230

$114 BGN 201

-22.40%

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

$13.12 ₾33.93

$18.73 BGN 32.97

-29.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.67 ₾50.9

$15.22 BGN 26.78

29.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.1 ₾166

$31.51 BGN 55.5

103.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 ₾49.24

$18.93 BGN 33.32

0.58%

Cinema Ticket

$7.12 ₾18.42

$9.31 BGN 16.39

-23.52%

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

$375 ₾971

$584 BGN 1,028

-35.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ₾27.1K

$5,533 BGN 9,738

89.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ₾268

$68.2 BGN 120

51.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.26 ₾102

$41.21 BGN 72.5

-4.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾303

$96.7 BGN 170

21.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾315

$103 BGN 182

18.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 ₾1,798

$344 BGN 606

101.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 ₾1,167

$240 BGN 423

87.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 ₾3,504

$541 BGN 952

150.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$906 ₾2,343

$370 BGN 652

144.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,295 ₾5,934

$1,404 BGN 2,471

63.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,345 ₾3,478

$1,108 BGN 1,950

21.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 ₾1,718

$742 BGN 1,306

-10.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

3.1

307.10%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: October 27, 2026

Last update for Samokov: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Tbilisi

$451 35.6%

Samokov

$240 23.1% 46.7% $211

Groceries & Markets

Tbilisi

$234 18.4%

Samokov

$252 24.2% 7.8% $18

Eating Out

Tbilisi

$191 15%

Samokov

$173 16.7% 9% $17

Clothing & Footwear

Tbilisi

$172 13.5%

Samokov

$139 13.4% 19% $33

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tbilisi

$122 9.6%

Samokov

$148 14.3% 22% $27

Sport & Entertainment

Tbilisi

$78 6.2%

Samokov

$50 4.8% 36% $28

Getting Around

Tbilisi

$22 1.7%

Samokov

$37 3.5% 67.6% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $695 in Tbilisi versus $344 in Samokov. 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 12% higher in Samokov, 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 $38 in Tbilisi versus $46 in Samokov. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $252 – making Tbilisi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇬🇪 Tbilisi

🇧🇬 Samokov

🕒 Local time

10:27 10:27 AM

08:27 8:27 AM

2 h behind Tbilisi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,241,700 Capital

25,138

💱 Currency

Georgian Lari GEL ₾

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

1 GEL = 0.387 USD

1 GEL = 0.347 EUR

1 BGN = 0.568 USD

1 BGN = 0.51 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇬🇪 Georgian Lari (₾)

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.387 USD). 1 EUR = 2.88 GEL (1 GEL = 0.347 EUR).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 1.76 BGN (1 BGN = 0.568 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.51 EUR).

USD to GEL in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Tbilisi Samokov 1,750 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Tbilisi
Samokov

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 Samokov: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi costs about 22% more than Samokov, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,904 per month in Tbilisi and $1,561 in Samokov. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Samokov, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $344 there versus $695 in Tbilisi.

Kindergarten costs $375 per month in Tbilisi and $584 in Samokov. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Tbilisi – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,269 in Tbilisi and $1,040 in Samokov. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Tbilisi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,040 in Samokov to $1,269 in Tbilisi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.