Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and San Francisco, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Tbilisi: $1,269 a month against $4,356 in San Francisco, CA, rent and utilities included – about $37,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Tbilisi, Georgia
San Francisco, CA, United States
Tbilisi
🇬🇪 Georgia
$1,269
/mo nomad
San Francisco, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$4,356
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in San Francisco, CA

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 San Francisco, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,269 per month in Tbilisi vs $4,356 in San Francisco, CA, rent included.

  • Tbilisi $1,269
  • San Francisco, CA $4,356

A couple spends around $2,016 per month in Tbilisi vs $6,614 in San Francisco, CA, rent included.

  • Tbilisi $2,016
  • San Francisco, CA $6,614

A family of three spends $2,763 per month in Tbilisi vs $8,871 in San Francisco, CA, rent included.

  • Tbilisi $2,763
  • San Francisco, CA $8,871

Tbilisi is about 71% cheaper than San Francisco, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Tbilisi sits 7% below the global median, while San Francisco, CA is 220% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tbilisi
San Francisco, CA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.63 ₾30.07
$27.55 $27.55
-57.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.83 ₾97.8
$122 $122
-68.99%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.66 ₾24.98
$14.92 $14.92
-35.25%
Cappuccino
$3.57 ₾9.24
$6.00 $6.00
-40.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.08 ₾2.78
$3.23 $3.23
-66.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₾1.45
$2.71 $2.71
-79.34%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.62 ₾6.78
$7.76 $7.76
-66.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04 ₾7.85
$8.78 $8.78
-65.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
San Francisco, CA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.17 ₾5.60
$1.77 $1.77
22.60%
White Bread (500g)
$0.80 ₾2.06
$5.24 $5.24
-84.73%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.74 ₾4.51
$4.80 $4.80
-63.75%
Eggs
$2.83 ₾7.31
$4.95 $4.95
-42.83%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.31 ₾24.07
$16.60 $16.60
-43.92%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.52 ₾16.85
$15.50 $15.50
-57.94%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.95 ₾33.50
$22.61 $22.61
-42.72%
Apples (1kg)
$1.68 ₾4.33
$6.10 $6.10
-72.46%
Banana (1kg)
$1.85 ₾4.79
$2.70 $2.70
-31.48%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.97 ₾5.10
$4.46 $4.46
-55.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.42 ₾6.25
$6.90 $6.90
-64.93%
Potato (1kg)
$0.82 ₾2.11
$2.91 $2.91
-71.82%
Onion (1kg)
$0.74 ₾1.91
$3.61 $3.61
-79.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.34 ₾3.47
$2.75 $2.75
-51.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 ₾2.00
$2.64 $2.64
-70.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.57 ₾9.24
$11.99 $11.99
-70.23%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.67 ₾19.83
$14.33 $14.33
-46.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 ₾4.39
$3.21 $3.21
-47.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 ₾6.21
$3.53 $3.53
-32.01%
🚌 Getting Around
Tbilisi
San Francisco, CA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.40 ₾1.05
$3.04 $3.04
-86.84%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.23 ₾39.38
$91.6 $91.6
-83.37%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.14 ₾2.95
$4.04 $4.04
-71.78%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ₾2.02
$2.08 $2.08
-62.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.83 ₾30.58
$39.29 $39.29
-69.89%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ₾3.75
$1.56 $1.56
-7.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.6K ₾63.6K
$34.2K $34.2K
-28.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.3K ₾57.8K
$26.6K $26.6K
-15.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
San Francisco, CA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.8 ₾230
$214 $214
-58.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.12 ₾33.93
$61.6 $61.6
-78.68%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.67 ₾50.9
$76.9 $76.9
-74.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
San Francisco, CA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$64.1 ₾166
$104 $104
-38.70%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04 ₾49.24
$20.59 $20.59
-7.53%
Cinema Ticket
$7.12 ₾18.42
$17.82 $17.82
-60.04%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tbilisi
San Francisco, CA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$375 ₾971
$2,982 $2,982
-87.41%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.5K ₾27.1K
$41.9K $41.9K
-74.99%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
San Francisco, CA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 ₾268
$79.3 $79.3
30.78%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.26 ₾102
$49.71 $49.71
-21.02%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$117 ₾303
$100 $100
17.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 ₾315
$141 $141
-13.49%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
San Francisco, CA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$695 ₾1,798
$3,572 $3,572
-80.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$451 ₾1,167
$2,648 $2,648
-82.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,355 ₾3,504
$5,705 $5,705
-76.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$906 ₾2,343
$4,902 $4,902
-81.52%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,295 ₾5,934
$10.5K $10.5K
-78.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,345 ₾3,478
$8,203 $8,203
-83.61%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tbilisi
San Francisco, CA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$664 ₾1,718
$6,813 $6,813
-90.25%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.62
6.76
86.69%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: October 27, 2026

Last update for San Francisco, CA: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
$451
San Francisco, CA
$2.6K 487% $2.2K
Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
$234
San Francisco, CA
$514 120% $280
Eating Out
Tbilisi
$191
San Francisco, CA
$417 119% $227
Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
$172
San Francisco, CA
$166 3.2% $5.5
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
$122
San Francisco, CA
$353 190% $231
Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
$78
San Francisco, CA
$140 79% $62
Getting Around
Tbilisi
$22
San Francisco, CA
$118 440% $96

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $695 in Tbilisi versus $3,572 in San Francisco, CA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in San Francisco, CA are about 10 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38 in Tbilisi versus $122 in San Francisco, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $514 – making Tbilisi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇪 Tbilisi
🇺🇸 San Francisco, CA
🕒 Local time
09:33 9:33 AM
21:33 9:33 PM
12 h behind Tbilisi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,241,700 Capital
873,965
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.387 USD). 1 EUR = 2.89 GEL (1 GEL = 0.346 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tbilisi San Francisco, CA 11,080 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Tbilisi
  • San Francisco, CA

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 San Francisco, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tbilisi cheaper than San Francisco, CA?
Yes – San Francisco, CA is pricier by about 243%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,904 per month in Tbilisi and $6,534 in San Francisco, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Tbilisi, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $695 there versus $3,572 in San Francisco, CA.
How do food prices compare in Tbilisi and in San Francisco, CA?
Groceries cost about 120% more in San Francisco, CA, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is eating out cheaper in Tbilisi or in San Francisco, CA?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $38 in Tbilisi and $122 in San Francisco, CA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Tbilisi or in San Francisco, CA?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tbilisi, where all-in costs run around $1,269, than in San Francisco, CA at $4,356. In Tbilisi it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Francisco, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Tbilisi or San Francisco, CA more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Tbilisi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Tbilisi. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, San Francisco, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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