Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and San Francisco Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and San Francisco

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,247 in Tbilisi versus $1,690 in San Francisco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,025 in Tbilisi versus $2,702 in San Francisco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,803 in Tbilisi versus $3,714 in San Francisco.

Living in Tbilisi costs roughly 26% less than in San Francisco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tbilisi is 9% below, San Francisco is 24% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.33 ₾29.45

$9.81 ₡4,360

15.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.71 ₾101

$59.0 ₡26.2K

-34.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 ₾24.73

$10.99 ₡4,886

-13.38%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ₾8.85

$4.36 ₡1,936

-21.79%

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

$1.04 ₾2.71

$1.30 ₡577

-20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₾1.66

$1.80 ₡802

-64.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 ₾6.79

$3.40 ₡1,510

-23.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ₾8.43

$4.32 ₡1,922

-25.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₾5.65

$2.47 ₡1,097

-12.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ₾1.92

$3.05 ₡1,357

-75.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 ₾4.45

$2.42 ₡1,076

-29.34%

Eggs

$2.83 ₾7.36

$3.45 ₡1,533

-17.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 ₾23.95

$10.69 ₡4,753

-13.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 ₾17.55

$10.35 ₡4,602

-34.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.77 ₾33.17

$13.97 ₡6,211

-8.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.26

$5.33 ₡2,369

-69.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ₾4.60

$1.58 ₡704

12.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾4.85

$4.72 ₡2,098

-60.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 ₾6.34

$4.01 ₡1,782

-39.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.25

$3.89 ₡1,728

-77.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$3.65 ₡1,620

-82.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 ₾3.64

$1.09 ₡485

28.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$3.26 ₡1,449

-77.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 ₾8.86

$6.04 ₡2,685

-43.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.60 ₾19.75

$20.78 ₡9,234

-63.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₾4.41

$2.85 ₡1,265

-40.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.20

$3.59 ₡1,596

-33.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.94

$1.27 ₡563

-71.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.24 ₾39.60

$67.7 ₡30.1K

-77.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₾3.07

$1.82 ₡810

-35.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ₾1.97

$1.65 ₡731

-53.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.34 ₾29.47

$8.73 ₡3,881

29.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₾3.46

$1.50 ₡668

-11.33%

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

$24.7K ₾64.2K

$22.1K ₡9.8M

12.00%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$35.5K ₡15.8M

-37.89%

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

$88.9 ₾231

$78.6 ₡34.9K

13.08%

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

$13.33 ₾34.63

$32.85 ₡14.6K

-59.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ₾52.3

$48.60 ₡21.6K

-58.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.7 ₾178

$72.9 ₡32.4K

-5.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.09 ₾47.01

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 ₾17.46

$8.42 ₡3,743

-20.19%

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

$374 ₾971

$986 ₡438.3K

-62.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.8K

$17.1K ₡7.6M

-37.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₾263

$71.4 ₡31.7K

41.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.33 ₾102

$55.7 ₡24.7K

-29.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾305

$66.8 ₡29.7K

75.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$55.2 ₡24.5K

121.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 ₾1,773

$813 ₡361.5K

-16.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,186

$647 ₡287.4K

-29.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 ₾3,385

$1,835 ₡815.5K

-29.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 ₾2,337

$1,299 ₡577.5K

-30.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,449 ₾6,365

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,452 ₾3,774

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 ₾1,695

$886 ₡394.0K

-26.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

8.78

43.74%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: September 13, 2026

Last update for San Francisco: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $682 in Tbilisi and $813 in San Francisco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Francisco pays 36% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $39.00 in Tbilisi vs $59.0 in San Francisco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $405 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 San Francisco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi wins on cost – living expenses run 36% lower than in San Francisco. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tbilisi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 36% lower in San Francisco. 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 $813 in San Francisco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tbilisi runs roughly 344% less than in San Francisco. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $374 in Tbilisi versus $986 in San Francisco. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,247 in Tbilisi versus $1,690 in San Francisco, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in San Francisco. The gap between the two cities makes Tbilisi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Tbilisi delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,247 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Tbilisi hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and San Francisco 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 Tbilisi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in San Francisco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.