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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,187 in Tbilisi versus $993 in San José.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,826 in Tbilisi versus $1,583 in San José.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,466 in Tbilisi versus $2,173 in San José.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 20% more expensive than in San José, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 11% lower, San José 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.79 ₾28.26

$15.90 UYU 638

-32.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.24 ₾116

$55.5 UYU 2,227

-20.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.40 ₾21.98

$11.09 UYU 445

-24.26%

Cappuccino

$2.98 ₾7.80

$4.30 UYU 173

-30.70%

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

$0.75 ₾1.97

$2.24 UYU 89.8

-66.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₾1.10

$1.78 UYU 71.5

-76.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ₾5.78

$4.47 UYU 179

-50.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.87

$3.76 UYU 151

-20.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ₾5.25

$1.03 UYU 41.21

94.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 ₾1.76

$2.00 UYU 80.2

-66.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.73

$1.45 UYU 58.4

24.14%

Eggs

$2.59 ₾6.79

$2.62 UYU 105

-1.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₾19.45

$12.31 UYU 494

-39.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.20 ₾16.24

$7.42 UYU 298

-16.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.55 ₾25.02

$11.14 UYU 447

-14.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 ₾3.20

$1.24 UYU 49.72

-1.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₾4.31

$1.43 UYU 57.3

15.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.91

$1.21 UYU 48.43

55.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 ₾6.09

$1.44 UYU 57.7

61.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$1.01 UYU 40.38

-35.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₾1.69

$1.20 UYU 48.01

-46.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 ₾3.24

$1.32 UYU 53.2

-6.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ₾1.71

$1.74 UYU 69.7

-62.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 ₾8.04

$5.03 UYU 202

-38.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.74 ₾20.26

$8.20 UYU 329

-5.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 ₾4.18

$2.31 UYU 92.7

-30.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₾5.86

$3.05 UYU 122

-26.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 ₾0.92

$1.19 UYU 47.90

-70.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.73 ₾38.56

$43.33 UYU 1,739

-66.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ₾3.71

$1.44 UYU 57.8

-1.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$1.54 UYU 62.0

-54.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.52 ₾19.68

$10.93 UYU 439

-31.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₾3.01

$1.81 UYU 72.6

-36.46%

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

$18.0K ₾47.2K

$34.5K UYU 1.4M

-47.80%

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

$19.9K ₾52.0K

$35.6K UYU 1.4M

-44.25%

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

$74.2 ₾194

$169 UYU 6,775

-56.03%

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

$11.85 ₾31.04

$16.47 UYU 661

-28.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.14 ₾47.49

$49.92 UYU 2,004

-63.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 ₾162

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.91 ₾44.28

Cinema Ticket

$6.53 ₾17.11

$10.65 UYU 427

-38.69%

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

$264 ₾691

$490 UYU 19.7K

-46.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,079 ₾13.3K

$8,846 UYU 355.1K

-42.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 ₾202

$93.3 UYU 3,745

-17.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.11 ₾116

$48.03 UYU 1,928

-8.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 ₾313

$113 UYU 4,553

5.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾290

$125 UYU 5,007

-11.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$707 ₾1,851

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$461 ₾1,206

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,348 ₾3,530

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$783 ₾2,050

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,423 ₾6,345

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,480 ₾3,876

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$662 ₾1,733

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

5.68

109.33%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: July 21, 2026

Last update for San José: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $44.00 in Tbilisi vs $55.0 in San José for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $246 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 José: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San José wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Tbilisi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making San José the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,780 in Tbilisi and $1,489 in San José to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $264 in Tbilisi versus $490 in San José. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Tbilisi pay roughly 20% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $993 in San José versus $1,187 in Tbilisi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in San José but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes San José the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but San José delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $993 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes San José hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and San José 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 San José gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.