Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and San Mateo, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Tbilisi: $1,269 a month against $4,607 in San Mateo, CA, rent and utilities included – about $40,100 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
223

Cost of Living Index in San Mateo, CA
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San Mateo, CA Living Index

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Tbilisi

🇬🇪 Georgia

$1,269

/mo nomad

San Mateo, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,607

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in San Mateo, 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 Mateo, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,269 per month in Tbilisi vs $4,607 in San Mateo, CA, rent included.

Tbilisi $1,269
San Mateo, CA $4,607

A couple spends around $2,016 per month in Tbilisi vs $6,460 in San Mateo, CA, rent included.

Tbilisi $2,016
San Mateo, CA $6,460

A family of three spends $2,763 per month in Tbilisi vs $8,313 in San Mateo, CA, rent included.

Tbilisi $2,763
San Mateo, CA $8,313

Tbilisi is about 72% cheaper than San Mateo, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Tbilisi sits 7% below the global median, while San Mateo, CA is 238% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.63 ₾30.07

$20.32 $20.32

-42.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.83 ₾97.8

$101 $101

-62.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.66 ₾24.98

$12.89 $12.89

-25.06%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ₾9.24

$5.80 $5.80

-38.45%

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

$1.08 ₾2.78

$3.04 $3.04

-64.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₾1.45

$2.81 $2.81

-80.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 ₾6.78

$8.35 $8.35

-68.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ₾7.85

$10.14 $10.14

-70.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₾5.60

$1.64 $1.64

32.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 ₾2.06

$5.95 $5.95

-86.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 ₾4.51

$6.23 $6.23

-72.07%

Eggs

$2.83 ₾7.31

$7.45 $7.45

-62.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.31 ₾24.07

$13.58 $13.58

-31.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.52 ₾16.85

$18.53 $18.53

-64.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.95 ₾33.50

$19.67 $19.67

-34.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 ₾4.34

$5.92 $5.92

-71.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.79

$2.25 $2.25

-17.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 ₾5.10

$4.06 $4.06

-51.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.42 ₾6.25

$8.56 $8.56

-71.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ₾2.11

$4.38 $4.38

-81.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 ₾1.91

$3.19 $3.19

-76.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ₾3.47

$3.02 $3.02

-55.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₾2.00

$1.94 $1.94

-60.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.57 ₾9.24

$11.76 $11.76

-69.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.67 ₾19.83

$14.52 $14.52

-47.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₾4.39

$1.70 $1.70

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₾6.21

$1.99 $1.99

20.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ₾1.05

$2.20 $2.20

-81.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.23 ₾39.38

$64.8 $64.8

-76.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.95

$4.24 $4.24

-73.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ₾2.02

$2.05 $2.05

-61.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.83 ₾30.58

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ₾3.75

$1.55 $1.55

-6.45%

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

$24.6K ₾63.6K

$27.4K $27.4K

-10.46%

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

$22.3K ₾57.8K

$26.2K $26.2K

-14.74%

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

$88.8 ₾230

$268 $268

-66.82%

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

$13.12 ₾33.93

$41.40 $41.40

-68.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.67 ₾50.9

$60.9 $60.9

-67.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.1 ₾166

$81.3 $81.3

-21.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 ₾49.24

$9.60 $9.60

98.33%

Cinema Ticket

$7.12 ₾18.42

$17.80 $17.80

-60.00%

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

$375 ₾971

$3,045 $3,045

-87.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ₾27.1K

$28.6K $28.6K

-63.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ₾268

$62.0 $62.0

67.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.26 ₾102

$45.94 $45.94

-14.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾303

$118 $118

-0.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾315

$137 $137

-10.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 ₾1,798

$3,414 $3,414

-79.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 ₾1,167

$2,991 $2,991

-84.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 ₾3,504

$5,766 $5,766

-76.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$906 ₾2,343

$4,683 $4,683

-80.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,295 ₾5,934

$9,613 $9,613

-76.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,345 ₾3,478

$8,493 $8,493

-84.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 ₾1,718

$7,661 $7,661

-91.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

6.53

93.26%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: October 27, 2026

Last update for San Mateo, CA: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Tbilisi

$451 35.6%

San Mateo, CA

$3K 64.9% 563% $2.5K

Groceries & Markets

Tbilisi

$234 18.4%

San Mateo, CA

$522 11.3% 123% $288

Eating Out

Tbilisi

$191 15%

San Mateo, CA

$356 7.7% 86.9% $166

Clothing & Footwear

Tbilisi

$172 13.5%

San Mateo, CA

$163 3.6% 5% $8.6

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tbilisi

$122 9.6%

San Mateo, CA

$370 8% 204% $248

Sport & Entertainment

Tbilisi

$78 6.2%

San Mateo, CA

$117 2.5% 49.3% $39

Getting Around

Tbilisi

$22 1.7%

San Mateo, CA

$88 1.9% 302% $66

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $695 in Tbilisi versus $3,414 in San Mateo, 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 Mateo, CA are about 12 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38 in Tbilisi versus $101 in San Mateo, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $522 – making Tbilisi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇬🇪 Tbilisi

🇺🇸 San Mateo, CA

🕒 Local time

03:47 3:47 AM

16:47 4:47 PM

11 h behind Tbilisi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,241,700 Capital

103,536

💱 Currency

Georgian Lari GEL ₾

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 GEL = 0.387 USD

1 GEL = 0.347 EUR

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇬🇪 Georgian Lari (₾)

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.387 USD). 1 EUR = 2.88 GEL (1 GEL = 0.347 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

USD to GEL in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Tbilisi San Mateo, CA 11,110 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Tbilisi
San Mateo, 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 Mateo, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,269 in Tbilisi, $4,607 in San Mateo, CA – Tbilisi comes out roughly 72% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,904 per month in Tbilisi and $6,910 in San Mateo, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tbilisi, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $695 there versus $3,414 in San Mateo, CA.

Groceries cost about 123% more in San Mateo, CA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38 in Tbilisi and $101 in San Mateo, CA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tbilisi, where all-in costs run around $1,269, than in San Mateo, CA at $4,607. In Tbilisi it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Mateo, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. San Mateo, CA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,269 in Tbilisi to $4,607 in San Mateo, CA. 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.

If budget matters most, go with Tbilisi. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, San Mateo, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.