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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,279 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,273 in San Rafael, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,011 per month in Tbilisi vs $2,106 in San Rafael, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,743 per month in Tbilisi vs $2,939 in San Rafael, rent included.

Tbilisi and San Rafael have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Tbilisi and San Rafael are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 7% lower, San Rafael 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.43 ₾29.72

$10.83 ARS 16.3K

5.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.16 ₾99.2

$50.7 ARS 76.4K

-24.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.40 ₾24.45

$14.33 ARS 21.6K

-34.40%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ₾8.78

$4.39 ARS 6,629

-23.01%

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

$1.04 ₾2.70

$2.36 ARS 3,555

-55.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₾1.56

$1.89 ARS 2,850

-68.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 ₾7.05

$3.94 ARS 5,949

-31.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ₾7.90

$4.52 ARS 6,820

-32.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 ₾5.90

$1.38 ARS 2,080

64.49%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ₾2.04

$2.31 ARS 3,484

-65.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ₾4.21

$2.68 ARS 4,037

-39.55%

Eggs

$2.74 ₾7.13

$3.23 ARS 4,877

-15.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.30 ₾24.19

$14.41 ARS 21.7K

-35.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.79 ₾17.65

$6.35 ARS 9,577

6.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.01 ₾33.84

$10.84 ARS 16.3K

20.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.27

$2.31 ARS 3,486

-29.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ₾4.77

$2.24 ARS 3,378

-18.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 ₾4.94

$1.35 ARS 2,037

40.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 ₾6.68

$3.29 ARS 4,958

-21.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 ₾2.19

$1.96 ARS 2,963

-57.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$1.50 ARS 2,268

-56.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₾3.54

$2.00 ARS 3,020

-32.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₾2.07

$2.51 ARS 3,790

-68.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ₾8.85

$2.77 ARS 4,181

22.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.67 ₾19.94

$5.02 ARS 7,575

52.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₾4.36

$1.77 ARS 2,664

-5.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.18

$3.04 ARS 4,589

-21.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ₾1.02

$1.03 ARS 1,548

-62.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.55 ₾40.44

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.96

$2.03 ARS 3,057

-43.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$1.01 ARS 1,526

-26.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.32 ₾29.42

$4.95 ARS 7,466

128.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 ₾3.60

$1.25 ARS 1,888

10.40%

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

$24.6K ₾63.9K

$27.4K ARS 41.3M

-10.16%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$33.1K ARS 50.0M

-33.62%

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

$88.7 ₾231

$133 ARS 200.3K

-33.19%

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

$13.18 ₾34.26

$17.38 ARS 26.2K

-24.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.68 ₾51.2

$23.55 ARS 35.5K

-16.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 ₾177

$29.86 ARS 45.0K

128.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.94 ₾46.65

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ₾16.70

$7.01 ARS 10.6K

-8.42%

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

$372 ₾967

$174 ARS 262.2K

114.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K ₾28.1K

$4,135 ARS 6.2M

161.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₾272

$115 ARS 173.6K

-9.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.83 ₾101

$127 ARS 191.6K

-69.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₾299

$140 ARS 211.8K

-18.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$125 ARS 188.4K

-2.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 ₾1,770

$478 ARS 721.4K

42.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,185

$313 ARS 472.6K

45.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 ₾3,410

$974 ARS 1.5M

34.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$892 ₾2,321

$766 ARS 1.2M

16.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,391 ₾6,216

$2,387 ARS 3.6M

0.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,425 ₾3,704

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$640 ₾1,663

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

-78.61%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: September 5, 2026

Last update for San Rafael: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $681 in Tbilisi versus $478 in San Rafael. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Tbilisi versus $51.0 in San Rafael. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $236 vs $287 – making Tbilisi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Rafael: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,919 per month in Tbilisi and $1,910 in San Rafael. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Rafael, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 22% cheaper in Tbilisi – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Tbilisi and $51.0 in San Rafael. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in San Rafael, where all-in costs run around $1,273, than in Tbilisi at $1,279. In San Rafael it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. San Rafael costs $1,273 versus $1,279 in Tbilisi. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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