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 $1,209 per month in Tbilisi vs $899 in San Rafael, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,867 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,427 in San Rafael, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,526 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,955 in San Rafael, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 34% more than San Rafael, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Tbilisi and San Rafael are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 10% lower, San Rafael 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 ₾28.70

$10.06 ARS 14.5K

7.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.18 ₾115

$19.79 ARS 28.5K

118.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.29 ₾22.03

$6.10 ARS 8,777

35.90%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ₾7.96

$1.83 ARS 2,637

63.93%

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

$0.82 ₾2.17

$1.02 ARS 1,466

-19.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.21

$1.03 ARS 1,478

-55.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 ₾5.93

$0.98 ARS 1,415

127.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.75

$1.47 ARS 2,115

98.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.11

$1.05 ARS 1,507

83.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.81

$1.49 ARS 2,137

-54.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.99

$1.38 ARS 1,990

36.23%

Eggs

$2.54 ₾6.73

$1.58 ARS 2,268

60.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 ₾19.70

$5.64 ARS 8,115

31.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ₾16.43

$7.62 ARS 11.0K

-18.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ₾24.86

$6.45 ARS 9,282

45.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 ₾3.25

$1.79 ARS 2,570

-31.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ₾4.40

$1.47 ARS 2,109

12.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.78

$1.51 ARS 2,174

19.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 ₾5.96

$0.85 ARS 1,228

163.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.89

$0.65 ARS 930

9.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.79

$0.71 ARS 1,027

-5.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.13

$0.61 ARS 876

93.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.76

$1.24 ARS 1,778

-46.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ₾7.91

$1.74 ARS 2,499

71.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₾20.21

$4.96 ARS 7,129

53.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.08

$1.08 ARS 1,547

42.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.98

$1.66 ARS 2,393

35.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$0.78 ARS 1,115

-53.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 ₾38.36

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ₾3.96

$0.41 ARS 590

263.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.82

$0.98 ARS 1,415

-30.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 ₾19.19

$4.94 ARS 7,110

46.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.04

$0.90 ARS 1,297

26.67%

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

$18.5K ₾49.0K

$31.8K ARS 45.8M

-41.97%

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

$20.0K ₾53.0K

$33.4K ARS 48.1M

-40.28%

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

$73.7 ₾196

$76.9 ARS 110.6K

-4.20%

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

$11.64 ₾30.91

$6.92 ARS 9,957

68.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.84 ₾47.39

$15.55 ARS 22.4K

14.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 ₾160

$25.95 ARS 37.3K

131.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ₾44.63

$13.87 ARS 20.0K

21.12%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ₾17.54

$5.88 ARS 8,454

12.24%

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

$266 ₾708

$104 ARS 150.0K

155.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,191 ₾13.8K

$2,181 ARS 3.1M

137.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾206

$83.2 ARS 119.7K

-6.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.75 ₾119

$76.4 ARS 109.8K

-41.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾310

$149 ARS 214.2K

-21.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾300

$118 ARS 169.9K

-4.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,839

$338 ARS 486.1K

104.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,226

$242 ARS 347.6K

91.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 ₾3,505

$693 ARS 997.3K

90.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₾2,056

$531 ARS 763.6K

45.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,430 ₾6,455

$2,059 ARS 3.0M

18.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 ₾3,840

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 ₾1,787

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

-84.95%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Last update for San Rafael: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $693 in Tbilisi versus $338 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 $43.00 in Tbilisi versus $20.00 in San Rafael. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $203 vs $179 – making San Rafael 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

Tbilisi costs about 34% more than San Rafael, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,813 per month in Tbilisi and $1,349 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,209 in Tbilisi and $899 in San Rafael. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $266 per month in Tbilisi and $104 in San Rafael. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in San Rafael, where all-in costs run around $899, than in Tbilisi at $1,209. 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 $899 versus $1,209 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.