Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Santa Cruz Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Santa Cruz

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,218 in Tbilisi versus $1,842 in Santa Cruz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,853 in Tbilisi versus $2,836 in Santa Cruz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,489 in Tbilisi versus $3,829 in Santa Cruz.

Living in Tbilisi costs roughly 34% less than in Santa Cruz, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tbilisi is 9% below, Santa Cruz is 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.85 ₾28.75

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.17 ₾117

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 ₾21.94

Cappuccino

$3.02 ₾8.00

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

$0.76 ₾2.02

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.22

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ₾5.93

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.95

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.11

$2.16 AWG 3.87

-10.65%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 ₾1.91

$2.74 AWG 4.91

-73.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 ₾4.87

$4.53 AWG 8.11

-59.38%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.48

$4.62 AWG 8.28

-46.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₾19.67

$8.28 AWG 14.82

-10.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 ₾17.16

$7.41 AWG 13.26

-12.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 ₾25.70

$6.78 AWG 12.14

43.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 ₾3.18

$4.37 AWG 7.81

-72.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₾4.14

$4.56 AWG 8.16

-65.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.75

$8.49 AWG 15.19

-78.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.90

$6.68 AWG 11.96

-66.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.73

$6.82 AWG 12.21

-90.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 ₾1.79

$1.90 AWG 3.40

-64.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.16

$2.98 AWG 5.34

-60.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.86

$4.45 AWG 7.97

-84.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₾7.82

$10.44 AWG 18.69

-71.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 ₾19.41

$19.67 AWG 35.20

-62.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₾4.02

$2.49 AWG 4.45

-38.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.95

$3.10 AWG 5.54

-27.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$1.98 AWG 3.55

-81.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.60 ₾38.68

$152 AWG 273

-90.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.97

$19.34 AWG 34.61

-92.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 ₾1.92

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾19.74

$19.23 AWG 34.43

-61.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.01

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

$18.5K ₾49.0K

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

$20.3K ₾53.6K

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

$73.9 ₾196

$139 AWG 249

-46.87%

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

$11.71 ₾31.01

$72.7 AWG 130

-83.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.16 ₾48.09

$205 AWG 367

-91.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 ₾163

$68.5 AWG 123

-9.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.66 ₾44.12

$46.81 AWG 83.8

-64.41%

Cinema Ticket

$6.61 ₾17.50

$8.48 AWG 15.18

-22.05%

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

$264 ₾700

$141 AWG 253

86.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,145 ₾13.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 ₾198

$77.4 AWG 139

-3.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.98 ₾117

$110 AWG 196

-59.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾312

$136 AWG 244

-13.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾301

$138 AWG 247

-17.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 ₾1,833

$1,282 AWG 2,294

-46.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₾1,203

$555 AWG 993

-18.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 ₾3,504

$1,582 AWG 2,831

-16.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,089

$1,386 AWG 2,481

-43.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,431 ₾6,440

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 ₾3,818

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$645 ₾1,709

$3,569 AWG 6,388

-81.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

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

Last update for Tbilisi: June 9, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $692 in Tbilisi and $1,282 in Santa Cruz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Cruz pays 453% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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 Santa Cruz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi and Santa Cruz differ by about 51% in total monthly costs ($1,218 vs $1,842 including rent). Tbilisi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Santa Cruz earns 453% less. 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: $692 in Tbilisi versus $1,282 in Santa Cruz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $264 in Tbilisi versus $141 in Santa Cruz. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

A monthly transit pass in Tbilisi runs roughly 943% less than in Santa Cruz. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,218 in Tbilisi versus $1,842 in Santa Cruz, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Santa Cruz. The gap between the two cities makes Tbilisi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Santa Cruz 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 51% less than in Santa Cruz. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.