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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,197 per month in Tbilisi vs $802 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,868 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,332 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,538 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,862 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 49% more than Santa Cruz, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tbilisi and Santa Cruz are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 10% lower, Santa Cruz 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.82 ₾28.39

$2.88 BOB 30.62

275.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.85 ₾115

$26.73 BOB 285

64.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.31 ₾21.80

$7.20 BOB 76.7

15.42%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ₾7.78

$2.85 BOB 30.34

4.21%

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

$0.77 ₾2.01

$0.78 BOB 8.32

-1.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.20

$0.66 BOB 6.99

-30.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ₾5.63

$1.43 BOB 15.26

49.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ₾7.52

$1.94 BOB 20.65

47.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₾4.99

$1.09 BOB 11.56

74.31%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 ₾1.86

$1.35 BOB 14.39

-47.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 ₾5.00

$1.30 BOB 13.84

46.92%

Eggs

$2.48 ₾6.52

$1.76 BOB 18.70

40.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 ₾20.29

$4.75 BOB 50.5

62.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 ₾16.21

$4.04 BOB 43.01

52.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.57 ₾25.12

$6.29 BOB 67.0

52.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 ₾3.06

$2.70 BOB 28.79

-56.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₾4.34

$0.97 BOB 10.29

70.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.84

$1.15 BOB 12.21

60.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 ₾6.11

$1.03 BOB 10.99

126.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.85

$0.91 BOB 9.73

-21.98%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.76

$1.00 BOB 10.63

-33.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.12

$0.79 BOB 8.42

50.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.72

$1.11 BOB 11.78

-40.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.65

$2.24 BOB 23.85

30.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.69 ₾20.18

$7.30 BOB 77.7

5.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₾4.18

$1.41 BOB 15.03

12.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.06

$2.03 BOB 21.66

13.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.01

$0.30 BOB 3.15

26.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.76 ₾38.72

$21.01 BOB 224

-29.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.92

$2.95 BOB 31.42

-49.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$1.43 BOB 15.23

-52.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.26 ₾19.04

$7.42 BOB 79.0

-2.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.87

$0.58 BOB 6.20

87.93%

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

$18.6K ₾48.8K

$29.1K BOB 310.2K

-36.11%

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

$20.5K ₾53.7K

$27.4K BOB 291.7K

-25.28%

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

$73.0 ₾192

$55.4 BOB 590

31.82%

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

$11.97 ₾31.41

$22.26 BOB 237

-46.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ₾47.22

$33.17 BOB 353

-45.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 ₾160

$32.35 BOB 345

88.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.52 ₾43.34

$21.67 BOB 231

-23.77%

Cinema Ticket

$6.70 ₾17.58

$7.37 BOB 78.5

-9.09%

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

$269 ₾705

$203 BOB 2,161

32.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,152 ₾13.5K

$4,245 BOB 45.2K

21.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.5 ₾201

$42.54 BOB 453

79.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.41 ₾114

$47.82 BOB 509

-9.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 ₾316

$84.2 BOB 896

43.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾290

$59.8 BOB 637

84.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$687 ₾1,803

$415 BOB 4,415

65.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 ₾1,234

$258 BOB 2,747

82.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 ₾3,550

$739 BOB 7,867

83.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,069

$643 BOB 6,849

22.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,468 ₾6,473

$1,502 BOB 16.0K

64.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,456 ₾3,818

$988 BOB 10.5K

47.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$659 ₾1,729

$475 BOB 5,061

38.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

6.67

78.26%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: July 13, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $687 in Tbilisi versus $415 in Santa Cruz. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 39% higher in Tbilisi, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Tbilisi versus $27.00 in Santa Cruz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $205 vs $166 – making Santa Cruz 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 Santa Cruz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tbilisi is pricier by about 49%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,796 per month in Tbilisi and $1,202 in Santa Cruz. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 24% more in Tbilisi, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Tbilisi and $27.00 in Santa Cruz. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Santa Cruz, where all-in costs run around $802, than in Tbilisi at $1,197. In Santa Cruz it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Santa Cruz – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Santa Cruz. 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.