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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,279 in Tbilisi versus $1,056 in Santa Fe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,011 in Tbilisi versus $1,621 in Santa Fe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,743 in Tbilisi versus $2,186 in Santa Fe.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 21% more expensive than in Santa Fe, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 7% lower, Santa Fe 23% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tbilisi
Santa Fe
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.43 ₾29.72
$10.12 ARS 15.3K
12.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.16 ₾99.2
$37.79 ARS 57.0K
0.98%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.40 ₾24.45
$12.60 ARS 19.0K
-25.40%
Cappuccino
$3.38 ₾8.78
$1.78 ARS 2,682
89.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.04 ₾2.70
$1.50 ARS 2,255
-30.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.60 ₾1.56
$1.38 ARS 2,074
-56.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.71 ₾7.05
$3.36 ARS 5,066
-19.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04 ₾7.90
$5.10 ARS 7,699
-40.39%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
Santa Fe
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.27 ₾5.90
$1.02 ARS 1,532
122.55%
White Bread (500g)
$0.79 ₾2.04
$1.59 ARS 2,397
-50.31%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.62 ₾4.21
$1.02 ARS 1,543
58.82%
Eggs
$2.74 ₾7.13
$1.54 ARS 2,327
77.92%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.30 ₾24.19
$8.29 ARS 12.5K
12.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.79 ₾17.65
$6.11 ARS 9,222
11.13%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.01 ₾33.84
$10.38 ARS 15.7K
25.34%
Apples (1kg)
$1.64 ₾4.27
$2.00 ARS 3,011
-18.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.83 ₾4.77
$1.53 ARS 2,313
19.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.90 ₾4.94
$0.87 ARS 1,310
118.39%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.57 ₾6.68
$2.42 ARS 3,644
6.20%
Potato (1kg)
$0.84 ₾2.19
$0.54 ARS 821
55.56%
Onion (1kg)
$0.65 ₾1.70
$0.69 ARS 1,040
-5.80%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.36 ₾3.54
$1.02 ARS 1,537
33.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.80 ₾2.07
$1.03 ARS 1,550
-22.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.40 ₾8.85
$3.22 ARS 4,857
5.59%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.67 ₾19.94
$4.82 ARS 7,269
59.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68 ₾4.36
$1.26 ARS 1,903
33.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38 ₾6.18
$2.04 ARS 3,084
16.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Tbilisi
Santa Fe
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.39 ₾1.02
$1.02 ARS 1,545
-61.76%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.55 ₾40.44
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.14 ₾2.96
$1.01 ARS 1,527
12.87%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.74 ₾1.93
$0.98 ARS 1,475
-24.49%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.32 ₾29.42
$7.30 ARS 11.0K
55.07%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.38 ₾3.60
$1.15 ARS 1,733
20.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.6K ₾63.9K
$20.0K ARS 30.2M
22.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.0K ₾57.2K
$30.1K ARS 45.4M
-26.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
Santa Fe
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.7 ₾231
$60.7 ARS 91.6K
46.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.18 ₾34.26
$19.75 ARS 29.8K
-33.27%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.68 ₾51.2
$20.87 ARS 31.5K
-5.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
Santa Fe
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.3 ₾177
$34.07 ARS 51.4K
100.32%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.94 ₾46.65
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.42 ₾16.70
$4.75 ARS 7,162
35.16%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tbilisi
Santa Fe
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$372 ₾967
$300 ARS 453.3K
23.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.8K ₾28.1K
$4,212 ARS 6.4M
156.72%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
Santa Fe
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$105 ₾272
$88.4 ARS 133.4K
18.19%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.83 ₾101
$61.0 ARS 92.1K
-36.38%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 ₾299
$118 ARS 178.0K
-2.65%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 ₾318
$139 ARS 209.6K
-11.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
Santa Fe
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$681 ₾1,770
$512 ARS 772.2K
32.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$456 ₾1,185
$366 ARS 551.4K
24.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,312 ₾3,410
$903 ARS 1.4M
45.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$892 ₾2,321
$592 ARS 892.4K
50.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,391 ₾6,216
$2,384 ARS 3.6M
0.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,425 ₾3,704
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tbilisi
Santa Fe
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$640 ₾1,663
$826 ARS 1.2M
-22.59%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.62
56.56
-77.69%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: September 5, 2026

Last update for Santa Fe: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $681 in Tbilisi and $512 in Santa Fe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Fe pays 29% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $38.00 in Tbilisi vs $38.00 in Santa Fe. Groceries flip the comparison at $236 vs $197, with Santa Fe cheaper for home cooking.

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 Fe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Tbilisi and in Santa Fe?
Tbilisi and Santa Fe differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($1,279 vs $1,056 including rent). Santa Fe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 29% lower in Santa Fe. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Tbilisi and in Santa Fe?
Rent for a central apartment: $681 in Tbilisi versus $512 in Santa Fe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Tbilisi and Santa Fe?
Childcare runs $372 in Tbilisi versus $300 in Santa Fe. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Santa Fe – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $38.00 in Tbilisi. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,056 in Santa Fe versus $1,279 in Tbilisi, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Santa Fe but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Santa Fe the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Tbilisi and Santa Fe?
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.
Is Tbilisi or Santa Fe safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Santa Fe are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Tbilisi or Santa Fe?
Expats usually find Santa Fe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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