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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,209 per month in Tbilisi vs $676 in Santa Maria, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,867 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,082 in Santa Maria, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,526 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,488 in Santa Maria, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 79% more than Santa Maria, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tbilisi and Santa Maria are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 10% lower, Santa Maria 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 ₾28.70

$4.41 R$22.32

144.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.18 ₾115

$26.70 R$135

61.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.29 ₾22.03

$6.39 R$32.32

29.73%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ₾7.96

$1.36 R$6.88

120.59%

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

$0.82 ₾2.17

$0.94 R$4.78

-12.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.21

$0.59 R$2.99

-22.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 ₾5.93

$1.45 R$7.35

53.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.75

$3.55 R$17.97

-17.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.11

$0.83 R$4.21

132.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.81

$1.38 R$6.97

-50.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.99

$1.06 R$5.35

77.36%

Eggs

$2.54 ₾6.73

$1.50 R$7.60

69.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 ₾19.70

$8.47 R$42.85

-12.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ₾16.43

$3.58 R$18.14

72.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ₾24.86

$7.62 R$38.53

22.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 ₾3.25

$2.08 R$10.51

-41.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ₾4.40

$1.26 R$6.37

31.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.78

$1.31 R$6.65

37.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 ₾5.96

$1.47 R$7.43

52.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.89

$1.09 R$5.53

-34.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.79

$1.08 R$5.45

-37.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.13

$0.77 R$3.87

53.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.76

$0.62 R$3.12

6.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ₾7.91

$1.95 R$9.89

52.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₾20.21

$7.74 R$39.15

-1.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.08

$1.01 R$5.11

52.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.98

$1.89 R$9.59

19.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$0.94 R$4.74

-61.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 ₾38.36

$26.77 R$135

-46.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ₾3.96

$1.58 R$8.02

-5.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.82

$1.04 R$5.26

-34.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 ₾19.19

$5.28 R$26.71

36.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.04

$0.99 R$5.02

15.15%

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

$18.5K ₾49.0K

$23.1K R$116.9K

-20.14%

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

$20.0K ₾53.0K

$27.1K R$137.1K

-26.30%

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

$73.7 ₾196

$48.41 R$245

52.20%

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

$11.64 ₾30.91

$14.90 R$75.4

-21.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.84 ₾47.39

$16.45 R$83.2

8.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 ₾160

$21.75 R$110

176.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ₾44.63

$11.02 R$55.7

52.45%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ₾17.54

$5.15 R$26.03

28.16%

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

$266 ₾708

$142 R$716

88.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,191 ₾13.8K

$2,668 R$13.5K

94.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾206

$49.06 R$248

58.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.75 ₾119

$38.92 R$197

14.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾310

$81.3 R$411

43.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾300

$57.0 R$288

98.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,839

$272 R$1,379

154.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,226

$156 R$788

196.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 ₾3,505

$573 R$2,901

130.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₾2,056

$333 R$1,687

132.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,430 ₾6,455

$1,954 R$9,884

24.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 ₾3,840

$683 R$3,455

111.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 ₾1,787

$623 R$3,154

7.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

18.90%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Santa Maria: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $693 in Tbilisi versus $272 in Santa Maria. 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 8% 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 $43.00 in Tbilisi versus $27.00 in Santa Maria. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $203 vs $169 – making Santa Maria 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 Maria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,209 in Tbilisi, $676 in Santa Maria – roughly 79% apart. Tbilisi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,813 per month in Tbilisi and $1,015 in Santa Maria. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Santa Maria, 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 $676 in Santa Maria. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 85% less in Santa Maria. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Santa Maria, where all-in costs run around $676, than in Tbilisi at $1,209. In Santa Maria it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Tbilisi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $676 in Santa Maria to $1,209 in Tbilisi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Maria. 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.