🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,209 in Tbilisi versus $1,375 in Santa Tecla.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,867 in Tbilisi versus $1,962 in Santa Tecla.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,526 in Tbilisi versus $2,548 in Santa Tecla.
🙂Living in Tbilisi costs roughly 12% less than in Santa Tecla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Tbilisi is 10% below, Santa Tecla is 3% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tbilisi
Santa Tecla
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.80₾28.71
$7.81$7.81
38.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.18₾115
$35.13$35.13
22.91%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.29₾22.04
$7.09$7.09
16.93%
Cappuccino
$3.00₾7.97
$3.31$3.31
-9.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82₾2.17
$1.09$1.09
-24.77%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.46₾1.21
$0.90$0.90
-48.89%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.23₾5.93
$2.04$2.04
9.31%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.92₾7.75
$2.92$2.92
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
Santa Tecla
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.93₾5.12
$1.76$1.76
9.66%
White Bread(500g)
$0.68₾1.81
$2.05$2.05
-66.83%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.88₾5.00
$1.55$1.55
21.29%
Eggs
$2.54₾6.74
$2.38$2.38
6.72%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.42₾19.70
$6.94$6.94
6.92%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.19₾16.44
$5.62$5.62
10.14%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.36₾24.87
$10.80$10.80
-13.33%
Apples(1kg)
$1.22₾3.25
$3.09$3.09
-60.52%
Banana(1kg)
$1.66₾4.40
$1.66$1.66
-
Oranges(1kg)
$1.80₾4.78
$2.62$2.62
-31.30%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.24₾5.96
$2.62$2.62
-14.50%
Potato(1kg)
$0.71₾1.89
$2.26$2.26
-68.58%
Onion(1kg)
$0.67₾1.79
$2.13$2.13
-68.54%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.18₾3.13
$1.00$1.00
18.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.66₾1.76
$1.07$1.07
-38.32%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.98₾7.91
$4.06$4.06
-26.60%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.61₾20.22
$11.21$11.21
-32.11%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.54₾4.08
$1.71$1.71
-9.94%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25₾5.99
$2.53$2.53
-11.07%
🚌 Getting Around
Tbilisi
Santa Tecla
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.36₾0.95
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$14.44₾38.38
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.49₾3.97
$5.44$5.44
-72.61%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.68₾1.82
$3.00$3.00
-77.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.23₾19.20
$20.18$20.18
-64.17%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.14₾3.04
$0.98$0.98
16.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.5K₾49.1K
$25.9K$25.9K
-28.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.0K₾53.1K
$28.5K$28.5K
-29.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
Santa Tecla
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$73.7₾196
$103$103
-28.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.64₾30.92
$19.19$19.19
-39.34%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.84₾47.41
$42.32$42.32
-57.84%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
Santa Tecla
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.1₾160
$24.70$24.70
143.44%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.80₾44.65
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.60₾17.55
$5.11$5.11
29.16%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tbilisi
Santa Tecla
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$266₾708
$147$147
81.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,191₾13.8K
$6,045$6,045
-14.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
Santa Tecla
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$77.7₾206
$67.0$67.0
15.95%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.75₾119
$43.92$43.92
1.89%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$117₾310
$114$114
2.68%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113₾300
$106$106
6.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
Santa Tecla
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$693₾1,840
$786$786
-11.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$462₾1,227
$606$606
-23.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,320₾3,507
$1,210$1,210
9.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$774₾2,057
$913$913
-15.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,430₾6,458
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,446₾3,842
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tbilisi
Santa Tecla
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$673₾1,788
$413$413
63.10%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.89
8.58
38.58%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026
Last update for Santa Tecla: May 30, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $693 in Tbilisi and $786 in Santa Tecla. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Tbilisi pays 63% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $43.00 in Tbilisi vs $35.00 in Santa Tecla. Groceries flip the comparison at $203 vs $248, with Tbilisi 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 Tecla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Tbilisi or Santa Tecla?
Tbilisi wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Santa Tecla. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tbilisi the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Tbilisi or Santa Tecla?
Tbilisi pays 63% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Tbilisi vs Santa Tecla?
Rent for a central apartment: $693 in Tbilisi versus $786 in Santa Tecla. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Tbilisi or Santa Tecla?
Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Santa Tecla. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Tbilisi compared to Santa Tecla?
All in, you'll spend $1,209 per month in Tbilisi versus $1,375 in Santa Tecla – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Tbilisi or Santa Tecla?
At $1,209 in Tbilisi versus $1,375 in Santa Tecla, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Santa Tecla. The gap between the two cities makes Tbilisi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Tbilisi or Santa Tecla?
Both work as nomad bases, but Tbilisi delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,209 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Tbilisi hard to pass up.
How safe is Tbilisi compared to Santa Tecla?
Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Santa Tecla are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Tbilisi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Santa Tecla. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.