Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Sao Carlos Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Sao Carlos

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,197 per month in Tbilisi vs $794 in Sao Carlos, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,868 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,340 in Sao Carlos, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,538 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,887 in Sao Carlos, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 51% more than Sao Carlos, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tbilisi and Sao Carlos are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 10% lower, Sao Carlos 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.82 ₾28.38

$4.43 R$22.53

144.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.85 ₾115

$31.87 R$162

37.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.31 ₾21.79

$7.02 R$35.73

18.38%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ₾7.78

$1.82 R$9.25

63.19%

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

$0.77 ₾2.01

$1.10 R$5.60

-30.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.20

$0.69 R$3.51

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ₾5.63

$1.46 R$7.44

46.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ₾7.52

$3.02 R$15.38

-4.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₾4.99

$1.13 R$5.76

68.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 ₾1.86

$1.54 R$7.84

-53.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 ₾5.00

$2.54 R$12.92

-24.80%

Eggs

$2.48 ₾6.52

$2.32 R$11.80

6.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 ₾20.29

$9.50 R$48.39

-18.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 ₾16.20

$4.14 R$21.09

49.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.57 ₾25.11

$7.75 R$39.46

23.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 ₾3.06

$2.41 R$12.26

-51.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₾4.34

$1.45 R$7.38

13.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.84

$1.48 R$7.51

25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 ₾6.11

$1.99 R$10.13

17.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.85

$1.56 R$7.95

-54.49%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.76

$1.28 R$6.50

-47.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.12

$0.94 R$4.81

26.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.72

$0.78 R$3.98

-15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.65

$2.13 R$10.86

37.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.69 ₾20.17

$8.09 R$41.18

-4.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₾4.18

$1.30 R$6.64

22.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.06

$2.44 R$12.40

-5.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.01

$0.87 R$4.44

-56.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.76 ₾38.71

$21.64 R$110

-31.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.92

$1.34 R$6.81

11.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$0.91 R$4.61

-25.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.26 ₾19.03

$3.34 R$16.99

117.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.87

$1.04 R$5.31

4.81%

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

$18.6K ₾48.8K

$28.6K R$145.4K

-34.83%

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

$20.5K ₾53.7K

$28.8K R$146.7K

-28.96%

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

$73.0 ₾191

$71.3 R$363

2.43%

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

$11.97 ₾31.40

$14.60 R$74.3

-18.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ₾47.21

$18.22 R$92.8

-1.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 ₾160

$20.61 R$105

195.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.52 ₾43.33

$40.07 R$204

-58.77%

Cinema Ticket

$6.70 ₾17.58

$4.30 R$21.90

55.81%

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

$269 ₾705

$312 R$1,588

-13.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,152 ₾13.5K

$2,734 R$13.9K

88.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.5 ₾201

$46.91 R$239

63.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.41 ₾114

$36.70 R$187

18.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 ₾316

$104 R$528

16.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾290

$91.3 R$465

21.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$687 ₾1,802

$219 R$1,113

214.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 ₾1,234

$223 R$1,137

110.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 ₾3,549

$435 R$2,214

211.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,069

$482 R$2,452

63.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,468 ₾6,472

$705 R$3,589

250.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,456 ₾3,817

$844 R$4,296

72.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$659 ₾1,729

$672 R$3,421

-1.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

10.67

11.43%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: July 13, 2026

Last update for Sao Carlos: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $687 in Tbilisi versus $219 in Sao Carlos. 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 2% higher in Sao Carlos, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Tbilisi versus $32.00 in Sao Carlos. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $205 vs $203 – making Sao Carlos 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 Sao Carlos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi costs about 51% more than Sao Carlos, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,796 per month in Tbilisi and $1,191 in Sao Carlos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 1% 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 $32.00 in Sao Carlos. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sao Carlos, where all-in costs run around $794, than in Tbilisi at $1,197. In Sao Carlos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Sao Carlos costs $794 versus $1,197 in Tbilisi. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Sao Carlos. 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.