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 $1,209 per month in Tbilisi vs $801 in Sao Carlos, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,867 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,321 in Sao Carlos, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,526 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,842 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 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 ₾28.68

$4.43 R$22.89

143.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.18 ₾115

$32.22 R$167

34.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.29 ₾22.02

$6.87 R$35.53

20.67%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ₾7.96

$1.78 R$9.20

68.54%

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

$0.82 ₾2.17

$1.11 R$5.75

-26.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.21

$0.63 R$3.28

-26.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 ₾5.93

$1.40 R$7.24

59.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.74

$2.94 R$15.18

-0.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.11

$1.15 R$5.96

67.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.81

$1.52 R$7.85

-55.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.99

$2.54 R$13.12

-25.98%

Eggs

$2.54 ₾6.73

$2.33 R$12.03

9.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 ₾19.69

$9.55 R$49.38

-22.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ₾16.42

$4.33 R$22.41

42.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ₾24.85

$8.01 R$41.40

16.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 ₾3.25

$2.40 R$12.41

-49.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ₾4.40

$1.45 R$7.48

14.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.78

$1.54 R$7.94

16.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 ₾5.95

$1.98 R$10.25

13.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.89

$1.50 R$7.75

-52.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.79

$1.25 R$6.45

-46.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.13

$0.94 R$4.86

25.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.76

$0.77 R$3.98

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ₾7.90

$2.17 R$11.21

37.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₾20.20

$8.26 R$42.72

-7.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.08

$1.30 R$6.74

18.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.98

$2.51 R$13.00

-10.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.94

$0.92 R$4.74

-60.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 ₾38.34

$22.00 R$114

-34.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ₾3.96

$1.37 R$7.07

8.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.82

$0.88 R$4.56

-22.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 ₾19.18

$3.33 R$17.22

117.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.03

$1.05 R$5.41

8.57%

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

$18.5K ₾49.0K

$28.5K R$147.6K

-35.34%

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

$20.0K ₾53.0K

$29.8K R$153.9K

-32.90%

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

$73.7 ₾196

$71.1 R$367

3.70%

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

$11.64 ₾30.89

$14.81 R$76.6

-21.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.84 ₾47.36

$18.24 R$94.3

-2.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 ₾160

$20.83 R$108

188.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ₾44.61

$39.03 R$202

-56.96%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ₾17.53

$4.35 R$22.50

51.72%

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

$266 ₾707

$310 R$1,605

-14.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,191 ₾13.8K

$2,653 R$13.7K

95.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾206

$45.58 R$236

70.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.75 ₾119

$36.30 R$188

23.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾310

$104 R$537

12.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾300

$90.9 R$470

24.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,839

$221 R$1,141

213.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,226

$216 R$1,115

114.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 ₾3,503

$437 R$2,257

202.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₾2,055

$487 R$2,518

58.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,430 ₾6,452

$710 R$3,671

242.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 ₾3,839

$862 R$4,455

67.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 ₾1,786

$662 R$3,422

1.68%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sao Carlos: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $693 in Tbilisi versus $221 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 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 $32.00 in Sao Carlos. Groceries tell a different story – $203 in Tbilisi vs $205 in Sao Carlos – so Tbilisi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 $1,813 per month in Tbilisi and $1,201 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Tbilisi – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 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 $801, than in Tbilisi at $1,209. 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 $801 versus $1,209 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.