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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,209 in Tbilisi versus $1,087 in Sao Tome.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,867 in Tbilisi versus $1,830 in Sao Tome.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,526 in Tbilisi versus $2,573 in Sao Tome.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 11% more expensive than Sao Tome, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 10% lower, Sao Tome 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 ₾28.71

$20.64 STN 433

-47.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.18 ₾115

$46.23 STN 971

-6.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.29 ₾22.04

$9.91 STN 208

-16.35%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ₾7.97

$1.73 STN 36.29

73.41%

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

$0.82 ₾2.17

$1.86 STN 39.04

-55.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.21

$1.18 STN 24.73

-61.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 ₾5.93

$1.62 STN 33.98

37.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.75

$1.92 STN 40.35

52.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.12

$1.38 STN 28.98

39.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.81

$1.00 STN 20.97

-32.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 ₾5.00

$2.32 STN 48.76

-18.97%

Eggs

$2.54 ₾6.74

$4.96 STN 104

-48.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 ₾19.70

$20.53 STN 431

-63.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ₾16.44

$19.97 STN 419

-69.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ₾24.87

$24.64 STN 517

-62.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 ₾3.25

$4.73 STN 99.3

-74.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ₾4.40

$1.13 STN 23.63

46.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.78

$4.00 STN 83.9

-55.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 ₾5.96

$3.57 STN 75.0

-37.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.89

$2.64 STN 55.5

-73.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.79

$2.08 STN 43.63

-67.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.13

$0.71 STN 14.89

66.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.76

$1.88 STN 39.52

-64.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ₾7.91

$2.33 STN 48.83

27.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₾20.22

$8.09 STN 170

-5.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.08

$1.34 STN 28.04

14.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.99

$1.34 STN 28.06

67.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$1.22 STN 25.60

-70.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 ₾38.38

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ₾3.97

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.82

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 ₾19.20

$13.88 STN 291

-47.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.04

$1.63 STN 34.32

-30.06%

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

$18.5K ₾49.1K

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

$20.0K ₾53.1K

$23.1K STN 484.8K

-13.52%

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

$73.7 ₾196

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

$11.64 ₾30.92

$34.07 STN 716

-65.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.84 ₾47.41

$71.5 STN 1,501

-75.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 ₾160

$37.22 STN 782

61.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ₾44.65

$29.30 STN 615

-42.66%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ₾17.55

$20.93 STN 440

-68.47%

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

$266 ₾708

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,191 ₾13.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾206

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.75 ₾119

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾310

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾300

$18.64 STN 392

505.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,840

$342 STN 7,191

102.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,227

$228 STN 4,796

102.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 ₾3,507

$666 STN 14.0K

98.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₾2,057

$527 STN 11.1K

47.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,430 ₾6,458

$1,875 STN 39.4K

29.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 ₾3,842

$1,168 STN 24.5K

23.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 ₾1,788

$272 STN 5,709

147.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

7.38

61.11%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sao Tome: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $693 in Tbilisi and $342 in Sao Tome. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 147% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $43.00 in Tbilisi vs $46.00 in Sao Tome for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $415 per month, with Tbilisi cheaper across the board.

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 Tome: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sao Tome wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Tbilisi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sao Tome the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Tbilisi pays 147% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $693 in Tbilisi versus $342 in Sao Tome. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,209 per month in Tbilisi versus $1,087 in Sao Tome – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Tbilisi pay roughly 105% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,087 in Sao Tome versus $1,209 in Tbilisi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sao Tome but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Sao Tome the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Sao Tome delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,087 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Sao Tome hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Sao Tome are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Sao Tome gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.