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: $1,197 in Tbilisi versus $1,081 in Sao Tome.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,868 in Tbilisi versus $1,841 in Sao Tome.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,538 in Tbilisi versus $2,601 in Sao Tome.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 11% more expensive than in 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

$10.82 ₾28.38

$19.99 STN 430

-45.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.85 ₾115

$45.96 STN 988

-4.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.31 ₾21.79

$9.95 STN 214

-16.48%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ₾7.78

$1.72 STN 37.06

72.67%

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

$0.77 ₾2.01

$1.94 STN 41.77

-60.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.20

$1.15 STN 24.72

-60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ₾5.63

$1.63 STN 35.15

31.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ₾7.52

$1.88 STN 40.46

52.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₾4.99

$1.33 STN 28.61

42.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 ₾1.86

$1.04 STN 22.43

-31.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 ₾5.00

$2.26 STN 48.61

-15.49%

Eggs

$2.48 ₾6.52

$4.94 STN 106

-49.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 ₾20.29

$20.05 STN 431

-61.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 ₾16.20

$19.87 STN 427

-68.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.57 ₾25.11

$24.69 STN 531

-61.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 ₾3.06

$4.50 STN 96.7

-74.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₾4.34

$1.18 STN 25.43

39.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.84

$3.98 STN 85.5

-53.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 ₾6.11

$3.52 STN 75.6

-33.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.85

$2.58 STN 55.6

-72.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.76

$1.99 STN 42.83

-66.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.12

$0.66 STN 14.27

80.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.72

$1.90 STN 40.82

-65.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.65

$2.32 STN 49.94

25.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.69 ₾20.17

$7.94 STN 171

-3.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₾4.18

$1.27 STN 27.27

25.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.06

$1.34 STN 28.81

72.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.01

$1.26 STN 27.11

-69.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.76 ₾38.71

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.92

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.77

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.26 ₾19.03

$14.14 STN 304

-48.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.87

$1.65 STN 35.39

-33.94%

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

$18.6K ₾48.8K

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

$20.5K ₾53.7K

$22.8K STN 490.0K

-10.20%

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

$73.0 ₾191

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

$11.97 ₾31.40

$34.83 STN 749

-65.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ₾47.21

$72.6 STN 1,560

-75.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 ₾160

$36.62 STN 787

66.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.52 ₾43.33

$29.39 STN 632

-43.79%

Cinema Ticket

$6.70 ₾17.58

$21.14 STN 455

-68.31%

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

$269 ₾705

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,152 ₾13.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.5 ₾201

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.41 ₾114

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 ₾316

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾290

$19.10 STN 411

478.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$687 ₾1,802

$353 STN 7,595

94.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 ₾1,234

$235 STN 5,044

100.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 ₾3,549

$664 STN 14.3K

103.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,069

$515 STN 11.1K

53.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,468 ₾6,472

$1,840 STN 39.6K

34.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,456 ₾3,817

$1,149 STN 24.7K

26.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$659 ₾1,729

$265 STN 5,702

148.53%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Sao Tome: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $687 in Tbilisi and $353 in Sao Tome. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 149% 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: $44.00 in Tbilisi vs $46.00 in Sao Tome for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $411 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.

Average pay runs 149% higher in Tbilisi, 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: $687 in Tbilisi versus $353 in Sao Tome. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,197 per month in Tbilisi versus $1,081 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 100% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,081 in Sao Tome versus $1,197 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 $1,081 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.