Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Saransk Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Saransk

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,279 in Tbilisi versus $1,061 in Saransk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,011 in Tbilisi versus $1,671 in Saransk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,743 in Tbilisi versus $2,280 in Saransk.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 21% more expensive than in Saransk, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 7% lower, Saransk 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.43 ₾29.72

$13.69 ₽1,150

-16.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.16 ₾99.2

$52.5 ₽4,410

-27.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.40 ₾24.45

$6.94 ₽584

35.45%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ₾8.78

$3.12 ₽263

8.33%

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

$1.04 ₾2.70

$1.70 ₽143

-38.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₾1.56

$0.68 ₽57.1

-11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 ₾7.05

$1.81 ₽152

49.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ₾7.90

$3.65 ₽307

-16.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 ₾5.90

$1.15 ₽96.5

97.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 ₾2.04

$0.72 ₽60.3

9.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ₾4.21

$1.37 ₽116

18.25%

Eggs

$2.74 ₾7.13

$1.43 ₽120

91.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.30 ₾24.19

$11.10 ₽933

-16.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.79 ₾17.65

$4.71 ₽396

44.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.01 ₾33.84

$12.85 ₽1,080

1.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.27

$1.55 ₽131

5.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ₾4.77

$1.54 ₽129

18.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 ₾4.94

$1.79 ₽150

6.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 ₾6.68

$3.21 ₽270

-19.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 ₾2.19

$0.65 ₽54.8

29.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$0.54 ₽45.00

20.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 ₾3.54

$1.19 ₽100

14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ₾2.07

$0.70 ₽59.0

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 ₾8.85

$2.86 ₽241

18.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.67 ₾19.94

$8.26 ₽694

-7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 ₾4.36

$1.10 ₽92.3

52.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.18

$2.35 ₽197

1.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ₾1.02

$0.53 ₽44.73

-26.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.55 ₾40.44

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.96

$2.07 ₽174

-44.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$0.42 ₽35.33

76.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.32 ₾29.42

$6.85 ₽575

65.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 ₾3.60

$0.83 ₽69.6

66.27%

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

$24.6K ₾63.9K

$40.6K ₽3.4M

-39.49%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$32.2K ₽2.7M

-31.75%

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

$88.7 ₾231

$122 ₽10.3K

-27.32%

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

$13.18 ₾34.26

$5.76 ₽485

128.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.68 ₾51.2

$7.23 ₽608

172.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 ₾177

$38.01 ₽3,195

79.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.94 ₾46.65

$22.70 ₽1,908

-20.97%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ₾16.70

$6.74 ₽566

-4.75%

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

$372 ₾967

$307 ₽25.8K

21.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K ₾28.1K

$6,838 ₽574.7K

58.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 ₾272

$66.5 ₽5,590

57.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.83 ₾101

$53.2 ₽4,469

-26.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₾299

$136 ₽11.5K

-15.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$79.1 ₽6,649

54.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$681 ₾1,770

$447 ₽37.6K

52.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,185

$311 ₽26.1K

46.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 ₾3,410

$795 ₽66.8K

65.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$892 ₾2,321

$522 ₽43.8K

71.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,391 ₾6,216

$2,207 ₽185.5K

8.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,425 ₾3,704

$1,418 ₽119.2K

0.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$640 ₾1,663

$629 ₽52.8K

1.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

20.38

-38.08%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: September 5, 2026

Last update for Saransk: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $681 in Tbilisi and $447 in Saransk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 2% 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: $38.00 in Tbilisi vs $52.0 in Saransk. Groceries flip the comparison at $236 vs $208, with Saransk 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 Saransk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi and Saransk differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($1,279 vs $1,061 including rent). Saransk is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 2% 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: $681 in Tbilisi versus $447 in Saransk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Tbilisi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,279 per month in Tbilisi versus $1,061 in Saransk – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,061 in Saransk versus $1,279 in Tbilisi, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Saransk but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Saransk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Saransk 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 Saransk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.