Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Shiga Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Shiga

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,191 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,202 in Shiga, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,856 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,890 in Shiga, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,522 per month in Tbilisi vs $2,578 in Shiga, rent included.

Tbilisi is about 1% cheaper than Shiga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Tbilisi and Shiga are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 11% lower, Shiga 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.91 ₾28.56

$7.01 ¥1,104

55.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.19 ₾113

$35.17 ¥5,541

22.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 ₾22.31

$4.76 ¥750

79.20%

Cappuccino

$2.99 ₾7.81

$2.76 ¥435

8.33%

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

$0.81 ₾2.12

$1.09 ¥171

-25.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₾1.09

$0.76 ¥119

-44.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 ₾5.65

$2.82 ¥444

-23.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₾7.52

$4.38 ¥690

-34.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ₾5.08

$1.32 ¥207

46.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$1.42 ¥224

-52.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.83

$4.07 ¥642

-54.55%

Eggs

$2.53 ₾6.62

$2.41 ¥379

4.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.53 ₾19.69

$10.55 ¥1,663

-28.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 ₾16.39

$6.45 ¥1,017

-2.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.59 ₾25.09

$18.59 ¥2,930

-48.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 ₾3.04

$3.48 ¥549

-66.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.29

$2.09 ¥329

-21.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.93

$2.55 ¥402

-26.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.84

$4.37 ¥689

-48.97%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$1.66 ¥261

-57.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₾1.68

$1.24 ¥195

-48.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.09

$1.33 ¥210

-11.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$0.82 ¥129

-14.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 ₾7.78

$3.87 ¥609

-23.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.43 ₾19.45

$9.20 ¥1,450

-19.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.03

$2.14 ¥338

-28.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₾5.98

$3.04 ¥479

-25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.93

$1.62 ¥255

-77.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.73 ₾38.54

$55.2 ¥8,703

-73.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ₾3.71

$4.58 ¥722

-69.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.81

$3.36 ¥530

-79.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.27 ₾19.02

$23.51 ¥3,705

-69.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.86

$1.21 ¥191

-9.92%

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

$18.3K ₾47.9K

$22.9K ¥3.6M

-19.81%

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

$20.5K ₾53.6K

$17.2K ¥2.7M

18.76%

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

$74.4 ₾195

$130 ¥20.5K

-42.93%

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

$11.71 ₾30.63

$27.43 ¥4,322

-57.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ₾46.06

$30.97 ¥4,880

-43.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.3 ₾158

$56.5 ¥8,897

6.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.29 ₾42.63

$13.66 ¥2,153

19.25%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.03

$12.70 ¥2,001

-48.74%

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

$269 ₾704

$69.3 ¥10.9K

288.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,154 ₾13.5K

$10.3K ¥1.6M

-50.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.1 ₾202

$43.83 ¥6,906

75.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.48 ₾114

$29.54 ¥4,655

47.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾310

$67.3 ¥10.6K

75.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾295

$94.2 ¥14.8K

19.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 ₾1,856

$476 ¥75.0K

49.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 ₾1,215

$330 ¥51.9K

40.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 ₾3,442

$850 ¥133.9K

54.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$767 ₾2,007

$657 ¥103.5K

16.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,492 ₾6,522

$4,731 ¥745.4K

-47.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,442 ₾3,773

$1,754 ¥276.4K

-17.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$663 ₾1,735

$1,155 ¥182.0K

-42.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

1.81

556.91%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: July 25, 2026

Last update for Shiga: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $709 in Tbilisi versus $476 in Shiga. 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 74% higher in Shiga, 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 $35.00 in Shiga. Groceries tell a different story – $204 in Tbilisi vs $293 in Shiga – 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 Shiga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,191 in Tbilisi, $1,202 in Shiga – roughly 1% apart. Shiga costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,787 per month in Tbilisi and $1,803 in Shiga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $269 per month in Tbilisi and $69.3 in Shiga. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 43% more in Shiga, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tbilisi, where all-in costs run around $1,191, than in Shiga at $1,202. In Tbilisi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shiga it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Tbilisi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,191 in Tbilisi to $1,202 in Shiga. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Tbilisi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Shiga makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.