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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,247 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,241 in Shiga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,025 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,929 in Shiga, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,803 per month in Tbilisi vs $2,618 in Shiga, rent included.

Tbilisi and Shiga have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Tbilisi and Shiga are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 9% lower, Shiga 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.33 ₾29.44

$6.46 ¥1,010

75.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.71 ₾101

$31.75 ¥4,959

21.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.52 ₾24.72

$5.04 ¥788

88.89%

Cappuccino

$3.41 ₾8.85

$3.02 ¥472

12.91%

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

$1.04 ₾2.71

$1.31 ¥205

-20.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₾1.66

$0.71 ¥110

-9.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.61 ₾6.79

$2.83 ¥442

-7.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 ₾8.43

$3.63 ¥566

-10.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₾5.65

$1.32 ¥205

64.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ₾1.92

$1.29 ¥201

-42.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 ₾4.45

$3.97 ¥619

-56.93%

Eggs

$2.83 ₾7.36

$2.10 ¥329

34.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.22 ₾23.95

$9.56 ¥1,493

-3.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 ₾17.55

$9.37 ¥1,463

-27.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.77 ₾33.17

$18.74 ¥2,926

-31.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.26

$3.55 ¥555

-53.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ₾4.60

$1.95 ¥305

-9.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾4.85

$2.05 ¥320

-8.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 ₾6.34

$4.12 ¥643

-40.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.25

$1.55 ¥243

-43.87%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$1.16 ¥181

-43.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 ₾3.64

$1.35 ¥210

3.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₾1.93

$0.80 ¥125

-7.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 ₾8.86

$3.91 ¥611

-12.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.60 ₾19.75

$9.49 ¥1,482

-19.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₾4.41

$1.93 ¥302

-11.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.20

$3.20 ¥500

-25.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.94

$1.18 ¥185

-69.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.24 ₾39.60

$58.5 ¥9,138

-73.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ₾3.07

$3.84 ¥599

-69.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ₾1.97

$3.17 ¥495

-76.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.34 ₾29.46

$22.08 ¥3,448

-48.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ₾3.46

$1.11 ¥174

19.82%

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

$24.7K ₾64.2K

$21.8K ¥3.4M

13.19%

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

$22.0K ₾57.2K

$15.2K ¥2.4M

45.22%

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

$88.9 ₾231

$143 ¥22.3K

-37.76%

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

$13.33 ₾34.63

$25.02 ¥3,908

-46.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.12 ₾52.3

$19.05 ¥2,975

5.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.7 ₾178

$51.8 ¥8,091

32.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.09 ₾47.00

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 ₾17.45

$12.30 ¥1,921

-45.37%

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

$374 ₾971

$535 ¥83.5K

-30.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.8K

$13.2K ¥2.1M

-18.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₾263

$50.1 ¥7,826

101.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.33 ₾102

$30.73 ¥4,799

27.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾305

$74.1 ¥11.6K

58.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾318

$94.2 ¥14.7K

29.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 ₾1,773

$506 ¥79.0K

34.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₾1,186

$338 ¥52.8K

35.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 ₾3,384

$1,045 ¥163.2K

24.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 ₾2,337

$744 ¥116.3K

20.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,449 ₾6,364

$3,944 ¥615.9K

-37.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,452 ₾3,773

$1,670 ¥260.8K

-13.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 ₾1,695

$1,227 ¥191.6K

-46.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

2.21

471.04%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: September 13, 2026

Last update for Shiga: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $682 in Tbilisi versus $506 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 88% higher in Shiga. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Tbilisi versus $32.00 in Shiga. Groceries tell a different story – $232 in Tbilisi vs $297 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,870 per month in Tbilisi and $1,862 in Shiga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Tbilisi and $32.00 in Shiga. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 284% less in Shiga. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Shiga, where all-in costs run around $1,241, than in Tbilisi at $1,247. In Shiga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi 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 $1,241 in Shiga to $1,247 in Tbilisi. 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 Shiga. 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.