Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Shkoder Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Shkoder

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,197 per month in Tbilisi vs $927 in Shkoder, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,868 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,350 in Shkoder, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,538 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,772 in Shkoder, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 29% more than Shkoder, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tbilisi and Shkoder are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 10% lower, Shkoder 31% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tbilisi
Shkoder
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.82 ₾28.38
$5.95 ALL 486
81.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.85 ₾115
$32.15 ALL 2,622
36.39%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.31 ₾21.79
$4.84 ALL 395
71.69%
Cappuccino
$2.97 ₾7.78
$1.81 ALL 148
64.09%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.77 ₾2.01
$1.60 ALL 130
-51.88%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.46 ₾1.20
$0.82 ALL 66.5
-43.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.14 ₾5.63
$2.31 ALL 189
-7.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87 ₾7.52
$3.36 ALL 274
-14.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
Shkoder
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.90 ₾4.99
$2.06 ALL 168
-7.77%
White Bread (500g)
$0.71 ₾1.86
$0.87 ALL 71.2
-18.39%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.91 ₾5.00
$1.95 ALL 159
-2.05%
Eggs
$2.48 ₾6.52
$2.94 ALL 239
-15.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.74 ₾20.29
$6.87 ALL 560
12.66%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.18 ₾16.20
$4.99 ALL 407
23.85%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.57 ₾25.11
$10.33 ALL 842
-7.36%
Apples (1kg)
$1.17 ₾3.06
$1.52 ALL 124
-23.03%
Banana (1kg)
$1.65 ₾4.34
$2.37 ALL 193
-30.38%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.85 ₾4.84
$1.74 ALL 142
6.32%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.33 ₾6.11
$1.38 ALL 112
68.84%
Potato (1kg)
$0.71 ₾1.85
$1.01 ALL 82.5
-29.70%
Onion (1kg)
$0.67 ₾1.76
$1.21 ALL 98.7
-44.63%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.19 ₾3.12
$1.11 ALL 90.2
7.21%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.66 ₾1.72
$0.74 ALL 60.2
-10.81%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.92 ₾7.65
$4.09 ALL 334
-28.61%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.69 ₾20.17
$6.02 ALL 491
27.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 ₾4.18
$1.44 ALL 118
10.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.31 ₾6.06
$1.72 ALL 141
34.30%
🚌 Getting Around
Tbilisi
Shkoder
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.38 ₾1.01
$0.49 ALL 39.86
-22.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$14.76 ₾38.71
$11.40 ALL 930
29.47%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.50 ₾3.92
$3.46 ALL 282
-56.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.68 ₾1.77
$3.12 ALL 255
-78.21%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.26 ₾19.03
$17.64 ALL 1,439
-58.84%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.09 ₾2.87
$2.10 ALL 171
-48.10%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.6K ₾48.8K
$35.2K ALL 2.9M
-47.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.5K ₾53.7K
$25.0K ALL 2.0M
-18.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
Shkoder
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$73.0 ₾191
$66.9 ALL 5,455
9.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.97 ₾31.40
$16.83 ALL 1,373
-28.88%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.00 ₾47.21
$16.08 ALL 1,311
11.94%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
Shkoder
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.0 ₾160
$41.52 ALL 3,386
46.87%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.52 ₾43.33
$11.87 ALL 969
39.17%
Cinema Ticket
$6.70 ₾17.58
$7.02 ALL 573
-4.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tbilisi
Shkoder
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$269 ₾705
$87.5 ALL 7,138
207.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,152 ₾13.5K
$1,756 ALL 143.2K
193.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
Shkoder
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$76.5 ₾201
$46.51 ALL 3,793
64.52%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.41 ₾114
$11.56 ALL 943
275.52%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$120 ₾316
$69.6 ALL 5,672
73.18%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111 ₾290
$142 ALL 11.6K
-22.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
Shkoder
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$687 ₾1,802
$306 ALL 24.9K
124.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$470 ₾1,234
$298 ALL 24.3K
57.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,353 ₾3,549
$357 ALL 29.1K
278.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$789 ₾2,069
$339 ALL 27.6K
132.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,468 ₾6,472
$1,825 ALL 148.9K
35.19%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,456 ₾3,817
$1,223 ALL 99.7K
19.03%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tbilisi
Shkoder
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$659 ₾1,729
$572 ALL 46.7K
15.18%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.89
5
137.80%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: July 13, 2026

Last update for Shkoder: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $687 in Tbilisi versus $306 in Shkoder. 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 15% higher in Tbilisi, 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 $44.00 in Tbilisi versus $32.00 in Shkoder. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $205 vs $203 – making Shkoder the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Shkoder: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Tbilisi and in Shkoder compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,197 in Tbilisi, $927 in Shkoder – roughly 29% apart. Tbilisi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Tbilisi compared to Shkoder?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,796 per month in Tbilisi and $1,391 in Shkoder. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Tbilisi and Shkoder?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Shkoder, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Tbilisi and $32.00 in Shkoder. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Tbilisi or Shkoder?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,197 in Tbilisi and $927 in Shkoder. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Shkoder, where all-in costs run around $927, than in Tbilisi at $1,197. In Shkoder it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Tbilisi and Shkoder?
It depends on your priorities. Tbilisi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $927 in Shkoder to $1,197 in Tbilisi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Tbilisi or Shkoder safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Tbilisi and Shkoder?
If budget matters most, go with Shkoder. 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.

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