Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Sliven Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Sliven

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,209 in Tbilisi versus $761 in Sliven.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,867 in Tbilisi versus $1,207 in Sliven.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,526 in Tbilisi versus $1,653 in Sliven.

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 59% more expensive than Sliven, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 10% lower, Sliven 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 ₾28.71

$8.77 BGN 14.59

23.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.18 ₾115

$35.75 BGN 59.5

20.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.29 ₾22.04

$8.71 BGN 14.49

-4.82%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ₾7.97

$1.84 BGN 3.06

63.04%

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

$0.82 ₾2.17

$1.27 BGN 2.11

-35.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.21

$0.91 BGN 1.51

-49.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 ₾5.93

$1.74 BGN 2.90

28.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.75

$2.29 BGN 3.81

27.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.12

$1.59 BGN 2.64

21.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.81

$0.80 BGN 1.33

-15.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 ₾5.00

$2.21 BGN 3.68

-14.93%

Eggs

$2.54 ₾6.74

$2.15 BGN 3.57

18.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 ₾19.70

$8.08 BGN 13.44

-8.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ₾16.44

$5.51 BGN 9.16

12.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ₾24.87

$6.94 BGN 11.54

34.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 ₾3.25

$1.45 BGN 2.40

-15.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ₾4.40

$1.72 BGN 2.86

-3.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.78

$1.48 BGN 2.47

21.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 ₾5.96

$2.26 BGN 3.75

-0.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.89

$0.51 BGN 0.85

39.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.79

$0.90 BGN 1.51

-25.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.13

$1.05 BGN 1.74

12.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.76

$0.48 BGN 0.79

37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ₾7.91

$3.53 BGN 5.87

-15.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₾20.22

$6.20 BGN 10.31

22.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.08

$1.04 BGN 1.74

48.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.99

$1.27 BGN 2.12

77.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$0.74 BGN 1.23

-51.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 ₾38.38

$36.12 BGN 60.1

-60.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ₾3.97

$1.16 BGN 1.94

28.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.82

$0.77 BGN 1.29

-11.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 ₾19.20

$8.96 BGN 14.90

-19.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.04

$1.43 BGN 2.37

-20.28%

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

$18.5K ₾49.1K

$31.9K BGN 53.1K

-42.21%

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

$20.0K ₾53.1K

$27.8K BGN 46.2K

-28.16%

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

$73.7 ₾196

$89.0 BGN 148

-17.21%

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

$11.64 ₾30.92

$17.99 BGN 29.94

-35.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.84 ₾47.41

$9.21 BGN 15.33

93.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 ₾160

$23.18 BGN 38.57

159.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ₾44.65

$14.92 BGN 24.82

12.60%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ₾17.55

$6.03 BGN 10.04

9.45%

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

$266 ₾708

$422 BGN 703

-36.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,191 ₾13.8K

$7,038 BGN 11.7K

-26.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾206

$60.0 BGN 99.8

29.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.75 ₾119

$23.21 BGN 38.62

92.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾310

$69.6 BGN 116

67.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾300

$64.6 BGN 107

74.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,840

$233 BGN 387

197.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,227

$150 BGN 249

208.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 ₾3,507

$336 BGN 559

292.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₾2,057

$269 BGN 447

188.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,430 ₾6,458

$1,181 BGN 1,965

105.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 ₾3,842

$965 BGN 1,605

49.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 ₾1,788

$1,395 BGN 2,320

-51.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

4.25

179.76%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sliven: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $693 in Tbilisi and $233 in Sliven. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sliven pays 107% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $43.00 in Tbilisi vs $36.00 in Sliven for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $182 per month, with Sliven 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 Sliven: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sliven is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 59% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Sliven earns 107% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $693 in Tbilisi versus $233 in Sliven. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $266 in Tbilisi versus $422 in Sliven. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Tbilisi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $761 in Sliven versus $1,209 in Tbilisi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sliven but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Sliven the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sliven is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tbilisi, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Sliven 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 Sliven gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.