Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Sliven

For one person, living is cheaper in Sliven: $779 a month against $1,270 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

61

Cost of Living Index in Tbilisi
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Tbilisi Living Index
38

Cost of Living Index in Sliven
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Sliven Living Index

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Tbilisi

🇬🇪 Georgia

$1,270

/mo nomad

Sliven

🇧🇬 Bulgaria

$779

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Sliven

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tbilisi and in Sliven actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,270 in Tbilisi versus $779 in Sliven.

Tbilisi $1,270
Sliven $779

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,008 in Tbilisi versus $1,232 in Sliven.

Tbilisi $2,008
Sliven $1,232

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,745 in Tbilisi versus $1,684 in Sliven.

Tbilisi $2,745
Sliven $1,684

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 63% more expensive than in Sliven, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 6% lower, Sliven 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.51 ₾29.79

$11.37 BGN 19.78

1.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.27 ₾99.1

$35.06 BGN 61.0

9.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.80 ₾25.36

$10.19 BGN 17.74

-3.83%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ₾9.19

$1.79 BGN 3.11

98.32%

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

$1.06 ₾2.74

$1.25 BGN 2.17

-15.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₾1.60

$0.88 BGN 1.53

-29.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.76 ₾7.16

$1.71 BGN 2.97

61.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.77

$2.36 BGN 4.10

27.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ₾5.59

$1.55 BGN 2.70

39.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 ₾1.96

$0.79 BGN 1.37

-3.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 ₾4.51

$2.58 BGN 4.49

-32.56%

Eggs

$2.79 ₾7.21

$2.09 BGN 3.63

33.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 ₾23.83

$8.12 BGN 14.12

13.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.53 ₾16.89

$5.50 BGN 9.57

18.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 ₾33.17

$6.67 BGN 11.61

92.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 ₾4.31

$1.47 BGN 2.56

13.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.79

$1.65 BGN 2.88

12.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ₾5.13

$1.45 BGN 2.52

36.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 ₾6.49

$2.16 BGN 3.77

16.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ₾2.26

$0.51 BGN 0.88

70.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 ₾1.89

$0.88 BGN 1.53

-17.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 ₾3.67

$1.02 BGN 1.77

39.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ₾1.88

$0.48 BGN 0.83

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ₾8.74

$3.49 BGN 6.08

-3.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 ₾20.31

$6.14 BGN 10.68

27.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ₾4.19

$1.01 BGN 1.77

60.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ₾6.15

$1.27 BGN 2.21

87.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ₾0.96

$0.70 BGN 1.22

-47.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.52 ₾40.16

$34.80 BGN 60.6

-55.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.94

$1.12 BGN 1.96

1.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 ₾2.05

$0.59 BGN 1.03

33.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.57 ₾29.96

$8.71 BGN 15.16

32.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₾3.87

$1.53 BGN 2.66

-1.96%

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

$24.6K ₾63.7K

$30.3K BGN 52.7K

-18.68%

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

$22.4K ₾57.9K

$22.2K BGN 38.6K

0.74%

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

$88.3 ₾228

$86.7 BGN 151

1.79%

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

$13.08 ₾33.86

$20.37 BGN 35.44

-35.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.53 ₾50.6

$9.44 BGN 16.43

106.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.2 ₾166

$23.32 BGN 40.58

175.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.18 ₾49.66

Cinema Ticket

$6.99 ₾18.10

$5.80 BGN 10.09

20.52%

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

$373 ₾966

$508 BGN 885

-26.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K ₾27.7K

$6,395 BGN 11.1K

67.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 ₾266

$58.1 BGN 101

76.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.48 ₾105

$22.56 BGN 39.25

79.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ₾301

$69.1 BGN 120

68.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾316

$61.6 BGN 107

98.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$677 ₾1,753

$231 BGN 402

193.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₾1,176

$146 BGN 253

212.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,277 ₾3,305

$329 BGN 572

288.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$890 ₾2,304

$254 BGN 441

250.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,410 ₾6,238

$1,147 BGN 1,996

110.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,418 ₾3,670

$915 BGN 1,593

54.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$703 ₾1,819

$1,325 BGN 2,306

-46.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

2.82

347.52%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: October 17, 2026

Last update for Sliven: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Tbilisi

$454 35.8%

Sliven

$146 18.7% 68% $309

Groceries & Markets

Tbilisi

$233 18.3%

Sliven

$181 23.2% 22.3% $52

Eating Out

Tbilisi

$191 15%

Sliven

$165 21.1% 13.6% $26

Clothing & Footwear

Tbilisi

$172 13.5%

Sliven

$95 12.2% 44.6% $77

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tbilisi

$121 9.5%

Sliven

$117 15% 3.6% $4.3

Sport & Entertainment

Tbilisi

$78 6.2%

Sliven

$35 4.5% 55.3% $43

Getting Around

Tbilisi

$22 1.7%

Sliven

$42 5.4% 88.6% $20

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $677 in Tbilisi and $231 in Sliven. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sliven pays 89% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $38.00 in Tbilisi vs $35.00 in Sliven for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $181 per month, with Sliven cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇬🇪 Tbilisi

🇧🇬 Sliven

🕒 Local time

12:09 12:09 PM

10:09 10:09 AM

2 h behind Tbilisi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,241,700 Capital

95,806

💱 Currency

Georgian Lari GEL ₾

Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.

📈 Exchange rate

1 GEL = 0.386 USD

1 GEL = 0.344 EUR

1 BGN = 0.575 USD

1 BGN = 0.511 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇬🇪 Georgian Lari (₾)

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.386 USD). 1 EUR = 2.91 GEL (1 GEL = 0.344 EUR).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

USD to GEL in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Tbilisi Sliven 1,520 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Tbilisi
Sliven

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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, eating out, and clothing. The 63% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 89% lower in Sliven. 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: $677 in Tbilisi versus $231 in Sliven. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $373 in Tbilisi versus $508 in Sliven. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Tbilisi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $779 in Sliven versus $1,270 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 63% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.