Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Smolensk Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Smolensk

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,209 per month in Tbilisi vs $860 in Smolensk, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,867 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,415 in Smolensk, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,526 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,970 in Smolensk, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 41% more than Smolensk, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tbilisi and Smolensk are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 10% lower, Smolensk 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 ₾28.70

$9.76 ₽720

10.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.18 ₾115

$37.66 ₽2,779

14.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.29 ₾22.03

$5.80 ₽428

42.93%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ₾7.96

$2.39 ₽176

25.52%

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

$0.82 ₾2.17

$1.11 ₽82.1

-26.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.21

$0.52 ₽38.30

-11.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 ₾5.93

$1.42 ₽105

57.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.75

$2.61 ₽192

11.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.11

$1.03 ₽75.8

87.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.81

$0.59 ₽43.69

15.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.99

$1.39 ₽103

35.25%

Eggs

$2.54 ₾6.73

$1.51 ₽111

68.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 ₾19.70

$11.07 ₽817

-32.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ₾16.43

$4.42 ₽327

40.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ₾24.86

$13.02 ₽960

-28.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 ₾3.25

$1.80 ₽133

-32.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ₾4.40

$1.91 ₽141

-13.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.78

$1.83 ₽135

-1.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 ₾5.96

$2.19 ₽162

2.28%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.89

$0.90 ₽66.2

-21.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.79

$0.94 ₽69.6

-28.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.13

$1.01 ₽74.7

16.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.76

$0.59 ₽43.76

11.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ₾7.91

$2.56 ₽189

16.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₾20.21

$6.84 ₽505

11.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.08

$0.93 ₽68.9

65.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.98

$1.57 ₽116

43.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$0.50 ₽36.97

-28.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 ₾38.36

$10.23 ₽755

41.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ₾3.96

$1.00 ₽73.6

49.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.82

$0.32 ₽23.93

112.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 ₾19.19

$6.17 ₽455

17.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.04

$0.78 ₽57.7

46.15%

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

$18.5K ₾49.0K

$15.4K ₽1.1M

19.82%

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

$20.0K ₾53.0K

$28.4K ₽2.1M

-29.80%

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

$73.7 ₾196

$69.8 ₽5,151

5.54%

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

$11.64 ₾30.91

$8.04 ₽593

44.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.84 ₾47.39

$9.24 ₽682

93.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 ₾160

$40.33 ₽2,976

49.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ₾44.63

$10.19 ₽752

64.87%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ₾17.54

$4.75 ₽351

38.95%

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

$266 ₾708

$154 ₽11.3K

73.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,191 ₾13.8K

$7,002 ₽516.7K

-25.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾206

$77.2 ₽5,698

0.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.75 ₾119

$47.93 ₽3,537

-6.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾310

$122 ₽8,969

-3.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾300

$84.2 ₽6,213

34.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,839

$347 ₽25.6K

99.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,226

$225 ₽16.6K

105.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 ₾3,505

$577 ₽42.6K

128.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₾2,056

$424 ₽31.3K

82.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,430 ₾6,455

$1,091 ₽80.5K

122.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 ₾3,840

$695 ₽51.3K

108.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 ₾1,787

$875 ₽64.6K

-23.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

11.9

-0.08%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Smolensk: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $693 in Tbilisi versus $347 in Smolensk. 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 30% higher in Smolensk, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Tbilisi versus $38.00 in Smolensk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $203 vs $198 – making Smolensk 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 Smolensk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tbilisi is pricier by about 41%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,813 per month in Tbilisi and $1,291 in Smolensk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $266 per month in Tbilisi and $154 in Smolensk. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Tbilisi, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Smolensk, where all-in costs run around $860, than in Tbilisi at $1,209. In Smolensk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Smolensk – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Smolensk. 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.