Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and St.James Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and St.James

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,185 per month in Tbilisi vs $936 in St.James, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,834 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,628 in St.James, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,483 per month in Tbilisi vs $2,320 in St.James, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 27% more than St.James, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Tbilisi and St.James are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 12% lower, St.James 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.15 ₾30.00

$10.25 TTD 69.6

8.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.13 ₾116

$89.4 TTD 607

-51.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 ₾22.11

$7.46 TTD 50.7

10.19%

Cappuccino

$3.13 ₾8.42

$3.67 TTD 24.95

-14.71%

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

$0.74 ₾2.00

$1.09 TTD 7.39

-32.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₾1.22

$0.82 TTD 5.58

-45.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ₾5.74

$1.83 TTD 12.41

16.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ₾8.06

$3.04 TTD 20.62

-1.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₾5.09

$2.68 TTD 18.19

-29.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₾1.97

$2.81 TTD 19.07

-74.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.98

$2.58 TTD 17.54

-28.29%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.58

$5.04 TTD 34.24

-51.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.85 ₾21.12

$7.99 TTD 54.3

-1.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ₾16.82

$10.50 TTD 71.3

-40.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.77 ₾26.28

$14.13 TTD 95.9

-30.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 ₾3.26

$5.85 TTD 39.71

-79.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₾4.28

$2.63 TTD 17.83

-39.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.81

$4.33 TTD 29.43

-58.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 ₾6.25

$4.68 TTD 31.80

-50.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.91

$1.49 TTD 10.12

-52.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.81

$1.67 TTD 11.32

-59.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.16

$1.89 TTD 12.82

-37.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₾1.92

$1.40 TTD 9.52

-49.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.85

$5.78 TTD 39.26

-49.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.25 ₾19.50

$19.31 TTD 131

-62.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₾4.17

$2.10 TTD 14.25

-26.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.21

$2.69 TTD 18.29

-14.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.03

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.81 ₾39.83

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ₾3.98

$1.05 TTD 7.13

40.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.86

$1.24 TTD 8.41

-44.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾20.05

$14.98 TTD 102

-50.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₾3.10

$1.15 TTD 7.79

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

$18.0K ₾48.4K

$34.2K TTD 232.0K

-47.29%

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

$19.8K ₾53.4K

$39.0K TTD 265.0K

-49.18%

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

$73.4 ₾198

$80.0 TTD 543

-8.15%

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

$11.64 ₾31.32

$47.03 TTD 319

-75.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.77 ₾47.79

$61.6 TTD 418

-71.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 ₾163

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 ₾44.21

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.52

$10.01 TTD 68.0

-34.97%

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

$263 ₾707

$321 TTD 2,181

-18.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,136 ₾13.8K

$7,320 TTD 49.7K

-29.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾209

$59.9 TTD 407

29.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.39 ₾119

$37.68 TTD 256

17.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾317

$143 TTD 973

-17.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾307

$126 TTD 857

-9.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,865

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,244

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 ₾3,597

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$779 ₾2,096

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,530 ₾6,805

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,430 ₾3,847

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$633 ₾1,702

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

5.38

121.00%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: April 26, 2026

Last update for St.James: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Tbilisi versus $89.0 in St.James. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $377 – making Tbilisi 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 St.James: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,185 in Tbilisi, $936 in St.James – roughly 27% apart. Tbilisi costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,777 per month in Tbilisi and $1,404 in St.James. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,185 in Tbilisi and $936 in St.James. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $263 per month in Tbilisi and $321 in St.James. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in St.James, where all-in costs run around $936, than in Tbilisi at $1,185. In St.James 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 $936 in St.James to $1,185 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 St.James. 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.