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 $1,191 per month in Tbilisi vs $914 in St.James, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,856 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,615 in St.James, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,522 per month in Tbilisi vs $2,317 in St.James, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 30% more than St.James, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Tbilisi and St.James are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 11% lower, St.James 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.91 ₾28.57

$10.37 TTD 70.0

5.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.19 ₾113

$89.0 TTD 600

-51.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 ₾22.32

$7.52 TTD 50.7

13.43%

Cappuccino

$2.99 ₾7.82

$3.64 TTD 24.52

-17.86%

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

$0.81 ₾2.12

$1.05 TTD 7.06

-22.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₾1.09

$0.78 TTD 5.29

-46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 ₾5.66

$1.81 TTD 12.19

19.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₾7.53

$3.17 TTD 21.40

-9.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ₾5.08

$2.69 TTD 18.14

-27.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$2.81 TTD 18.93

-75.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.83

$2.62 TTD 17.67

-29.39%

Eggs

$2.53 ₾6.63

$5.04 TTD 34.02

-49.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.53 ₾19.70

$8.02 TTD 54.1

-6.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 ₾16.40

$10.23 TTD 69.0

-38.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.59 ₾25.10

$14.14 TTD 95.4

-32.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 ₾3.04

$5.94 TTD 40.05

-80.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.29

$2.62 TTD 17.67

-37.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.93

$4.43 TTD 29.90

-57.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.84

$4.80 TTD 32.40

-53.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$1.44 TTD 9.68

-51.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₾1.68

$1.72 TTD 11.62

-62.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.10

$1.91 TTD 12.88

-38.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$1.40 TTD 9.41

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 ₾7.79

$5.85 TTD 39.49

-49.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.43 ₾19.46

$19.42 TTD 131

-61.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.03

$2.20 TTD 14.83

-30.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₾5.98

$2.72 TTD 18.37

-16.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.73 ₾38.56

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ₾3.71

$1.02 TTD 6.87

39.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.81

$1.28 TTD 8.67

-46.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.27 ₾19.02

$15.00 TTD 101

-51.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.86

$1.09 TTD 7.35

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

$18.3K ₾48.0K

$34.0K TTD 229.4K

-46.11%

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

$20.5K ₾53.6K

$38.6K TTD 260.6K

-46.97%

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

$74.4 ₾195

$79.3 TTD 535

-6.19%

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

$11.71 ₾30.65

$46.15 TTD 311

-74.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ₾46.08

$62.4 TTD 421

-71.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.3 ₾158

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.29 ₾42.65

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.03

$10.11 TTD 68.2

-35.61%

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

$269 ₾704

$325 TTD 2,195

-17.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,154 ₾13.5K

$7,329 TTD 49.4K

-29.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.1 ₾202

$58.9 TTD 397

30.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.48 ₾114

$37.85 TTD 255

14.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾310

$144 TTD 970

-17.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾295

$129 TTD 871

-12.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 ₾1,857

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 ₾1,216

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 ₾3,444

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$767 ₾2,007

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,492 ₾6,525

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,442 ₾3,775

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$663 ₾1,735

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for St.James: July 27, 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: $204 vs $378 – 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: $1,191 in Tbilisi, $914 in St.James – roughly 30% apart. Tbilisi costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,787 per month in Tbilisi and $1,370 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 $1,191 in Tbilisi and $914 in St.James. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $269 per month in Tbilisi and $325 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 $914, than in Tbilisi at $1,191. 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 $914 in St.James to $1,191 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.