Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Stara Zagora Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Stara Zagora

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,209 per month in Tbilisi vs $864 in Stara Zagora, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,867 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,330 in Stara Zagora, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,526 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,796 in Stara Zagora, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 40% more than Stara Zagora, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tbilisi
Stara Zagora
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.80 ₾28.70
$8.82 BGN 14.68
22.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.18 ₾115
$34.74 BGN 57.8
24.29%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.29 ₾22.03
$8.99 BGN 14.95
-7.79%
Cappuccino
$3.00 ₾7.96
$1.87 BGN 3.11
60.43%
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
$0.73 BGN 1.22
-36.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.23 ₾5.93
$1.17 BGN 1.94
90.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.92 ₾7.75
$2.02 BGN 3.35
44.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
Stara Zagora
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.93 ₾5.11
$1.86 BGN 3.09
3.76%
White Bread (500g)
$0.68 ₾1.81
$0.78 BGN 1.29
-12.82%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.88 ₾4.99
$1.54 BGN 2.56
22.08%
Eggs
$2.54 ₾6.73
$2.25 BGN 3.74
12.89%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.42 ₾19.70
$9.15 BGN 15.21
-18.91%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.19 ₾16.43
$7.52 BGN 12.51
-17.69%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.36 ₾24.86
$8.65 BGN 14.39
8.21%
Apples (1kg)
$1.22 ₾3.25
$1.37 BGN 2.27
-10.95%
Banana (1kg)
$1.66 ₾4.40
$1.66 BGN 2.76
-
Oranges (1kg)
$1.80 ₾4.78
$1.88 BGN 3.13
-4.26%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.24 ₾5.96
$2.14 BGN 3.55
4.67%
Potato (1kg)
$0.71 ₾1.89
$1.01 BGN 1.67
-29.70%
Onion (1kg)
$0.67 ₾1.79
$0.85 BGN 1.42
-21.18%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 ₾3.13
$0.57 BGN 0.95
107.02%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.66 ₾1.76
$0.75 BGN 1.24
-12.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.98 ₾7.91
$3.84 BGN 6.39
-22.40%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.61 ₾20.21
$5.34 BGN 8.88
42.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.54 ₾4.08
$1.22 BGN 2.03
26.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 ₾5.98
$2.17 BGN 3.62
3.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Tbilisi
Stara Zagora
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.36 ₾0.95
$0.92 BGN 1.54
-60.87%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$14.44 ₾38.36
$18.95 BGN 31.52
-23.80%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.49 ₾3.96
$1.38 BGN 2.29
7.97%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.68 ₾1.82
$0.70 BGN 1.17
-2.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.23 ₾19.19
$11.66 BGN 19.39
-37.99%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.14 ₾3.04
$1.54 BGN 2.55
-25.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.5K ₾49.0K
$24.7K BGN 41.0K
-25.12%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.0K ₾53.0K
$17.9K BGN 29.8K
11.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
Stara Zagora
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$73.7 ₾196
$104 BGN 173
-29.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.64 ₾30.91
$15.07 BGN 25.06
-22.76%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.84 ₾47.39
$11.04 BGN 18.36
61.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
Stara Zagora
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.1 ₾160
$19.66 BGN 32.70
205.85%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.80 ₾44.63
$17.48 BGN 29.08
-3.89%
Cinema Ticket
$6.60 ₾17.54
$7.78 BGN 12.94
-15.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tbilisi
Stara Zagora
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$266 ₾708
$232 BGN 386
14.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,191 ₾13.8K
$2,361 BGN 3,927
119.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
Stara Zagora
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$77.7 ₾206
$38.22 BGN 63.6
103.30%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.75 ₾119
$18.85 BGN 31.36
137.40%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$117 ₾310
$76.1 BGN 127
53.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113 ₾300
$75.7 BGN 126
49.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
Stara Zagora
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$693 ₾1,839
$244 BGN 406
183.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$462 ₾1,226
$232 BGN 386
99.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,320 ₾3,505
$399 BGN 663
231.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$774 ₾2,056
$368 BGN 612
110.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,430 ₾6,455
$1,508 BGN 2,508
61.21%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,446 ₾3,840
$1,120 BGN 1,863
29.09%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tbilisi
Stara Zagora
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$673 ₾1,787
$1,062 BGN 1,767
-36.65%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.89
3.4
249.71%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Stara Zagora: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $693 in Tbilisi versus $244 in Stara Zagora. 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 58% higher in Stara Zagora, 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 $35.00 in Stara Zagora. Groceries tell a different story – $203 in Tbilisi vs $204 in Stara Zagora – so Tbilisi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Stara Zagora: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Tbilisi and Stara Zagora compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,209 in Tbilisi, $864 in Stara Zagora – roughly 40% apart. Tbilisi costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Tbilisi compared to Stara Zagora?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,813 per month in Tbilisi and $1,296 in Stara Zagora. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Tbilisi and Stara Zagora?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Stara Zagora, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Tbilisi – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Tbilisi and $35.00 in Stara Zagora. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Stara Zagora, where all-in costs run around $864, than in Tbilisi at $1,209. In Stara Zagora it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Tbilisi and Stara Zagora?
It depends on your priorities. Tbilisi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $864 in Stara Zagora to $1,209 in Tbilisi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Tbilisi or Stara Zagora safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Tbilisi and Stara Zagora?
If budget matters most, go with Stara Zagora. 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.

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