Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Sterling

For one person, living is cheaper in Tbilisi: $1,269 a month against $2,814 in Sterling, rent and utilities included – about $18,500 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
135

Cost of Living Index in Sterling
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Sterling Living Index

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Tbilisi

🇬🇪 Georgia

$1,269

/mo nomad

Sterling

🇺🇸 United States

$2,814

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Sterling

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 Sterling actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,269 per month in Tbilisi vs $2,814 in Sterling, rent included.

Tbilisi $1,269
Sterling $2,814

A couple spends around $2,016 per month in Tbilisi vs $4,314 in Sterling, rent included.

Tbilisi $2,016
Sterling $4,314

A family of three spends $2,763 per month in Tbilisi vs $5,814 in Sterling, rent included.

Tbilisi $2,763
Sterling $5,814

Tbilisi is about 55% cheaper than Sterling, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Tbilisi sits 7% below the global median, while Sterling is 107% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.63 ₾30.07

$18.81 $18.81

-38.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.83 ₾97.8

$75.5 $75.5

-49.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.66 ₾24.98

$11.94 $11.94

-19.10%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ₾9.24

$6.07 $6.07

-41.19%

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

$1.08 ₾2.78

$2.97 $2.97

-63.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₾1.45

$2.52 $2.52

-77.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 ₾6.78

$5.47 $5.47

-52.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 ₾7.85

$7.83 $7.83

-61.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 ₾5.60

$1.10 $1.10

97.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 ₾2.06

$4.06 $4.06

-80.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 ₾4.51

$5.18 $5.18

-66.41%

Eggs

$2.83 ₾7.31

$5.48 $5.48

-48.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.31 ₾24.07

$17.09 $17.09

-45.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.52 ₾16.85

$14.76 $14.76

-55.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.95 ₾33.50

$18.69 $18.69

-30.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 ₾4.33

$5.57 $5.57

-69.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.79

$2.28 $2.28

-18.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 ₾5.10

$4.98 $4.98

-60.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.42 ₾6.25

$5.74 $5.74

-57.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ₾2.11

$2.95 $2.95

-72.20%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 ₾1.91

$3.92 $3.92

-81.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ₾3.47

$2.36 $2.36

-43.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₾2.00

$2.76 $2.76

-72.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.57 ₾9.24

$10.03 $10.03

-64.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.67 ₾19.83

$13.88 $13.88

-44.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₾4.39

$2.24 $2.24

-24.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 ₾6.21

$5.76 $5.76

-58.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ₾1.05

$5.08 $5.08

-92.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.23 ₾39.38

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.95

$3.06 $3.06

-62.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ₾2.02

$1.49 $1.49

-47.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.83 ₾30.58

$22.06 $22.06

-46.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ₾3.75

$1.04 $1.04

39.42%

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

$24.6K ₾63.6K

$34.9K $34.9K

-29.55%

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

$22.3K ₾57.8K

$25.5K $25.5K

-12.34%

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

$88.8 ₾230

$156 $156

-43.06%

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

$13.12 ₾33.93

$50.3 $50.3

-73.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.67 ₾50.9

$78.1 $78.1

-74.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.1 ₾166

$29.14 $29.14

119.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 ₾49.24

Cinema Ticket

$7.12 ₾18.42

$18.21 $18.21

-60.90%

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

$375 ₾971

$1,890 $1,890

-80.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K ₾27.1K

$32.0K $32.0K

-67.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ₾268

$53.5 $53.5

93.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.26 ₾102

$45.89 $45.89

-14.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾303

$86.8 $86.8

35.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₾315

$105 $105

15.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 ₾1,798

$1,245 $1,245

-44.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$451 ₾1,167

$1,503 $1,503

-69.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 ₾3,504

$2,010 $2,010

-32.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$906 ₾2,343

$2,860 $2,860

-68.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,295 ₾5,934

$3,292 $3,292

-30.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,345 ₾3,478

$2,321 $2,321

-42.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 ₾1,718

$3,746 $3,746

-82.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

6.63

90.35%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: October 27, 2026

Last update for Sterling: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Tbilisi

$451 35.6%

Sterling

$1.5K 53.4% 233% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Tbilisi

$234 18.4%

Sterling

$475 16.9% 103% $241

Eating Out

Tbilisi

$191 15%

Sterling

$324 11.5% 70% $133

Clothing & Footwear

Tbilisi

$172 13.5%

Sterling

$131 4.7% 23.7% $41

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tbilisi

$122 9.6%

Sterling

$284 10.1% 134% $163

Sport & Entertainment

Tbilisi

$78 6.2%

Sterling

$66 2.3% 16.3% $13

Getting Around

Tbilisi

$22 1.7%

Sterling

$31 * 1.1% 40.8% $8.9

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $695 in Tbilisi versus $1,245 in Sterling. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Sterling are about 5.6 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38 in Tbilisi versus $75 in Sterling. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $475 – making Tbilisi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇬🇪 Tbilisi

🇺🇸 Sterling

🕒 Local time

03:53 3:53 AM

17:53 5:53 PM

10 h behind Tbilisi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,241,700 Capital

14,782

💱 Currency

Georgian Lari GEL ₾

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 GEL = 0.387 USD

1 GEL = 0.346 EUR

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇬🇪 Georgian Lari (₾)

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.387 USD). 1 EUR = 2.89 GEL (1 GEL = 0.346 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

USD to GEL in detail →

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Between locations

Tbilisi Sterling 9,670 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Tbilisi
Sterling

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 Sterling: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sterling costs about 122% more than Tbilisi, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,904 per month in Tbilisi and $4,221 in Sterling. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tbilisi, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $695 there versus $1,245 in Sterling.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,269 in Tbilisi and $2,814 in Sterling. That makes Tbilisi about 55% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $375 per month in Tbilisi and $1,890 in Sterling. 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 Tbilisi, where all-in costs run around $1,269, than in Sterling at $2,814. In Tbilisi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sterling it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Tbilisi. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sterling makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.