Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Stip Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Stip

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,185 per month in Tbilisi vs $791 in Stip, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,834 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,157 in Stip, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,483 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,523 in Stip, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 50% more than Stip, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tbilisi and Stip are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 12% lower, Stip 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.15 ₾30.00

$5.78 MKD 305

92.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.13 ₾116

$16.17 MKD 853

166.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 ₾22.11

$4.96 MKD 262

65.73%

Cappuccino

$3.13 ₾8.42

$1.98 MKD 104

58.08%

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

$0.74 ₾2.00

$1.82 MKD 95.9

-59.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₾1.22

$1.28 MKD 67.5

-64.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ₾5.74

$2.31 MKD 122

-7.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ₾8.06

$2.69 MKD 142

11.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₾5.09

$1.28 MKD 67.5

47.66%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₾1.97

$0.72 MKD 37.89

1.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.98

$1.16 MKD 61.0

59.48%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.58

$2.09 MKD 110

17.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.85 ₾21.12

$10.20 MKD 538

-23.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ₾16.82

$7.30 MKD 385

-14.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.77 ₾26.28

$7.36 MKD 388

32.74%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 ₾3.26

$0.97 MKD 51.0

24.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₾4.28

$1.43 MKD 75.4

11.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.81

$1.26 MKD 66.2

42.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 ₾6.25

$1.59 MKD 83.6

45.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.91

$0.97 MKD 51.3

-26.80%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.81

$1.38 MKD 72.7

-51.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.16

$0.59 MKD 31.00

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₾1.92

$0.44 MKD 23.25

61.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.85

$3.07 MKD 162

-4.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.25 ₾19.50

$7.75 MKD 409

-6.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₾4.17

$0.99 MKD 52.5

56.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.21

$1.87 MKD 98.8

23.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.03

$0.68 MKD 35.62

-44.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.81 ₾39.83

$20.40 MKD 1,076

-27.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ₾3.98

$1.10 MKD 58.0

34.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.86

$0.50 MKD 26.25

38.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾20.05

$5.53 MKD 292

34.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₾3.10

$1.44 MKD 75.7

-20.14%

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

$18.0K ₾48.4K

$32.4K MKD 1.7M

-44.36%

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

$19.8K ₾53.4K

$33.6K MKD 1.8M

-40.89%

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

$73.4 ₾198

$143 MKD 7,529

-48.57%

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

$11.64 ₾31.32

$9.46 MKD 499

23.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.77 ₾47.79

$15.75 MKD 831

12.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 ₾163

$28.10 MKD 1,482

115.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 ₾44.21

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.52

$4.65 MKD 245

40.00%

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

$263 ₾707

$223 MKD 11.8K

17.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,136 ₾13.8K

$1,202 MKD 63.4K

327.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾209

$37.86 MKD 1,996

105.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.39 ₾119

$31.53 MKD 1,663

40.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾317

$75.4 MKD 3,973

56.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾307

$112 MKD 5,897

2.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,865

$207 MKD 10.9K

235.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,244

$134 MKD 7,044

246.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 ₾3,597

$337 MKD 17.7K

297.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$779 ₾2,096

$205 MKD 10.8K

279.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,530 ₾6,805

$1,237 MKD 65.2K

104.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,430 ₾3,847

$1,003 MKD 52.9K

42.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$633 ₾1,702

$484 MKD 25.5K

30.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

7.1

67.46%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: April 26, 2026

Last update for Stip: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $693 in Tbilisi versus $207 in Stip. 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 31% higher in Tbilisi, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Tbilisi versus $16.00 in Stip. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $186 – making Stip 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 Stip: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tbilisi is pricier by about 50%, 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 $1,777 per month in Tbilisi and $1,186 in Stip. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Tbilisi and $16.00 in Stip. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,185 in Tbilisi and $791 in Stip. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Stip, where all-in costs run around $791, than in Tbilisi at $1,185. In Stip it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Stip – 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 Stip. 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.