Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Stip

For one person, living is cheaper in Stip: $806 a month against $1,266 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Tbilisi
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Tbilisi Living Index
39

Cost of Living Index in Stip
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Stip Living Index

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Tbilisi

🇬🇪 Georgia

$1,266

/mo nomad

Stip

🇲🇰 North Macedonia

$806

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Stip

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

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Tbilisi vs $806 in Stip, rent included.

Tbilisi $1,266
Stip $806

A couple spends around $2,007 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,205 in Stip, rent included.

Tbilisi $2,007
Stip $1,205

A family of three spends $2,749 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,605 in Stip, rent included.

Tbilisi $2,749
Stip $1,605

Tbilisi costs about 57% more than Stip, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Tbilisi and Stip are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 6% lower, Stip 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.34 ₾29.35

$7.33 MKD 400

54.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.05 ₾101

$23.62 MKD 1,288

65.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.63 ₾24.92

$6.30 MKD 344

52.86%

Cappuccino

$3.46 ₾8.95

$1.80 MKD 98.1

92.22%

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

$1.09 ₾2.82

$1.48 MKD 80.6

-26.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 ₾1.62

$1.07 MKD 58.2

-41.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.77 ₾7.17

$1.77 MKD 96.8

56.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 ₾8.04

$2.79 MKD 152

11.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 ₾5.81

$1.23 MKD 67.2

82.93%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 ₾2.07

$0.75 MKD 40.86

6.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 ₾4.55

$1.07 MKD 58.1

64.49%

Eggs

$2.75 ₾7.11

$2.42 MKD 132

13.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.39 ₾24.32

$8.12 MKD 443

15.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.66 ₾17.23

$7.25 MKD 395

-8.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.92 ₾33.45

$7.46 MKD 407

73.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 ₾4.31

$0.87 MKD 47.22

91.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.65

$1.44 MKD 78.7

25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 ₾4.97

$1.32 MKD 72.0

45.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 ₾6.24

$1.66 MKD 90.8

45.18%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 ₾2.23

$0.87 MKD 47.63

-1.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 ₾1.80

$0.78 MKD 42.51

-11.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 ₾3.62

$0.53 MKD 29.07

164.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₾1.85

$0.40 MKD 21.66

77.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.51 ₾9.08

$3.26 MKD 178

7.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₾19.69

$7.26 MKD 396

4.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 ₾4.21

$1.07 MKD 58.4

52.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾5.98

$1.42 MKD 77.4

62.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 ₾0.96

$0.63 MKD 34.29

-41.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.67 ₾40.57

$23.20 MKD 1,266

-32.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 ₾2.95

$1.12 MKD 60.9

1.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 ₾2.05

$0.62 MKD 33.63

27.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.86 ₾30.70

$5.60 MKD 306

111.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 ₾3.62

$1.52 MKD 82.7

-7.89%

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

$24.8K ₾64.2K

$36.0K MKD 2.0M

-31.07%

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

$21.9K ₾56.6K

$27.9K MKD 1.5M

-21.66%

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

$89.1 ₾231

$157 MKD 8,562

-43.22%

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

$13.21 ₾34.19

$9.01 MKD 492

46.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.76 ₾51.1

$16.56 MKD 903

19.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.9 ₾168

$27.61 MKD 1,506

135.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.02 ₾49.24

$17.17 MKD 937

10.77%

Cinema Ticket

$6.57 ₾17.02

$6.19 MKD 338

6.14%

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

$377 ₾975

$350 MKD 19.1K

7.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K ₾27.9K

$5,765 MKD 314.5K

87.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 ₾265

$35.68 MKD 1,946

186.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.70 ₾103

$30.62 MKD 1,670

29.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾305

$101 MKD 5,487

17.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 ₾320

$114 MKD 6,196

8.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$666 ₾1,724

$201 MKD 11.0K

231.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$449 ₾1,163

$126 MKD 6,876

256.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 ₾3,324

$327 MKD 17.9K

292.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$890 ₾2,303

$197 MKD 10.7K

352.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,425 ₾6,276

$1,214 MKD 66.2K

99.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,380 ₾3,573

$958 MKD 52.3K

44.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$680 ₾1,760

$462 MKD 25.2K

47.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.62

4.23

198.35%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: October 12, 2026

Last update for Stip: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Tbilisi

$449 35.5%

Stip

$126 15.7% 71.9% $323

Groceries & Markets

Tbilisi

$234 18.5%

Stip

$177 22% 24.2% $57

Eating Out

Tbilisi

$188 14.9%

Stip

$124 15.4% 34.2% $64

Clothing & Footwear

Tbilisi

$172 13.6%

Stip

$126 15.7% 26.8% $46

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tbilisi

$122 9.7%

Stip

$183 22.7% 49.5% $60

Sport & Entertainment

Tbilisi

$78 6.2%

Stip

$40 5% 48.8% $38

Getting Around

Tbilisi

$22 1.8%

Stip

$30 3.7% 34.4% $7.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $666 in Tbilisi versus $201 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 47% 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 $39.00 in Tbilisi versus $24.00 in Stip. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $177 – making Stip the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇬🇪 Tbilisi

🇲🇰 Stip

🕒 Local time

08:12 8:12 AM

06:12 6:12 AM

2 h behind Tbilisi

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,241,700 Capital

65,000

💱 Currency

Georgian Lari GEL ₾

North Macedonian Denar MKD ден

📈 Exchange rate

1 GEL = 0.386 USD

1 GEL = 0.344 EUR

100 MKD = 1.83 USD

100 MKD = 1.63 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MKD, USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇬🇪 Georgian Lari (₾)

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.386 USD). 1 EUR = 2.91 GEL (1 GEL = 0.344 EUR).

North Macedonian Denar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 54.55 MKD (100 MKD = 1.83 USD). 1 EUR = 61.33 MKD (100 MKD = 1.63 EUR).

USD to GEL in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Tbilisi Stip 1,870 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Tbilisi
Stip

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 Stip: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tbilisi is pricier by about 57%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Tbilisi and $1,208 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 $39.00 in Tbilisi and $24.00 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 $1,266 in Tbilisi and $806 in Stip. That's a gap of about 57%.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Stip, where all-in costs run around $806, than in Tbilisi at $1,266. 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.