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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,218 per month in Tbilisi vs $789 in Stip, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,853 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,143 in Stip, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,489 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,496 in Stip, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 54% more than Stip, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tbilisi and Stip are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 9% lower, Stip 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.85 ₾28.75

$5.75 MKD 305

88.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.17 ₾117

$15.76 MKD 836

180.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 ₾21.94

$5.13 MKD 272

61.40%

Cappuccino

$3.02 ₾8.00

$1.90 MKD 101

58.95%

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

$0.76 ₾2.02

$1.82 MKD 96.4

-58.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.22

$1.27 MKD 67.4

-63.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ₾5.93

$2.23 MKD 119

0.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.95

$2.79 MKD 148

7.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.11

$1.34 MKD 71.0

44.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 ₾1.91

$0.71 MKD 37.79

1.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 ₾4.87

$1.15 MKD 61.2

60.00%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.48

$2.01 MKD 107

21.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₾19.67

$10.40 MKD 552

-28.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 ₾17.16

$7.10 MKD 377

-8.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 ₾25.70

$7.64 MKD 405

26.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 ₾3.18

$0.98 MKD 52.0

22.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₾4.14

$1.44 MKD 76.2

8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.75

$1.30 MKD 69.0

37.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.90

$1.58 MKD 83.8

41.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.73

$0.97 MKD 51.4

-32.99%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 ₾1.79

$1.39 MKD 74.0

-51.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.16

$0.58 MKD 30.95

105.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.86

$0.44 MKD 23.15

59.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₾7.82

$2.96 MKD 157

-0.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 ₾19.41

$7.52 MKD 399

-2.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₾4.02

$1.02 MKD 54.0

49.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.95

$1.81 MKD 96.2

24.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$0.63 MKD 33.31

-42.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.60 ₾38.68

$20.24 MKD 1,074

-27.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.97

$1.11 MKD 59.0

35.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 ₾1.92

$0.49 MKD 25.90

48.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾19.74

$5.54 MKD 294

34.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.01

$1.45 MKD 76.7

-21.38%

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

$18.5K ₾49.0K

$31.4K MKD 1.7M

-41.12%

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

$20.3K ₾53.6K

$33.2K MKD 1.8M

-38.98%

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

$73.9 ₾196

$148 MKD 7,829

-49.93%

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

$11.71 ₾31.01

$9.59 MKD 509

22.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.16 ₾48.09

$15.54 MKD 825

16.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 ₾163

$28.24 MKD 1,498

118.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.66 ₾44.12

Cinema Ticket

$6.61 ₾17.50

$4.76 MKD 252

38.87%

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

$264 ₾700

$215 MKD 11.4K

22.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,145 ₾13.6K

$1,179 MKD 62.6K

336.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 ₾198

$37.02 MKD 1,964

102.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.98 ₾117

$32.45 MKD 1,722

35.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾312

$74.2 MKD 3,937

58.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾301

$114 MKD 6,041

-0.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 ₾1,833

$208 MKD 11.0K

232.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₾1,203

$133 MKD 7,053

241.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 ₾3,504

$335 MKD 17.8K

294.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,089

$204 MKD 10.8K

287.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,431 ₾6,440

$1,208 MKD 64.1K

101.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 ₾3,818

$985 MKD 52.3K

46.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$645 ₾1,709

$469 MKD 24.9K

37.50%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Stip: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $692 in Tbilisi versus $208 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 37% 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 $44.00 in Tbilisi versus $16.00 in Stip. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $204 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 54%, 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 $1,827 per month in Tbilisi and $1,184 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 $44.00 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 $1,218 in Tbilisi and $789 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 $789, than in Tbilisi at $1,218. 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.