Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Surabaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Surabaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,209 per month in Tbilisi vs $708 in Surabaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,867 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,133 in Surabaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,526 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,557 in Surabaya, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 71% more than Surabaya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tbilisi and Surabaya are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 10% lower, Surabaya 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 ₾28.69

$1.52 Rp 27.4K

610.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.18 ₾115

$12.12 Rp 218.6K

256.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.29 ₾22.02

$3.13 Rp 56.4K

164.86%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ₾7.96

$1.82 Rp 32.7K

64.84%

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

$0.82 ₾2.17

$0.60 Rp 10.8K

36.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.21

$0.26 Rp 4,648

76.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 ₾5.93

$2.41 Rp 43.5K

-7.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.74

$4.02 Rp 72.4K

-27.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.11

$1.38 Rp 25.0K

39.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.81

$1.46 Rp 26.3K

-53.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.99

$0.93 Rp 16.8K

102.15%

Eggs

$2.54 ₾6.73

$1.44 Rp 26.0K

76.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 ₾19.69

$9.04 Rp 163.1K

-17.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ₾16.43

$3.29 Rp 59.4K

88.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ₾24.86

$8.45 Rp 152.5K

10.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 ₾3.25

$2.42 Rp 43.6K

-49.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ₾4.40

$1.54 Rp 27.8K

7.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.78

$2.19 Rp 39.6K

-17.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 ₾5.95

$1.42 Rp 25.7K

57.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.89

$1.32 Rp 23.8K

-46.21%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.79

$1.80 Rp 32.4K

-62.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.13

$1.18 Rp 21.4K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.76

$0.42 Rp 7,603

57.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ₾7.91

$2.54 Rp 45.8K

17.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₾20.20

$24.78 Rp 446.9K

-69.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.08

$1.77 Rp 31.8K

-12.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.98

$3.14 Rp 56.7K

-28.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$0.48 Rp 8,572

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 ₾38.35

$9.40 Rp 169.6K

53.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ₾3.96

$0.44 Rp 7,997

238.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.82

$0.29 Rp 5,216

134.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 ₾19.19

$2.77 Rp 50.0K

161.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.04

$0.84 Rp 15.2K

35.71%

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

$18.5K ₾49.0K

$20.6K Rp 372.2M

-10.55%

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

$20.0K ₾53.0K

$35.8K Rp 645.7M

-44.23%

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

$73.7 ₾196

$84.9 Rp 1.5M

-13.17%

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

$11.64 ₾30.90

$4.09 Rp 73.7K

184.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.84 ₾47.38

$19.75 Rp 356.2K

-9.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 ₾160

$21.59 Rp 389.4K

178.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ₾44.62

$4.57 Rp 82.4K

267.61%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ₾17.54

$2.85 Rp 51.4K

131.58%

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

$266 ₾707

$188 Rp 3.4M

42.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,191 ₾13.8K

$9,556 Rp 172.3M

-45.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾206

$61.6 Rp 1.1M

26.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.75 ₾119

$38.56 Rp 695.3K

16.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾310

$77.8 Rp 1.4M

50.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾300

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

35.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,839

$242 Rp 4.4M

185.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,226

$135 Rp 2.4M

240.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 ₾3,504

$762 Rp 13.7M

73.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₾2,056

$393 Rp 7.1M

96.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,430 ₾6,454

$2,209 Rp 39.8M

10.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 ₾3,839

$1,067 Rp 19.2M

35.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 ₾1,786

$276 Rp 5.0M

144.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

8.33

42.74%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $693 in Tbilisi versus $242 in Surabaya. 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 144% 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 $12.00 in Surabaya. Groceries tell a different story – $203 in Tbilisi vs $226 in Surabaya – 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 Surabaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,209 in Tbilisi, $708 in Surabaya – roughly 71% apart. Tbilisi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,813 per month in Tbilisi and $1,062 in Surabaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Tbilisi – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Tbilisi and $12.00 in Surabaya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Surabaya, where all-in costs run around $708, than in Tbilisi at $1,209. In Surabaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Tbilisi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $708 in Surabaya to $1,209 in Tbilisi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Surabaya. 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.