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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,197 per month in Tbilisi vs $702 in Surabaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,868 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,117 in Surabaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,538 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,532 in Surabaya, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 70% 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

$10.82 ₾28.38

$1.58 Rp 28.4K

584.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.85 ₾115

$12.11 Rp 217.6K

262.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.31 ₾21.79

$3.05 Rp 54.9K

172.46%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ₾7.78

$1.80 Rp 32.4K

65.00%

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

$0.77 ₾2.01

$0.64 Rp 11.5K

20.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.20

$0.28 Rp 5,048

64.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ₾5.63

$2.40 Rp 43.2K

-10.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ₾7.52

$4.09 Rp 73.5K

-29.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₾4.99

$1.38 Rp 24.7K

37.68%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 ₾1.86

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

-52.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 ₾5.00

$0.94 Rp 17.0K

103.19%

Eggs

$2.48 ₾6.52

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

65.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 ₾20.29

$9.24 Rp 166.1K

-16.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 ₾16.20

$3.19 Rp 57.3K

93.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.57 ₾25.11

$8.13 Rp 146.0K

17.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 ₾3.06

$2.41 Rp 43.3K

-51.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₾4.34

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

5.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.84

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

-15.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 ₾6.11

$1.50 Rp 27.0K

55.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.85

$1.33 Rp 23.8K

-46.62%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.76

$1.73 Rp 31.1K

-61.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.12

$1.19 Rp 21.4K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.72

$0.45 Rp 8,091

46.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.65

$2.45 Rp 44.1K

19.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.69 ₾20.17

$25.13 Rp 451.6K

-69.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₾4.18

$1.86 Rp 33.5K

-14.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.06

$3.31 Rp 59.5K

-30.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.01

$0.44 Rp 7,860

-13.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.76 ₾38.71

$9.48 Rp 170.4K

55.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.92

$0.48 Rp 8,592

212.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$0.31 Rp 5,615

119.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.26 ₾19.03

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

165.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.87

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

26.74%

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

$18.6K ₾48.8K

$20.5K Rp 368.6M

-9.29%

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

$20.5K ₾53.7K

$35.0K Rp 629.7M

-41.59%

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

$73.0 ₾191

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

-12.01%

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

$11.97 ₾31.40

$4.31 Rp 77.5K

177.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ₾47.21

$19.61 Rp 352.5K

-8.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 ₾160

$21.82 Rp 392.2K

179.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.52 ₾43.33

$4.59 Rp 82.6K

259.91%

Cinema Ticket

$6.70 ₾17.58

$2.87 Rp 51.7K

133.45%

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

$269 ₾705

$186 Rp 3.3M

44.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,152 ₾13.5K

$9,556 Rp 171.7M

-46.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.5 ₾201

$62.9 Rp 1.1M

21.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.41 ₾114

$38.85 Rp 698.2K

11.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 ₾316

$77.8 Rp 1.4M

54.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾290

$83.1 Rp 1.5M

33.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$687 ₾1,802

$244 Rp 4.4M

181.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 ₾1,234

$136 Rp 2.4M

246.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 ₾3,549

$792 Rp 14.2M

70.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,069

$399 Rp 7.2M

97.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,468 ₾6,472

$2,202 Rp 39.6M

12.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,456 ₾3,817

$1,045 Rp 18.8M

39.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$659 ₾1,729

$269 Rp 4.8M

144.93%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $687 in Tbilisi versus $244 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 145% 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 $12.00 in Surabaya. Groceries tell a different story – $205 in Tbilisi vs $228 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: $1,197 in Tbilisi, $702 in Surabaya – roughly 70% apart. Tbilisi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,796 per month in Tbilisi and $1,054 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 $44.00 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 $702, than in Tbilisi at $1,197. 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 $702 in Surabaya to $1,197 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.