Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Surakarta

For one person, living is cheaper in Surakarta: $589 a month against $1,269 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $8,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Tbilisi, Georgia
Surakarta, Indonesia
Tbilisi
🇬🇪 Georgia
$1,269
/mo nomad
Surakarta
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$589
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Surakarta

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

A single person spends $1,269 per month in Tbilisi vs $589 in Surakarta, rent included.

  • Tbilisi $1,269
  • Surakarta $589

A couple spends around $2,016 per month in Tbilisi vs $933 in Surakarta, rent included.

  • Tbilisi $2,016
  • Surakarta $933

A family of three spends $2,763 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,278 in Surakarta, rent included.

  • Tbilisi $2,763
  • Surakarta $1,278

Tbilisi costs about 116% more than Surakarta, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Tbilisi and Surakarta are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 7% lower, Surakarta 57% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tbilisi
Surakarta
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.63 ₾30.07
$1.70 Rp 30.9K
584.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.83 ₾97.8
$11.39 Rp 206.4K
232.13%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.66 ₾24.98
$3.06 Rp 55.4K
215.69%
Cappuccino
$3.57 ₾9.24
$1.55 Rp 28.2K
130.32%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.08 ₾2.78
$0.53 Rp 9,655
103.77%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₾1.45
$0.23 Rp 4,143
143.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.62 ₾6.78
$1.40 Rp 25.4K
87.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04 ₾7.85
$2.78 Rp 50.4K
9.35%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
Surakarta
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.17 ₾5.60
$0.86 Rp 15.6K
152.33%
White Bread (500g)
$0.80 ₾2.06
$0.74 Rp 13.4K
8.11%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.74 ₾4.51
$0.75 Rp 13.5K
132.00%
Eggs
$2.83 ₾7.31
$1.00 Rp 18.0K
183.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.31 ₾24.07
$7.78 Rp 141.0K
19.67%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.52 ₾16.85
$1.62 Rp 29.4K
302.47%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.95 ₾33.50
$5.32 Rp 96.4K
143.42%
Apples (1kg)
$1.68 ₾4.33
$1.97 Rp 35.7K
-14.72%
Banana (1kg)
$1.85 ₾4.79
$1.30 Rp 23.6K
42.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.97 ₾5.10
$1.80 Rp 32.5K
9.44%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.42 ₾6.25
$1.41 Rp 25.5K
71.63%
Potato (1kg)
$0.82 ₾2.11
$1.36 Rp 24.7K
-39.71%
Onion (1kg)
$0.74 ₾1.91
$1.64 Rp 29.7K
-54.88%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.34 ₾3.47
$0.53 Rp 9,559
152.83%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 ₾2.00
$0.43 Rp 7,776
79.07%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.57 ₾9.24
$1.93 Rp 34.9K
84.97%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.67 ₾19.83
$8.23 Rp 149.2K
-6.80%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 ₾4.39
$1.61 Rp 29.2K
5.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 ₾6.21
$2.97 Rp 53.7K
-19.19%
🚌 Getting Around
Tbilisi
Surakarta
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.40 ₾1.05
$0.41 Rp 7,394
-2.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.23 ₾39.38
$11.35 Rp 205.6K
34.19%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.14 ₾2.95
$0.47 Rp 8,480
142.55%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ₾2.02
$0.43 Rp 7,739
81.40%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.83 ₾30.58
$2.58 Rp 46.8K
358.53%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ₾3.75
$0.78 Rp 14.1K
85.90%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.6K ₾63.6K
$25.0K Rp 453.6M
-1.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.3K ₾57.8K
$32.9K Rp 596.2M
-32.11%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
Surakarta
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.8 ₾230
$77.7 Rp 1.4M
14.29%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.12 ₾33.93
$2.06 Rp 37.2K
536.89%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.67 ₾50.9
$18.73 Rp 339.3K
5.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
Surakarta
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$64.1 ₾166
$16.13 Rp 292.3K
297.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04 ₾49.24
$8.31 Rp 150.6K
129.12%
Cinema Ticket
$7.12 ₾18.42
$1.88 Rp 34.1K
278.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tbilisi
Surakarta
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$375 ₾971
$33.22 Rp 601.9K
1030.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.5K ₾27.1K
$1,841 Rp 33.4M
468.73%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
Surakarta
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 ₾268
$58.8 Rp 1.1M
76.32%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.26 ₾102
$36.70 Rp 665.0K
6.98%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$117 ₾303
$68.2 Rp 1.2M
72.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 ₾315
$65.7 Rp 1.2M
85.41%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
Surakarta
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$695 ₾1,798
$223 Rp 4.0M
212.30%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$451 ₾1,167
$147 Rp 2.7M
206.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,355 ₾3,504
$559 Rp 10.1M
142.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$906 ₾2,343
$367 Rp 6.7M
146.64%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,295 ₾5,934
$1,102 Rp 20.0M
108.15%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,345 ₾3,478
$712 Rp 12.9M
88.83%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tbilisi
Surakarta
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$664 ₾1,718
$155 Rp 2.8M
328.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.62
7.5
68.27%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: October 27, 2026

Last update for Surakarta: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
$451
Surakarta
$147 67.4% $304
Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
$234
Surakarta
$147 37% $87
Eating Out
Tbilisi
$191
Surakarta
$57 70.1% $134
Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
$172
Surakarta
$103 40% $69
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
$122
Surakarta
$98 19% $23
Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
$78
Surakarta
$20 74.6% $58
Getting Around
Tbilisi
$22
Surakarta
$16 28.9% $6.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $695 in Tbilisi versus $223 in Surakarta. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Tbilisi are about 4.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38 in Tbilisi versus $11 in Surakarta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $147 – making Surakarta the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇪 Tbilisi
🇮🇩 Surakarta
🕒 Local time
14:23 2:23 PM
17:23 5:23 PM
3 h ahead of Tbilisi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,241,700 Capital
503,421
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.387 USD). 1 EUR = 2.89 GEL (1 GEL = 0.346 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 18,120 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.52 USD). 1 EUR = 20,232 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tbilisi Surakarta 8,640 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Tbilisi
  • Surakarta

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 Surakarta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Tbilisi and in Surakarta compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,269 in Tbilisi, $589 in Surakarta – Surakarta comes out roughly 54% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Tbilisi compared to Surakarta?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,904 per month in Tbilisi and $883 in Surakarta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Tbilisi and Surakarta?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Surakarta, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $223 there versus $695 in Tbilisi.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Tbilisi and Surakarta?
Kindergarten costs $375 per month in Tbilisi and $33 in Surakarta. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 59% more in Tbilisi, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Surakarta, where all-in costs run around $589, than in Tbilisi at $1,269. In Surakarta it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Tbilisi or Surakarta?
Families tend to lean toward Surakarta – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between Tbilisi and Surakarta?
If budget matters most, go with Surakarta. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tbilisi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Tbilisi vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?