Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Surin

For one person, living is cheaper in Surin: $869 a month against $1,270 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Tbilisi
🇬🇪 Georgia
$1,270
/mo nomad
Surin
🇹🇭 Thailand
$869
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Surin

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,270 in Tbilisi versus $869 in Surin.

  • Tbilisi $1,270
  • Surin $869

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,008 in Tbilisi versus $1,444 in Surin.

  • Tbilisi $2,008
  • Surin $1,444

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,745 in Tbilisi versus $2,018 in Surin.

  • Tbilisi $2,745
  • Surin $2,018

Living in Tbilisi is roughly 46% more expensive than in Surin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tbilisi 6% lower, Surin 36% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tbilisi
Surin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.51 ₾29.79
$3.03 ฿101
279.87%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.27 ₾99.1
$24.70 ฿826
54.94%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.80 ₾25.36
$7.23 ฿242
35.55%
Cappuccino
$3.55 ₾9.19
$1.74 ฿58.3
104.02%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.06 ₾2.74
$0.61 ฿20.30
73.77%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.62 ₾1.60
$0.33 ฿10.89
87.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.76 ₾7.16
$2.20 ฿73.5
25.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 ₾7.77
$3.42 ฿114
-12.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
Surin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.16 ₾5.59
$1.57 ฿52.4
37.58%
White Bread (500g)
$0.76 ₾1.96
$1.31 ฿43.79
-41.98%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.74 ₾4.51
$1.47 ฿48.98
18.37%
Eggs
$2.79 ₾7.21
$1.90 ฿63.5
46.84%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.20 ₾23.83
$17.41 ฿582
-47.16%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.53 ₾16.89
$2.48 ฿83.0
163.31%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.81 ₾33.17
$8.89 ฿297
44.09%
Apples (1kg)
$1.67 ₾4.31
$2.57 ฿86.0
-35.02%
Banana (1kg)
$1.85 ₾4.79
$1.02 ฿34.23
81.37%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.98 ₾5.13
$2.48 ฿82.9
-20.16%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.51 ₾6.49
$2.05 ฿68.5
22.44%
Potato (1kg)
$0.87 ₾2.26
$1.44 ฿48.20
-39.58%
Onion (1kg)
$0.73 ₾1.89
$0.95 ฿31.77
-23.16%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.42 ₾3.67
$0.94 ฿31.37
51.06%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 ₾1.88
$0.44 ฿14.59
63.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.38 ₾8.74
$4.27 ฿143
-20.84%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.84 ₾20.31
$16.36 ฿547
-52.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 ₾4.19
$1.57 ฿52.4
3.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38 ₾6.15
$3.01 ฿100
-20.93%
🚌 Getting Around
Tbilisi
Surin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.37 ₾0.96
$0.92 ฿30.79
-59.78%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.52 ₾40.16
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.14 ₾2.94
$1.37 ฿45.65
-16.79%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.79 ₾2.05
$1.01 ฿33.73
-21.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.57 ₾29.96
$6.04 ฿202
91.56%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.50 ₾3.87
$1.35 ฿45.06
11.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.6K ₾63.7K
$22.7K ฿758.4K
8.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.4K ₾57.9K
$27.1K ฿904.4K
-17.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
Surin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.3 ₾228
$77.8 ฿2,601
13.40%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.08 ₾33.86
$11.53 ฿385
13.44%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.53 ₾50.6
$18.68 ฿624
4.55%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
Surin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$64.2 ₾166
$41.58 ฿1,390
54.35%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.18 ₾49.66
$11.45 ฿383
67.51%
Cinema Ticket
$6.99 ₾18.10
$6.51 ฿218
7.37%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tbilisi
Surin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$373 ₾966
$628 ฿21.0K
-40.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.7K ₾27.7K
$12.1K ฿405.0K
-11.79%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
Surin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$103 ₾266
$53.1 ฿1,773
93.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.48 ₾105
$27.95 ฿934
44.83%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$116 ₾301
$73.3 ฿2,451
58.60%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 ₾316
$68.0 ฿2,274
79.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
Surin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$677 ₾1,753
$440 ฿14.7K
53.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$454 ₾1,176
$273 ฿9,126
66.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,277 ₾3,305
$1,185 ฿39.6K
7.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$890 ₾2,304
$714 ฿23.9K
24.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,410 ₾6,238
$1,730 ฿57.8K
39.30%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,418 ₾3,670
$1,518 ฿50.7K
-6.62%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tbilisi
Surin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$703 ₾1,819
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.62
5.57
126.57%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: October 17, 2026

Last update for Surin: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
$454
Surin
$273 39.9% $181
Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
$233
Surin
$235 0.7% $1.7
Eating Out
Tbilisi
$191
Surin
$88 53.6% $102
Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
$172
Surin
$100 41.7% $72
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
$121
Surin
$108 10.6% $13
Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
$78
Surin
$55 30.1% $24
Getting Around
Tbilisi
$22
Surin
$10 * 54.3% $12

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $677 in Tbilisi and $440 in Surin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $38.00 in Tbilisi vs $25.00 in Surin. Groceries flip the comparison at $233 vs $235, with Tbilisi cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇬🇪 Tbilisi
🇹🇭 Surin
🕒 Local time
10:28 10:28 AM
13:28 1:28 PM
3 h ahead of Tbilisi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,241,700 Capital
40,104
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.386 USD). 1 EUR = 2.91 GEL (1 GEL = 0.344 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tbilisi Surin 6,330 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Tbilisi
  • Surin

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 Surin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Tbilisi or Surin?
Surin wins on cost – living expenses run 46% lower than in Tbilisi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Surin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Tbilisi and in Surin?
You'd need roughly $1,906 in Tbilisi and $1,303 in Surin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Tbilisi compared to Surin?
Rent for a central apartment: $677 in Tbilisi versus $440 in Surin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Tbilisi or in Surin?
Shoppers in Tbilisi pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How much does it cost to live in Tbilisi compared to Surin?
All in, you'll spend $1,270 per month in Tbilisi versus $869 in Surin – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Tbilisi or in Surin?
At $869 in Surin versus $1,270 in Tbilisi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Surin but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Surin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Tbilisi or Surin?
Both work as nomad bases, but Surin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $869 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Surin hard to pass up.
How safe is Tbilisi compared to Surin?
Safety-wise, Tbilisi and Surin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Surin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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