Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Tema Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Tema

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,209 per month in Tbilisi vs $611 in Tema, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,867 per month in Tbilisi vs $989 in Tema, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,526 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,367 in Tema, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 98% more than Tema, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tbilisi and Tema are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 10% lower, Tema 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.80 ₾28.71

$7.50 GHS 88.0

44.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.18 ₾115

$27.73 GHS 326

55.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.29 ₾22.04

$8.18 GHS 96.0

1.34%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ₾7.97

$1.46 GHS 17.14

105.48%

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

$0.82 ₾2.17

$1.00 GHS 11.78

-18.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.21

$0.33 GHS 3.93

39.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 ₾5.93

$1.74 GHS 20.38

28.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.75

$2.69 GHS 31.63

8.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.12

$2.98 GHS 34.94

-35.23%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.81

$1.68 GHS 19.69

-59.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 ₾5.00

$1.55 GHS 18.22

21.29%

Eggs

$2.54 ₾6.74

$2.18 GHS 25.64

16.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 ₾19.70

$3.72 GHS 43.73

99.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.19 ₾16.44

$2.73 GHS 32.08

126.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 ₾24.87

$2.44 GHS 28.63

283.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 ₾3.25

$2.71 GHS 31.76

-54.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ₾4.40

$2.08 GHS 24.38

-20.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.78

$2.07 GHS 24.27

-13.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 ₾5.96

$2.89 GHS 33.97

-22.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.89

$1.84 GHS 21.60

-61.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.79

$1.97 GHS 23.15

-65.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.13

$0.61 GHS 7.16

93.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.76

$0.82 GHS 9.63

-19.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 ₾7.91

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 ₾20.22

$7.21 GHS 84.7

5.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.08

$0.82 GHS 9.66

87.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.99

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$2.03 GHS 23.87

-82.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 ₾38.38

$39.80 GHS 467

-63.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ₾3.97

$1.42 GHS 16.64

4.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.82

$0.77 GHS 9.00

-11.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.23 ₾19.20

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.04

$1.19 GHS 13.98

-4.20%

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

$18.5K ₾49.1K

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

$20.0K ₾53.1K

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

$73.7 ₾196

$30.84 GHS 362

138.91%

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

$11.64 ₾30.92

$12.26 GHS 144

-5.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.84 ₾47.41

$64.6 GHS 759

-72.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 ₾160

$19.37 GHS 227

210.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ₾44.65

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ₾17.55

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

$266 ₾708

$82.4 GHS 967

223.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,191 ₾13.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾206

$25.07 GHS 294

209.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.75 ₾119

$24.67 GHS 290

81.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 ₾310

$45.82 GHS 538

154.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾300

$60.6 GHS 712

86.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,840

$117 GHS 1,371

493.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,227

$66.6 GHS 782

592.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 ₾3,507

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$774 ₾2,057

$139 GHS 1,629

457.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,430 ₾6,458

$10.0K GHS 117.6K

-75.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 ₾3,842

$6,030 GHS 70.8K

-76.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 ₾1,788

$390 GHS 4,576

72.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

32.5

-63.42%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Tema: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $693 in Tbilisi versus $117 in Tema. 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 73% 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 $28.00 in Tema. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $203 vs $183 – making Tema 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 Tema: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,209 in Tbilisi, $611 in Tema – roughly 98% apart. Tbilisi costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,813 per month in Tbilisi and $916 in Tema. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tema, 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 $43.00 in Tbilisi and $28.00 in Tema. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,209 in Tbilisi and $611 in Tema. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tema, where all-in costs run around $611, than in Tbilisi at $1,209. In Tema 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 $611 in Tema 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 Tema. 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.