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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,197 per month in Tbilisi vs $624 in Tema, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,868 per month in Tbilisi vs $995 in Tema, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,538 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,365 in Tema, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 92% more than Tema, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tbilisi and Tema are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 10% lower, Tema 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.82 ₾28.38

$7.19 GHS 82.9

50.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.85 ₾115

$27.76 GHS 320

57.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.31 ₾21.79

$7.82 GHS 90.2

6.27%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ₾7.78

$1.46 GHS 16.82

103.42%

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

$0.77 ₾2.01

$1.04 GHS 12.04

-25.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.20

$0.31 GHS 3.56

48.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ₾5.63

$1.74 GHS 20.02

22.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ₾7.52

$2.67 GHS 30.78

7.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ₾4.99

$3.05 GHS 35.22

-37.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 ₾1.86

$1.62 GHS 18.65

-56.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 ₾5.00

$1.56 GHS 18.05

22.44%

Eggs

$2.48 ₾6.52

$2.19 GHS 25.22

13.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 ₾20.29

$3.66 GHS 42.26

111.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.18 ₾16.20

$2.64 GHS 30.43

134.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.57 ₾25.11

$2.41 GHS 27.80

297.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 ₾3.06

$2.83 GHS 32.65

-58.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₾4.34

$2.02 GHS 23.36

-18.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.84

$2.09 GHS 24.11

-11.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 ₾6.11

$2.86 GHS 32.95

-18.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.85

$1.82 GHS 20.97

-60.99%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.76

$1.99 GHS 22.91

-66.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.12

$0.64 GHS 7.38

85.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ₾1.72

$0.88 GHS 10.12

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.65

Wine (Bottle)

$7.69 ₾20.17

$7.04 GHS 81.3

9.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₾4.18

$0.88 GHS 10.10

80.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.01

$2.10 GHS 24.26

-81.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.76 ₾38.71

$40.03 GHS 462

-63.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.92

$1.36 GHS 15.75

10.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$0.76 GHS 8.75

-10.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.26 ₾19.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.87

$1.20 GHS 13.80

-9.17%

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

$18.6K ₾48.8K

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

$20.5K ₾53.7K

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

$73.0 ₾191

$31.32 GHS 361

133.08%

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

$11.97 ₾31.40

$12.42 GHS 143

-3.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 ₾47.21

$64.6 GHS 745

-72.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 ₾160

$19.29 GHS 223

216.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.52 ₾43.33

Cinema Ticket

$6.70 ₾17.58

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

$269 ₾705

$83.0 GHS 957

223.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,152 ₾13.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.5 ₾201

$24.46 GHS 282

212.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.41 ₾114

$24.21 GHS 279

79.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 ₾316

$45.56 GHS 526

164.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾290

$61.8 GHS 713

78.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$687 ₾1,802

$118 GHS 1,363

481.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 ₾1,234

$65.8 GHS 760

614.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,353 ₾3,549

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,069

$136 GHS 1,573

478.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,468 ₾6,472

$9,960 GHS 114.9K

-75.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,456 ₾3,817

$6,047 GHS 69.8K

-75.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$659 ₾1,729

$414 GHS 4,773

59.35%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Tema: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $687 in Tbilisi versus $118 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 59% 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 $28.00 in Tema. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $205 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: $1,197 in Tbilisi, $624 in Tema – roughly 92% apart. Tbilisi costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,796 per month in Tbilisi and $937 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 $44.00 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 $1,197 in Tbilisi and $624 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 $624, than in Tbilisi at $1,197. 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 $624 in Tema 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 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.