Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Thika Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Thika

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,218 per month in Tbilisi vs $480 in Thika, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,853 per month in Tbilisi vs $809 in Thika, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,489 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,137 in Thika, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 153% more than Thika, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tbilisi and Thika are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 9% lower, Thika 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.85 ₾28.75

$5.53 KES 717

96.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.17 ₾117

$38.49 KES 4,991

14.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 ₾21.94

$6.64 KES 861

24.70%

Cappuccino

$3.02 ₾8.00

$2.38 KES 308

26.89%

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

$0.76 ₾2.02

$0.75 KES 97.2

1.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.22

$0.54 KES 70.3

-14.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ₾5.93

$1.67 KES 217

34.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.95

$1.99 KES 258

50.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.11

$0.88 KES 114

119.32%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 ₾1.91

$0.47 KES 61.5

53.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 ₾4.87

$1.36 KES 177

35.29%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.48

$1.36 KES 176

80.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₾19.67

$11.66 KES 1,512

-36.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 ₾17.16

$6.55 KES 849

-1.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 ₾25.70

$1.92 KES 249

405.21%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 ₾3.18

$3.13 KES 406

-61.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₾4.14

$1.07 KES 139

45.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.75

$2.09 KES 271

-14.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.90

$1.05 KES 136

112.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.73

$1.07 KES 139

-39.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 ₾1.79

$1.12 KES 146

-39.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.16

$0.64 KES 83.0

85.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.86

$0.76 KES 98.9

-7.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₾7.82

$2.36 KES 306

25.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 ₾19.41

$5.90 KES 765

24.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₾4.02

$1.73 KES 224

-12.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.95

$1.98 KES 257

13.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.60 ₾38.68

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.97

$1.59 KES 206

-5.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 ₾1.92

$1.50 KES 195

-51.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾19.74

$2.83 KES 367

163.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.01

$1.06 KES 138

7.55%

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

$18.5K ₾49.0K

$21.5K KES 2.8M

-13.85%

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

$20.3K ₾53.6K

$19.8K KES 2.6M

2.11%

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

$73.9 ₾196

$34.61 KES 4,488

113.46%

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

$11.71 ₾31.01

$17.09 KES 2,216

-31.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.16 ₾48.09

$39.46 KES 5,116

-53.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 ₾163

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.66 ₾44.12

Cinema Ticket

$6.61 ₾17.50

$6.31 KES 819

4.75%

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

$264 ₾700

$205 KES 26.6K

28.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,145 ₾13.6K

$8,182 KES 1.1M

-37.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 ₾198

$18.51 KES 2,400

304.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.98 ₾117

$24.40 KES 3,164

80.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾312

$66.5 KES 8,626

76.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾301

$56.5 KES 7,328

101.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 ₾1,833

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₾1,203

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 ₾3,504

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,089

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,431 ₾6,440

$612 KES 79.3K

297.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 ₾3,818

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$645 ₾1,709

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

11.5

3.39%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: June 9, 2026

Last update for Thika: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Tbilisi versus $38.00 in Thika. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $204 vs $175 – making Thika 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 Thika: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,218 in Tbilisi, $480 in Thika – roughly 153% apart. Tbilisi costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,827 per month in Tbilisi and $721 in Thika. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Tbilisi and $38.00 in Thika. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Tbilisi, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Thika, where all-in costs run around $480, than in Tbilisi at $1,218. In Thika 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 $480 in Thika to $1,218 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 Thika. 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.