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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,185 per month in Tbilisi vs $478 in Thika, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,834 per month in Tbilisi vs $795 in Thika, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,483 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,113 in Thika, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 148% more than Thika, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tbilisi and Thika are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 12% lower, Thika 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.15 ₾30.00

$5.27 KES 680

111.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.13 ₾116

$39.16 KES 5,055

10.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 ₾22.11

$6.95 KES 898

18.27%

Cappuccino

$3.13 ₾8.42

$2.44 KES 315

28.28%

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

$0.74 ₾2.00

$0.74 KES 95.7

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₾1.22

$0.50 KES 64.5

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 ₾5.74

$1.73 KES 223

23.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 ₾8.06

$1.98 KES 255

51.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ₾5.09

$0.92 KES 119

105.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₾1.97

$0.44 KES 57.4

65.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.98

$1.33 KES 171

39.10%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.58

$1.37 KES 177

78.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.85 ₾21.12

$11.51 KES 1,486

-31.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 ₾16.82

$6.86 KES 886

-8.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.77 ₾26.28

$1.98 KES 255

393.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 ₾3.26

$3.02 KES 390

-59.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₾4.28

$1.07 KES 138

48.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.81

$2.09 KES 270

-14.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 ₾6.25

$1.04 KES 134

123.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ₾1.91

$1.03 KES 134

-31.07%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.81

$1.11 KES 143

-39.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.16

$0.69 KES 88.5

71.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 ₾1.92

$0.82 KES 105

-13.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.85

$2.35 KES 303

24.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.25 ₾19.50

$5.65 KES 730

28.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₾4.17

$1.73 KES 223

-10.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 ₾6.21

$1.91 KES 246

20.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 ₾1.03

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.81 ₾39.83

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ₾3.98

$1.53 KES 197

-3.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.86

$1.57 KES 203

-56.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾20.05

$2.96 KES 382

151.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₾3.10

$1.02 KES 131

12.75%

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

$18.0K ₾48.4K

$22.1K KES 2.9M

-18.49%

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

$19.8K ₾53.4K

$19.7K KES 2.5M

0.48%

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

$73.4 ₾198

$34.17 KES 4,410

114.93%

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

$11.64 ₾31.32

$17.06 KES 2,202

-31.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.77 ₾47.79

$38.97 KES 5,030

-54.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 ₾163

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.44 ₾44.21

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.52

$6.30 KES 813

3.33%

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

$263 ₾707

$202 KES 26.0K

30.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,136 ₾13.8K

$7,948 KES 1.0M

-35.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 ₾209

$18.57 KES 2,397

318.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.39 ₾119

$24.27 KES 3,132

82.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾317

$66.5 KES 8,583

76.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾307

$56.7 KES 7,315

101.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ₾1,865

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ₾1,244

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 ₾3,597

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$779 ₾2,096

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,530 ₾6,805

$615 KES 79.4K

311.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,430 ₾3,847

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$633 ₾1,702

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Thika: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Tbilisi versus $39.00 in Thika. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $176 – 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: $1,185 in Tbilisi, $478 in Thika – roughly 148% apart. Tbilisi costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,777 per month in Tbilisi and $717 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 $43.00 in Tbilisi and $39.00 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 $478, than in Tbilisi at $1,185. 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 $478 in Thika to $1,185 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.