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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,191 per month in Tbilisi vs $472 in Thika, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,856 per month in Tbilisi vs $791 in Thika, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,522 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,110 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 11% lower, Thika 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.91 ₾28.57

$5.46 KES 705

99.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.19 ₾113

$38.67 KES 4,998

11.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 ₾22.32

$6.85 KES 885

24.53%

Cappuccino

$2.99 ₾7.82

$2.41 KES 311

24.07%

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

$0.81 ₾2.12

$0.75 KES 96.6

8.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₾1.09

$0.50 KES 65.0

-16.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 ₾5.66

$1.65 KES 213

30.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₾7.53

$1.99 KES 257

44.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ₾5.08

$0.87 KES 113

122.99%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$0.44 KES 56.9

54.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.83

$1.37 KES 177

35.04%

Eggs

$2.53 ₾6.63

$1.35 KES 174

87.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.53 ₾19.70

$11.55 KES 1,493

-34.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 ₾16.40

$6.85 KES 885

-8.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.59 ₾25.10

$1.88 KES 243

410.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 ₾3.04

$3.02 KES 391

-61.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.29

$1.04 KES 134

57.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.93

$2.11 KES 273

-10.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.84

$1.00 KES 129

123.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$1.07 KES 138

-34.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₾1.68

$1.11 KES 144

-42.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.10

$0.65 KES 83.9

81.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$0.76 KES 98.1

-7.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 ₾7.79

$2.37 KES 306

25.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.43 ₾19.46

$5.67 KES 733

31.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.03

$1.69 KES 218

-8.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₾5.98

$1.98 KES 256

15.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.73 ₾38.56

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ₾3.71

$1.57 KES 203

-9.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.81

$1.53 KES 197

-54.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.27 ₾19.02

$2.97 KES 384

144.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.86

$1.05 KES 136

3.81%

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

$18.3K ₾48.0K

$22.0K KES 2.8M

-16.66%

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

$20.5K ₾53.6K

$19.9K KES 2.6M

3.10%

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

$74.4 ₾195

$33.97 KES 4,391

118.87%

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

$11.71 ₾30.65

$16.57 KES 2,142

-29.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ₾46.08

$39.97 KES 5,166

-55.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.3 ₾158

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.29 ₾42.65

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.03

$6.13 KES 793

6.20%

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

$269 ₾704

$203 KES 26.3K

32.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,154 ₾13.5K

$8,150 KES 1.1M

-36.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.1 ₾202

$18.27 KES 2,362

322.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.48 ₾114

$24.31 KES 3,142

78.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾310

$66.4 KES 8,585

78.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾295

$55.6 KES 7,190

102.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 ₾1,857

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 ₾1,216

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 ₾3,444

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$767 ₾2,007

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,492 ₾6,525

$613 KES 79.3K

306.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,442 ₾3,775

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$663 ₾1,735

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Thika: July 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: $204 vs $174 – 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: $1,191 in Tbilisi, $472 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 $1,787 per month in Tbilisi and $707 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 $472, than in Tbilisi at $1,191. 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 $472 in Thika to $1,191 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.