Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Ulan Ude

For one person, living is cheaper in Ulan Ude: $1,138 a month against $1,269 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $1,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Tbilisi, Georgia
Ulan Ude, Russia
Tbilisi
🇬🇪 Georgia
$1,269
/mo nomad
Ulan Ude
🇷🇺 Russia
$1,138
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Ulan Ude

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tbilisi and in Ulan Ude actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,269 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,138 in Ulan Ude, rent included.

  • Tbilisi $1,269
  • Ulan Ude $1,138

A couple spends around $2,016 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,770 in Ulan Ude, rent included.

  • Tbilisi $2,016
  • Ulan Ude $1,770

A family of three spends $2,763 per month in Tbilisi vs $2,402 in Ulan Ude, rent included.

  • Tbilisi $2,763
  • Ulan Ude $2,402

Tbilisi costs about 12% more than Ulan Ude, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Tbilisi and Ulan Ude are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 7% lower, Ulan Ude 16% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tbilisi
Ulan Ude
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.63 ₾30.07
$7.01 ₽565
65.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.83 ₾97.8
$49.90 ₽4,019
-24.19%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.66 ₾24.98
$7.38 ₽595
30.89%
Cappuccino
$3.57 ₾9.24
$3.70 ₽298
-3.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.08 ₾2.78
$1.82 ₽147
-40.66%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₾1.45
$1.89 ₽153
-70.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.62 ₾6.78
$3.80 ₽306
-31.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04 ₾7.85
$6.33 ₽510
-51.97%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
Ulan Ude
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.17 ₾5.60
$1.46 ₽117
48.63%
White Bread (500g)
$0.80 ₾2.06
$0.87 ₽70.1
-8.05%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.74 ₾4.51
$1.43 ₽115
21.68%
Eggs
$2.83 ₾7.31
$2.22 ₽179
27.48%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.31 ₾24.07
$12.66 ₽1,019
-26.46%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.52 ₾16.85
$6.81 ₽548
-4.26%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.95 ₾33.50
$13.50 ₽1,087
-4.07%
Apples (1kg)
$1.68 ₾4.33
$2.12 ₽171
-20.75%
Banana (1kg)
$1.85 ₾4.79
$1.86 ₽150
-0.54%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.97 ₾5.10
$1.87 ₽151
5.35%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.42 ₾6.25
$2.81 ₽226
-13.88%
Potato (1kg)
$0.82 ₾2.11
$0.67 ₽53.9
22.39%
Onion (1kg)
$0.74 ₾1.91
$0.79 ₽63.6
-6.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.34 ₾3.47
$2.19 ₽176
-38.81%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 ₾2.00
$0.65 ₽52.7
18.46%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.57 ₾9.24
$3.00 ₽242
19.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.67 ₾19.83
$6.99 ₽563
9.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 ₾4.39
$1.51 ₽121
12.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 ₾6.21
$1.28 ₽103
87.50%
🚌 Getting Around
Tbilisi
Ulan Ude
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.40 ₾1.05
$0.49 ₽39.36
-18.37%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.23 ₾39.38
$24.50 ₽1,973
-37.84%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.14 ₾2.95
$1.27 ₽102
-10.24%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ₾2.02
$0.15 ₽12.31
420.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.83 ₾30.58
$7.50 ₽604
57.73%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ₾3.75
$0.81 ₽65.6
79.01%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.6K ₾63.6K
$50.2K ₽4.0M
-51.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.3K ₾57.8K
$37.7K ₽3.0M
-40.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
Ulan Ude
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.8 ₾230
$95.1 ₽7,655
-6.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.12 ₾33.93
$4.84 ₽390
171.07%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.67 ₾50.9
$7.89 ₽635
149.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
Ulan Ude
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$64.1 ₾166
$24.48 ₽1,971
161.64%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04 ₾49.24
$49.19 ₽3,962
-61.29%
Cinema Ticket
$7.12 ₾18.42
$7.49 ₽603
-4.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tbilisi
Ulan Ude
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$375 ₾971
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.5K ₾27.1K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
Ulan Ude
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 ₾268
$73.2 ₽5,895
41.58%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.26 ₾102
$30.56 ₽2,461
28.47%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$117 ₾303
$122 ₽9,859
-4.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 ₾315
$126 ₽10.1K
-3.36%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
Ulan Ude
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$695 ₾1,798
$526 ₽42.3K
32.29%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$451 ₾1,167
$396 ₽31.9K
13.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,355 ₾3,504
$814 ₽65.5K
66.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$906 ₾2,343
$616 ₽49.6K
47.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,295 ₾5,934
$2,138 ₽172.2K
7.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,345 ₾3,478
$1,580 ₽127.3K
-14.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tbilisi
Ulan Ude
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$664 ₾1,718
$911 ₽73.4K
-27.07%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.62
21.67
-41.76%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: October 27, 2026

Last update for Ulan Ude: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
$451
Ulan Ude
$396 12.2% $55
Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
$234
Ulan Ude
$238 1.7% $4
Eating Out
Tbilisi
$191
Ulan Ude
$169 11.3% $21
Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
$172
Ulan Ude
$158 7.8% $13
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
$122
Ulan Ude
$108 11.4% $14
Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
$78
Ulan Ude
$39 49.6% $39
Getting Around
Tbilisi
$22
Ulan Ude
$28 30.1% $6.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $695 in Tbilisi versus $526 in Ulan Ude. 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 37% higher in Ulan Ude, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38 in Tbilisi versus $50 in Ulan Ude. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $238 – making Tbilisi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇪 Tbilisi
🇷🇺 Ulan Ude
🕒 Local time
16:13 4:13 PM
20:13 8:13 PM
4 h ahead of Tbilisi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,241,700 Capital
436,138
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

RUB, USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.387 USD). 1 EUR = 2.89 GEL (1 GEL = 0.347 EUR).

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 80.53 RUB (100 RUB = 1.24 USD). 1 EUR = 89.87 RUB (100 RUB = 1.11 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tbilisi Ulan Ude 4,760 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Tbilisi
  • Ulan Ude

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Ulan Ude: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Tbilisi and in Ulan Ude compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,269 in Tbilisi, $1,138 in Ulan Ude – Ulan Ude comes out roughly 10% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in leisure.
What salary covers living expenses in Tbilisi compared to Ulan Ude?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,904 per month in Tbilisi and $1,706 in Ulan Ude. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Tbilisi and Ulan Ude?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ulan Ude, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $526 there versus $695 in Tbilisi.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $38 in Tbilisi and $50 in Ulan Ude. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Tbilisi or Ulan Ude?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,269 in Tbilisi and $1,138 in Ulan Ude. That makes Ulan Ude about 10% cheaper.
How far does $2,000 go in Tbilisi compared to Ulan Ude?
$2,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,269 in Tbilisi and $1,138 in Ulan Ude, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
How does quality of life compare between Tbilisi and Ulan Ude?
It depends on your priorities. Tbilisi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,138 in Ulan Ude to $1,269 in Tbilisi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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