Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Umhlanga Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Umhlanga

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,178 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,059 in Umhlanga, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,848 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,641 in Umhlanga, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,518 per month in Tbilisi vs $2,223 in Umhlanga, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 11% more than Umhlanga, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Tbilisi and Umhlanga are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 12% lower, Umhlanga 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.09 ₾29.35

$10.98 R 178

1.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.24 ₾114

$35.10 R 568

23.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 ₾22.63

$4.69 R 76.0

82.30%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ₾7.86

$2.04 R 33.08

45.59%

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

$0.76 ₾2.01

$1.30 R 21.06

-41.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.22

$1.21 R 19.65

-61.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ₾5.88

$2.21 R 35.78

0.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ₾7.73

$2.49 R 40.34

17.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 ₾5.21

$1.06 R 17.23

85.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ₾1.94

$0.77 R 12.42

-5.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 ₾4.81

$1.63 R 26.42

11.66%

Eggs

$2.49 ₾6.60

$2.10 R 34.02

18.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.66 ₾20.27

$10.25 R 166

-25.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.27 ₾16.59

$4.26 R 69.0

47.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.50 ₾25.14

$9.14 R 148

3.94%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 ₾3.24

$1.63 R 26.34

-24.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.33

$1.49 R 24.07

10.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 ₾4.95

$1.47 R 23.76

27.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 ₾6.02

$1.63 R 26.38

39.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.77

$1.35 R 21.89

-50.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 ₾1.79

$1.23 R 19.87

-45.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 ₾3.23

$1.05 R 16.97

16.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.85

$0.97 R 15.63

-27.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 ₾7.73

$2.83 R 45.75

3.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.72 ₾20.42

$6.06 R 98.2

27.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 ₾4.09

$2.07 R 33.53

-25.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 ₾5.86

$1.71 R 27.73

29.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 ₾1.02

$1.63 R 26.41

-76.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.67 ₾38.81

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 ₾3.82

$1.10 R 17.76

30.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.81

$0.94 R 15.14

-26.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 ₾19.52

$3.95 R 64.0

86.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.03

$1.48 R 23.93

-22.97%

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

$18.2K ₾48.1K

$30.0K R 485.3K

-39.43%

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

$20.4K ₾54.1K

$35.0K R 565.9K

-41.53%

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

$73.6 ₾195

$134 R 2,164

-44.91%

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

$11.64 ₾30.80

$35.42 R 573

-67.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.63 ₾46.65

$39.14 R 633

-54.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.4 ₾162

$30.28 R 490

102.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.85 ₾44.59

Cinema Ticket

$6.69 ₾17.71

$6.84 R 111

-2.19%

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

$264 ₾699

$198 R 3,209

33.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,169 ₾13.7K

$4,382 R 70.9K

17.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.1 ₾199

$59.8 R 967

25.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.26 ₾114

$32.38 R 524

33.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾311

$114 R 1,848

2.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾295

$79.9 R 1,293

39.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$706 ₾1,868

$369 R 5,970

91.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$461 ₾1,221

$327 R 5,297

40.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,318 ₾3,488

$971 R 15.7K

35.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$781 ₾2,066

$689 R 11.2K

13.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,463 ₾6,517

$2,327 R 37.7K

5.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,409 ₾3,727

$1,624 R 26.3K

-13.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$672 ₾1,779

$1,640 R 26.5K

-58.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

14.5

-18.00%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: June 14, 2026

Last update for Umhlanga: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $706 in Tbilisi versus $369 in Umhlanga. 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 144% higher in Umhlanga, 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 $43.00 in Tbilisi versus $35.00 in Umhlanga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $192 – making Umhlanga 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 Umhlanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,178 in Tbilisi, $1,059 in Umhlanga – roughly 11% apart. Tbilisi costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,767 per month in Tbilisi and $1,589 in Umhlanga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Umhlanga, 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 $43.00 in Tbilisi and $35.00 in Umhlanga. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Umhlanga, where all-in costs run around $1,059, than in Tbilisi at $1,178. In Umhlanga 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 $1,059 in Umhlanga to $1,178 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 Umhlanga. 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.