Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Urbana, IL

For one person, living is cheaper in Tbilisi: $1,269 a month against $1,871 in Urbana, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Tbilisi, Georgia
Urbana, IL, United States
Tbilisi
🇬🇪 Georgia
$1,269
/mo nomad
Urbana, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$1,871
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tbilisi and in Urbana, IL

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 Urbana, IL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,269 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,871 in Urbana, IL, rent included.

  • Tbilisi $1,269
  • Urbana, IL $1,871

A couple spends around $2,016 per month in Tbilisi vs $2,130 in Urbana, IL, rent included.

  • Tbilisi $2,016
  • Urbana, IL $2,130

A family of three spends $2,763 per month in Tbilisi vs $2,389 in Urbana, IL, rent included.

  • Tbilisi $2,763
  • Urbana, IL $2,389

Tbilisi is about 32% cheaper than Urbana, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Tbilisi sits 7% below the global median, while Urbana, IL is 37% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tbilisi
Urbana, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.63 ₾30.07
$14.75 $14.75
-21.15%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.83 ₾97.8
$60.9 $60.9
-37.86%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.66 ₾24.98
$10.04 $10.04
-3.78%
Cappuccino
$3.57 ₾9.24
$4.85 $4.85
-26.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.08 ₾2.78
$2.23 $2.23
-51.57%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.56 ₾1.45
$1.77 $1.77
-68.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.62 ₾6.78
$5.59 $5.59
-53.13%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04 ₾7.85
$5.62 $5.62
-45.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
Urbana, IL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.17 ₾5.60
$0.79 $0.79
174.68%
White Bread (500g)
$0.80 ₾2.06
$3.11 $3.11
-74.28%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.74 ₾4.51
$2.99 $2.99
-41.81%
Eggs
$2.83 ₾7.31
$3.98 $3.98
-28.89%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.31 ₾24.07
$12.11 $12.11
-23.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.52 ₾16.85
$8.64 $8.64
-24.54%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.95 ₾33.50
$14.18 $14.18
-8.67%
Apples (1kg)
$1.68 ₾4.34
$4.01 $4.01
-58.10%
Banana (1kg)
$1.85 ₾4.79
$1.62 $1.62
14.20%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.97 ₾5.10
$3.12 $3.12
-36.86%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.42 ₾6.25
$4.39 $4.39
-44.87%
Potato (1kg)
$0.82 ₾2.11
$2.19 $2.19
-62.56%
Onion (1kg)
$0.74 ₾1.91
$2.62 $2.62
-71.76%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.34 ₾3.47
$2.28 $2.28
-41.23%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 ₾2.00
$1.38 $1.38
-44.20%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.57 ₾9.24
$12.47 $12.47
-71.37%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.67 ₾19.83
$15.11 $15.11
-49.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 ₾4.39
$2.07 $2.07
-17.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 ₾6.21
$3.38 $3.38
-28.99%
🚌 Getting Around
Tbilisi
Urbana, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.40 ₾1.05
$0.98 $0.98
-59.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.23 ₾39.38
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.14 ₾2.95
$3.07 $3.07
-62.87%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ₾2.02
$0.64 $0.64
21.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.83 ₾30.58
$24.53 $24.53
-51.77%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ₾3.75
$1.17 $1.17
23.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.6K ₾63.6K
$27.7K $27.7K
-11.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.3K ₾57.8K
$26.8K $26.8K
-16.66%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
Urbana, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.8 ₾230
$240 $240
-62.94%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.12 ₾33.93
$45.26 $45.26
-71.01%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.67 ₾50.9
$62.2 $62.2
-68.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
Urbana, IL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$64.1 ₾166
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04 ₾49.24
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.12 ₾18.42
$13.25 $13.25
-46.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tbilisi
Urbana, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$375 ₾971
$1,009 $1,009
-62.77%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.5K ₾27.1K
$20.0K $20.0K
-47.77%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
Urbana, IL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 ₾268
$47.71 $47.71
117.23%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.26 ₾102
$52.5 $52.5
-25.28%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$117 ₾303
$99.8 $99.8
17.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 ₾315
$122 $122
-0.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
Urbana, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$695 ₾1,798
$862 $862
-19.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$451 ₾1,167
$743 $743
-39.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,355 ₾3,504
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$906 ₾2,343
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,295 ₾5,934
$1,728 $1,728
32.79%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,345 ₾3,478
$1,749 $1,749
-23.11%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tbilisi
Urbana, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$664 ₾1,718
$6,557 $6,557
-89.87%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.62
6.82
85.04%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: October 27, 2026

Last update for Urbana, IL: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
$451
Urbana, IL
$743 64.6% $291
Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
$234
Urbana, IL
$338 44.4% $104
Eating Out
Tbilisi
$191
Urbana, IL
$262 37.2% $71
Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
$172
Urbana, IL
$145 15.6% $27
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
$122
Urbana, IL
$347 186% $225
Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
$78
Urbana, IL
$26 * 66.2% $52
Getting Around
Tbilisi
$22
Urbana, IL
$10 * 53.4% $12

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $695 in Tbilisi versus $862 in Urbana, IL. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Urbana, IL are about 9.9 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38 in Tbilisi versus $61 in Urbana, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $338 – making Tbilisi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇪 Tbilisi
🇺🇸 Urbana, IL
🕒 Local time
01:34 1:34 AM
16:34 4:34 PM
9 h behind Tbilisi
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,241,700 Capital
41,250
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GEL – Georgian Lari Converter

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.387 USD). 1 EUR = 2.88 GEL (1 GEL = 0.347 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tbilisi Urbana, IL 9,760 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Tbilisi
  • Urbana, IL

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 Urbana, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Tbilisi and in Urbana, IL compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,269 in Tbilisi, $1,871 in Urbana, IL – Tbilisi comes out roughly 32% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Tbilisi compared to Urbana, IL?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,904 per month in Tbilisi and $2,806 in Urbana, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Tbilisi and Urbana, IL?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Tbilisi, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $695 there versus $862 in Urbana, IL.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $38 in Tbilisi and $61 in Urbana, IL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 44% more in Urbana, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Where should families live: Tbilisi or Urbana, IL?
Families tend to lean toward Tbilisi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between Tbilisi and Urbana, IL?
If budget matters most, go with Tbilisi. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Urbana, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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