Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Van Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Van

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,279 per month in Tbilisi vs $977 in Van, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,011 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,539 in Van, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,743 per month in Tbilisi vs $2,101 in Van, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 31% more than Van, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tbilisi and Van are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 7% lower, Van 29% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tbilisi
Van
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.43 ₾29.72
$7.58 ₺368
50.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.16 ₾99.2
$33.97 ₺1,649
12.33%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.40 ₾24.45
$7.33 ₺356
28.24%
Cappuccino
$3.38 ₾8.78
$3.25 ₺158
4.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.04 ₾2.70
$1.18 ₺57.5
-11.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.60 ₾1.56
$0.41 ₺19.84
46.34%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.71 ₾7.05
$2.64 ₺128
2.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04 ₾7.90
$3.70 ₺180
-17.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
Van
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.27 ₾5.90
$0.96 ₺46.49
136.46%
White Bread (500g)
$0.79 ₾2.04
$1.06 ₺51.4
-25.47%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.62 ₾4.21
$2.18 ₺106
-25.69%
Eggs
$2.74 ₾7.13
$1.52 ₺74.0
80.26%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.30 ₾24.19
$7.98 ₺387
16.54%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.79 ₾17.65
$4.16 ₺202
63.22%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.01 ₾33.84
$22.91 ₺1,112
-43.21%
Apples (1kg)
$1.64 ₾4.27
$1.84 ₺89.4
-10.87%
Banana (1kg)
$1.83 ₾4.77
$1.90 ₺92.1
-3.68%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.90 ₾4.94
$1.02 ₺49.70
86.27%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.57 ₾6.68
$1.26 ₺61.3
103.97%
Potato (1kg)
$0.84 ₾2.19
$0.53 ₺25.94
58.49%
Onion (1kg)
$0.65 ₾1.70
$0.38 ₺18.41
71.05%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.36 ₾3.54
$0.85 ₺41.18
60.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.80 ₾2.07
$0.58 ₺27.96
37.93%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.40 ₾8.85
$2.12 ₺103
60.38%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.67 ₾19.94
$10.82 ₺525
-29.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68 ₾4.36
$2.07 ₺101
-18.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38 ₾6.18
$2.50 ₺122
-4.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Tbilisi
Van
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.39 ₾1.02
$0.69 ₺33.46
-43.48%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.55 ₾40.44
$30.35 ₺1,474
-48.76%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.14 ₾2.96
$1.22 ₺59.4
-6.56%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.74 ₾1.93
$0.81 ₺39.19
-8.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.32 ₾29.42
$4.70 ₺228
140.85%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.38 ₾3.60
$1.33 ₺64.4
3.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.6K ₾63.9K
$43.2K ₺2.1M
-43.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.0K ₾57.2K
$39.7K ₺1.9M
-44.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
Van
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.7 ₾231
$70.9 ₺3,442
25.17%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.18 ₾34.26
$9.37 ₺455
40.66%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.68 ₾51.2
$13.95 ₺678
41.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
Van
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.3 ₾177
$54.6 ₺2,653
24.91%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.94 ₾46.65
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.42 ₾16.70
$5.77 ₺280
11.27%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tbilisi
Van
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$372 ₾967
$637 ₺30.9K
-41.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.8K ₾28.1K
$13.0K ₺629.7K
-16.63%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
Van
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$105 ₾272
$50.3 ₺2,441
107.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.83 ₾101
$35.47 ₺1,722
9.47%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 ₾299
$75.3 ₺3,654
52.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 ₾318
$70.6 ₺3,428
73.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
Van
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$681 ₾1,770
$464 ₺22.5K
46.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$456 ₾1,185
$321 ₺15.6K
41.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,312 ₾3,410
$875 ₺42.5K
49.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$892 ₾2,321
$619 ₺30.0K
44.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,391 ₾6,216
$1,502 ₺72.9K
59.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,425 ₾3,704
$1,060 ₺51.5K
34.35%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tbilisi
Van
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$640 ₾1,663
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.62
41.26
-69.41%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: September 5, 2026

Last update for Van: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $681 in Tbilisi versus $464 in Van. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Tbilisi versus $34.00 in Van. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $236 vs $229 – making Van 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 Van: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Tbilisi and in Van compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,279 in Tbilisi, $977 in Van – roughly 31% apart. Tbilisi costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Tbilisi compared to Van?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,919 per month in Tbilisi and $1,465 in Van. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Tbilisi and Van?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Van, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Tbilisi and $34.00 in Van. 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 Van?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,279 in Tbilisi and $977 in Van. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Van, where all-in costs run around $977, than in Tbilisi at $1,279. In Van it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Tbilisi and Van?
It depends on your priorities. Tbilisi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $977 in Van to $1,279 in Tbilisi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Tbilisi or Van safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Tbilisi and Van?
If budget matters most, go with Van. 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.

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