Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Waiheke Island Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Waiheke Island

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,209 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,880 in Waiheke Island, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,867 per month in Tbilisi vs $2,912 in Waiheke Island, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,526 per month in Tbilisi vs $3,945 in Waiheke Island, rent included.

Tbilisi is about 36% cheaper than Waiheke Island, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tbilisi sits 10% below the global median, while Waiheke Island is 40% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tbilisi
Waiheke Island
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.80 ₾28.70
$15.13 NZ$25.76
-28.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.18 ₾115
$79.8 NZ$136
-45.91%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.29 ₾22.03
$9.87 NZ$16.81
-16.01%
Cappuccino
$3.00 ₾7.96
$3.43 NZ$5.85
-12.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 ₾2.17
$2.33 NZ$3.97
-64.81%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.46 ₾1.21
$2.01 NZ$3.43
-77.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.23 ₾5.93
$7.44 NZ$12.68
-70.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.92 ₾7.75
$6.31 NZ$10.75
-53.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tbilisi
Waiheke Island
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.93 ₾5.11
$1.89 NZ$3.21
2.12%
White Bread (500g)
$0.68 ₾1.81
$2.01 NZ$3.43
-66.17%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.88 ₾4.99
$1.90 NZ$3.24
-1.05%
Eggs
$2.54 ₾6.73
$6.05 NZ$10.30
-58.02%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.42 ₾19.70
$8.24 NZ$14.04
-9.95%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.19 ₾16.43
$9.78 NZ$16.66
-36.71%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.36 ₾24.86
$12.73 NZ$21.69
-26.47%
Apples (1kg)
$1.22 ₾3.25
$2.77 NZ$4.72
-55.96%
Banana (1kg)
$1.66 ₾4.40
$2.18 NZ$3.72
-23.85%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.80 ₾4.78
$3.12 NZ$5.32
-42.31%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.24 ₾5.96
$4.73 NZ$8.06
-52.64%
Potato (1kg)
$0.71 ₾1.89
$2.04 NZ$3.48
-65.20%
Onion (1kg)
$0.67 ₾1.79
$1.87 NZ$3.18
-64.17%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 ₾3.13
$2.19 NZ$3.73
-46.12%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.66 ₾1.76
$1.15 NZ$1.95
-42.61%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.98 ₾7.91
$24.03 NZ$40.92
-87.60%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.61 ₾20.21
$10.87 NZ$18.51
-29.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.54 ₾4.08
$2.57 NZ$4.38
-40.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 ₾5.98
$3.54 NZ$6.03
-36.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Tbilisi
Waiheke Island
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.36 ₾0.95
$2.16 NZ$3.67
-83.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$14.44 ₾38.36
$63.0 NZ$107
-77.06%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.49 ₾3.96
$2.67 NZ$4.55
-44.19%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.68 ₾1.82
$1.85 NZ$3.15
-63.24%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.23 ₾19.19
$34.57 NZ$58.9
-79.09%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.14 ₾3.04
$1.66 NZ$2.83
-31.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.5K ₾49.0K
$28.6K NZ$48.7K
-35.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.0K ₾53.0K
$22.1K NZ$37.6K
-9.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tbilisi
Waiheke Island
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$73.7 ₾196
$143 NZ$243
-48.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.64 ₾30.91
$36.49 NZ$62.2
-68.10%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.84 ₾47.39
$51.2 NZ$87.3
-65.18%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tbilisi
Waiheke Island
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.1 ₾160
$36.26 NZ$61.8
65.83%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.80 ₾44.63
$11.89 NZ$20.25
41.30%
Cinema Ticket
$6.60 ₾17.54
$10.73 NZ$18.28
-38.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tbilisi
Waiheke Island
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$266 ₾708
$736 NZ$1,253
-63.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,191 ₾13.8K
$12.0K NZ$20.5K
-56.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tbilisi
Waiheke Island
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$77.7 ₾206
$68.8 NZ$117
12.90%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.75 ₾119
$38.36 NZ$65.3
16.66%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$117 ₾310
$96.3 NZ$164
21.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113 ₾300
$117 NZ$199
-3.54%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tbilisi
Waiheke Island
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$693 ₾1,839
$965 NZ$1,644
-28.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$462 ₾1,226
$801 NZ$1,364
-42.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,320 ₾3,505
$1,596 NZ$2,718
-17.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$774 ₾2,056
$1,422 NZ$2,421
-45.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,430 ₾6,455
$4,714 NZ$8,028
-48.44%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,446 ₾3,840
$3,580 NZ$6,097
-59.62%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tbilisi
Waiheke Island
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$673 ₾1,787
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.89
6.74
76.41%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Waiheke Island: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $693 in Tbilisi versus $965 in Waiheke Island. 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 $43.00 in Tbilisi versus $80.0 in Waiheke Island. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $203 vs $320 – making Tbilisi 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 Waiheke Island: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Tbilisi and Waiheke Island compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,209 in Tbilisi, $1,880 in Waiheke Island – roughly 55% apart. Waiheke Island costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Tbilisi compared to Waiheke Island?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,813 per month in Tbilisi and $2,819 in Waiheke Island. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Tbilisi and Waiheke Island?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Tbilisi, 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 $43.00 in Tbilisi and $80.0 in Waiheke Island. 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 Waiheke Island?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,209 in Tbilisi and $1,880 in Waiheke Island. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tbilisi, where all-in costs run around $1,209, than in Waiheke Island at $1,880. In Tbilisi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Waiheke Island it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Tbilisi and Waiheke Island?
It depends on your priorities. Tbilisi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,209 in Tbilisi to $1,880 in Waiheke Island. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Tbilisi or Waiheke Island 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 Waiheke Island?
If budget matters most, go with Tbilisi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Waiheke Island makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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