Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Zalau Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Zalau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,191 per month in Tbilisi vs $957 in Zalau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,856 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,441 in Zalau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,522 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,924 in Zalau, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 24% more than Zalau, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tbilisi and Zalau are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 11% lower, Zalau 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.91 ₾28.56

$8.03 RON 36.50

35.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.19 ₾113

$35.03 RON 159

23.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 ₾22.31

$5.82 RON 26.47

46.56%

Cappuccino

$2.99 ₾7.81

$2.12 RON 9.62

41.04%

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

$0.81 ₾2.12

$2.01 RON 9.13

-59.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₾1.09

$1.71 RON 7.79

-75.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 ₾5.65

$2.68 RON 12.17

-19.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ₾7.52

$2.78 RON 12.64

3.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ₾5.08

$1.51 RON 6.85

28.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.68 ₾1.77

$1.26 RON 5.72

-46.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 ₾4.83

$1.40 RON 6.37

32.14%

Eggs

$2.53 ₾6.62

$2.19 RON 9.94

15.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.53 ₾19.69

$8.01 RON 36.41

-5.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 ₾16.39

$6.01 RON 27.33

4.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.59 ₾25.09

$9.00 RON 40.91

6.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 ₾3.04

$0.88 RON 4.00

31.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₾4.29

$1.51 RON 6.87

8.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.93

$1.62 RON 7.37

16.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.84

$2.21 RON 10.06

0.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$0.71 RON 3.23

-1.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₾1.68

$0.71 RON 3.23

-9.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ₾3.09

$0.71 RON 3.23

66.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$0.93 RON 4.22

-24.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 ₾7.78

$5.43 RON 24.68

-45.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.43 ₾19.45

$5.54 RON 25.19

34.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ₾4.03

$1.04 RON 4.71

48.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₾5.98

$1.29 RON 5.86

76.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.93

$0.96 RON 4.38

-62.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.73 ₾38.54

$20.10 RON 91.4

-26.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ₾3.71

$0.90 RON 4.09

57.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 ₾1.81

$0.86 RON 3.90

-19.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.27 ₾19.02

$9.30 RON 42.26

-21.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ₾2.86

$1.59 RON 7.23

-31.45%

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

$18.3K ₾47.9K

$28.2K RON 128.0K

-34.91%

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

$20.5K ₾53.6K

$26.8K RON 121.9K

-23.59%

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

$74.4 ₾195

$142 RON 647

-47.79%

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

$11.71 ₾30.63

$4.51 RON 20.52

159.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.60 ₾46.06

$6.74 RON 30.65

161.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.3 ₾158

$36.23 RON 165

66.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.29 ₾42.63

$18.94 RON 86.1

-13.99%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 ₾17.03

$5.88 RON 26.74

10.71%

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

$269 ₾704

$432 RON 1,965

-37.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,154 ₾13.5K

$7,001 RON 31.8K

-26.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.1 ₾202

$57.0 RON 259

35.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.48 ₾114

$38.70 RON 176

12.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾310

$64.1 RON 291

84.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 ₾295

$70.1 RON 319

60.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$709 ₾1,856

$392 RON 1,783

80.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 ₾1,215

$294 RON 1,337

57.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,316 ₾3,442

$587 RON 2,668

124.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$767 ₾2,007

$430 RON 1,957

78.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,492 ₾6,522

$1,919 RON 8,724

29.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,442 ₾3,773

$1,388 RON 6,311

3.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$663 ₾1,735

$633 RON 2,876

4.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

6.5

82.92%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: July 25, 2026

Last update for Zalau: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $709 in Tbilisi versus $392 in Zalau. 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 5% higher in Tbilisi, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Tbilisi versus $35.00 in Zalau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $204 vs $190 – making Zalau 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 Zalau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,191 in Tbilisi, $957 in Zalau – roughly 24% apart. Tbilisi costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,787 per month in Tbilisi and $1,436 in Zalau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,191 in Tbilisi and $957 in Zalau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Zalau, where all-in costs run around $957, than in Tbilisi at $1,191. In Zalau 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 $957 in Zalau to $1,191 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 Zalau. 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.