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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,218 per month in Tbilisi vs $958 in Zalau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,853 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,442 in Zalau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,489 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,925 in Zalau, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 27% more than Zalau, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tbilisi and Zalau are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 9% lower, Zalau 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.85 ₾28.75

$8.12 RON 36.74

33.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.17 ₾117

$34.00 RON 154

29.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 ₾21.94

$5.69 RON 25.72

45.52%

Cappuccino

$3.02 ₾8.00

$2.08 RON 9.41

45.19%

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

$0.76 ₾2.02

$2.07 RON 9.37

-63.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.22

$1.73 RON 7.85

-73.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ₾5.93

$2.78 RON 12.60

-19.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.95

$2.80 RON 12.64

7.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.11

$1.51 RON 6.84

27.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 ₾1.91

$1.25 RON 5.67

-42.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 ₾4.87

$1.35 RON 6.13

36.30%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.48

$2.23 RON 10.07

9.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₾19.67

$7.88 RON 35.63

-5.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 ₾17.16

$6.18 RON 27.97

4.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 ₾25.70

$8.59 RON 38.84

12.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 ₾3.18

$0.96 RON 4.36

25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₾4.14

$1.52 RON 6.89

2.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.75

$1.58 RON 7.17

13.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.90

$2.14 RON 9.67

4.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.73

$0.67 RON 3.04

-2.99%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 ₾1.79

$0.71 RON 3.20

-4.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.16

$0.66 RON 2.99

80.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.86

$0.91 RON 4.13

-23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₾7.82

$5.52 RON 24.95

-46.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 ₾19.41

$5.35 RON 24.22

37.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₾4.02

$1.04 RON 4.68

46.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.95

$1.30 RON 5.88

73.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$0.94 RON 4.25

-61.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.60 ₾38.68

$19.41 RON 87.8

-24.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.97

$0.97 RON 4.37

54.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 ₾1.92

$0.79 RON 3.57

-7.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾19.74

$9.12 RON 41.26

-18.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.01

$1.60 RON 7.22

-28.75%

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

$18.5K ₾49.0K

$27.7K RON 125.1K

-33.07%

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

$20.3K ₾53.6K

$26.8K RON 121.4K

-24.50%

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

$73.9 ₾196

$143 RON 645

-48.18%

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

$11.71 ₾31.01

$4.54 RON 20.53

157.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.16 ₾48.09

$7.11 RON 32.16

155.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 ₾163

$35.50 RON 161

73.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.66 ₾44.12

$19.54 RON 88.4

-14.74%

Cinema Ticket

$6.61 ₾17.50

$5.64 RON 25.51

17.20%

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

$264 ₾700

$423 RON 1,912

-37.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,145 ₾13.6K

$6,962 RON 31.5K

-26.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 ₾198

$57.1 RON 258

31.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.98 ₾117

$38.03 RON 172

15.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾312

$62.4 RON 282

88.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾301

$68.6 RON 310

65.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 ₾1,833

$395 RON 1,788

75.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₾1,203

$294 RON 1,329

54.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 ₾3,504

$598 RON 2,703

121.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,089

$432 RON 1,956

82.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,431 ₾6,440

$1,961 RON 8,872

23.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 ₾3,818

$1,385 RON 6,265

4.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$645 ₾1,709

$649 RON 2,936

-0.60%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Zalau: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $692 in Tbilisi versus $395 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 1% higher in Zalau, 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 $44.00 in Tbilisi versus $34.00 in Zalau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $204 vs $189 – 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: $1,218 in Tbilisi, $958 in Zalau – roughly 27% apart. Tbilisi costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,827 per month in Tbilisi and $1,437 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 $44.00 in Tbilisi and $34.00 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 $1,218 in Tbilisi and $958 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 $958, than in Tbilisi at $1,218. 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 $958 in Zalau to $1,218 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.