Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Zărnești Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Zărnești

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,187 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,007 in Zărnești, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,826 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,518 in Zărnești, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,466 per month in Tbilisi vs $2,030 in Zărnești, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 18% more than Zărnești, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tbilisi and Zărnești are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 11% lower, Zărnești 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.79 ₾28.26

$8.80 RON 40.37

22.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.24 ₾116

$40.16 RON 184

10.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.40 ₾21.98

$9.05 RON 41.50

-7.18%

Cappuccino

$2.98 ₾7.80

$2.31 RON 10.58

29.00%

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

$0.75 ₾1.97

$1.32 RON 6.04

-43.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₾1.10

$1.15 RON 5.26

-63.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 ₾5.78

$2.21 RON 10.15

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.87

$2.84 RON 13.01

5.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ₾5.25

$1.35 RON 6.18

48.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 ₾1.76

$1.17 RON 5.39

-42.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 ₾4.73

$1.63 RON 7.48

10.43%

Eggs

$2.59 ₾6.79

$2.93 RON 13.43

-11.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₾19.45

$8.89 RON 40.75

-16.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.20 ₾16.24

$5.15 RON 23.62

20.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.55 ₾25.02

$12.34 RON 56.6

-22.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 ₾3.20

$1.03 RON 4.71

18.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ₾4.31

$1.35 RON 6.19

22.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ₾4.91

$1.41 RON 6.46

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 ₾6.09

$1.36 RON 6.23

71.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.70

$0.89 RON 4.09

-26.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 ₾1.69

$0.92 RON 4.22

-30.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 ₾3.24

$0.73 RON 3.36

69.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ₾1.71

$0.78 RON 3.59

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 ₾8.04

$5.65 RON 25.91

-45.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.74 ₾20.26

$7.42 RON 34.03

4.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 ₾4.18

$1.08 RON 4.96

48.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₾5.86

$1.35 RON 6.21

65.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 ₾0.92

$0.66 RON 3.03

-46.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.73 ₾38.56

$19.98 RON 91.6

-26.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ₾3.71

$0.95 RON 4.34

49.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 ₾1.83

$0.82 RON 3.76

-14.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.52 ₾19.68

$7.56 RON 34.68

-0.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₾3.01

$1.60 RON 7.36

-28.13%

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

$18.0K ₾47.2K

$28.4K RON 130.2K

-36.57%

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

$19.9K ₾52.0K

$27.6K RON 126.4K

-27.92%

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

$74.2 ₾194

$169 RON 773

-55.97%

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

$11.85 ₾31.04

$7.92 RON 36.33

49.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.14 ₾47.49

$9.90 RON 45.39

83.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 ₾162

$41.70 RON 191

48.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.91 ₾44.28

$19.16 RON 87.8

-11.74%

Cinema Ticket

$6.53 ₾17.11

$5.68 RON 26.04

14.96%

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

$264 ₾691

$422 RON 1,935

-37.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,079 ₾13.3K

$6,960 RON 31.9K

-27.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.2 ₾202

$48.29 RON 221

59.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.11 ₾116

$30.50 RON 140

44.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 ₾313

$73.1 RON 335

63.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₾290

$79.8 RON 366

38.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$707 ₾1,851

$386 RON 1,769

83.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$461 ₾1,206

$285 RON 1,308

61.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,348 ₾3,530

$594 RON 2,723

126.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$783 ₾2,050

$440 RON 2,017

77.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,423 ₾6,345

$1,728 RON 7,924

40.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,480 ₾3,876

$1,427 RON 6,543

3.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$662 ₾1,733

$525 RON 2,408

26.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

8.17

45.53%

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

Last update for Tbilisi: July 21, 2026

Last update for Zărnești: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $707 in Tbilisi versus $386 in Zărnești. 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 26% 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 $44.00 in Tbilisi versus $40.00 in Zărnești. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $205 vs $198 – making Zărnești 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 Zărnești: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,187 in Tbilisi, $1,007 in Zărnești – roughly 18% apart. Tbilisi costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,780 per month in Tbilisi and $1,511 in Zărnești. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zărnești, 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 $40.00 in Zărnești. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,187 in Tbilisi and $1,007 in Zărnești. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zărnești, where all-in costs run around $1,007, than in Tbilisi at $1,187. In Zărnești 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 $1,007 in Zărnești to $1,187 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 Zărnești. 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.