Cost of Living Comparison Between Thika and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Thika and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $523 per month in Thika vs $1,247 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A couple spends around $879 per month in Thika vs $2,025 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,235 per month in Thika vs $2,803 in Tbilisi, rent included.

Thika is about 58% cheaper than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Thika and Tbilisi are more affordable than the global median – Thika 62% lower, Tbilisi 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.54 KES 458

$11.33 ₾29.44

-68.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.10 KES 4,412

$38.71 ₾101

-11.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.19 KES 801

$9.52 ₾24.72

-34.98%

Cappuccino

$1.96 KES 253

$3.41 ₾8.85

-42.52%

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

$0.32 KES 42.02

$1.04 ₾2.71

-69.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 KES 76.9

$0.64 ₾1.66

-7.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 KES 253

$2.61 ₾6.79

-24.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 KES 282

$3.24 ₾8.43

-32.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 KES 94.6

$2.17 ₾5.65

-66.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 KES 61.7

$0.74 ₾1.92

-35.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 KES 151

$1.71 ₾4.45

-31.58%

Eggs

$1.36 KES 176

$2.83 ₾7.36

-51.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.54 KES 1,363

$9.22 ₾23.95

14.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.27 KES 811

$6.76 ₾17.55

-7.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.00 KES 517

$12.77 ₾33.17

-68.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 KES 197

$1.64 ₾4.26

-7.32%

Banana (1kg)

$0.64 KES 83.5

$1.77 ₾4.60

-63.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.79 KES 102

$1.87 ₾4.85

-57.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 KES 148

$2.44 ₾6.34

-53.28%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 KES 49.09

$0.87 ₾2.25

-56.32%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 KES 57.1

$0.65 ₾1.70

-32.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 KES 88.1

$1.40 ₾3.64

-51.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 KES 49.12

$0.74 ₾1.93

-48.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 KES 352

$3.41 ₾8.86

-20.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.83 KES 755

$7.60 ₾19.75

-23.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 KES 236

$1.70 ₾4.41

7.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 KES 243

$2.38 ₾6.20

-21.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.94

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.24 ₾39.60

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 KES 205

$1.18 ₾3.07

33.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.95 KES 123

$0.76 ₾1.97

25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 KES 379

$11.34 ₾29.46

-74.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 KES 179

$1.33 ₾3.46

3.76%

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

$22.0K KES 2.8M

$24.7K ₾64.2K

-11.17%

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

$20.3K KES 2.6M

$22.0K ₾57.2K

-7.77%

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

$34.61 KES 4,478

$88.9 ₾231

-61.05%

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

$15.66 KES 2,026

$13.33 ₾34.63

17.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.40 KES 4,581

$20.12 ₾52.3

75.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.60 KES 6,029

$68.7 ₾178

-32.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.09 ₾47.00

Cinema Ticket

$7.63 KES 987

$6.72 ₾17.45

13.54%

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

$54.2 KES 7,019

$374 ₾971

-85.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,490 KES 451.6K

$10.7K ₾27.8K

-67.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.29 KES 3,661

$101 ₾263

-72.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.06 KES 3,631

$39.33 ₾102

-28.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.0 KES 9,183

$118 ₾305

-39.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.23 KES 2,489

$122 ₾318

-84.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$99.0 KES 12.8K

$682 ₾1,773

-85.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$59.0 KES 7,632

$456 ₾1,186

-87.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$275 KES 35.6K

$1,303 ₾3,384

-78.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 KES 22.6K

$899 ₾2,337

-80.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$619 KES 80.1K

$2,449 ₾6,364

-74.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,452 ₾3,773

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 ₾1,695

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

12.62

16.56%

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

Last update for Thika: September 13, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $99.0 in Thika versus $682 in Tbilisi. 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 $34.00 in Thika versus $39.00 in Tbilisi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $151 vs $232 – making Thika 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

Thika vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $523 in Thika, $1,247 in Tbilisi – roughly 138% apart. Tbilisi costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $785 per month in Thika and $1,870 in Tbilisi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Thika, 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 $34.00 in Thika and $39.00 in Tbilisi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 54% more in Tbilisi, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Thika, where all-in costs run around $523, than in Tbilisi at $1,247. In Thika 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 $523 in Thika to $1,247 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 Thika. 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.