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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $480 per month in Thika vs $1,218 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A couple spends around $809 per month in Thika vs $1,853 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,137 per month in Thika vs $2,489 in Tbilisi, rent included.

Thika is about 61% cheaper than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Thika and Tbilisi are more affordable than the global median – Thika 64% lower, Tbilisi 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.53 KES 717

$10.85 ₾28.75

-49.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.49 KES 4,991

$44.17 ₾117

-12.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.64 KES 861

$8.28 ₾21.94

-19.81%

Cappuccino

$2.38 KES 308

$3.02 ₾8.00

-21.19%

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

$0.75 KES 97.2

$0.76 ₾2.02

-1.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 KES 70.3

$0.46 ₾1.22

17.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 KES 217

$2.24 ₾5.93

-25.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 KES 258

$3.00 ₾7.95

-33.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 KES 114

$1.93 ₾5.11

-54.40%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 KES 61.5

$0.72 ₾1.91

-34.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 KES 177

$1.84 ₾4.87

-26.09%

Eggs

$1.36 KES 176

$2.45 ₾6.48

-44.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.66 KES 1,512

$7.43 ₾19.67

56.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 KES 849

$6.48 ₾17.16

1.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$1.92 KES 249

$9.70 ₾25.70

-80.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 KES 406

$1.20 ₾3.18

160.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$1.56 ₾4.14

-31.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 KES 271

$1.79 ₾4.75

16.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 KES 136

$2.23 ₾5.90

-52.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$0.65 ₾1.73

64.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 KES 146

$0.68 ₾1.79

64.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 KES 83.0

$1.19 ₾3.16

-46.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 KES 98.9

$0.70 ₾1.86

8.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 KES 306

$2.95 ₾7.82

-20.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.90 KES 765

$7.33 ₾19.41

-19.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 KES 224

$1.52 ₾4.02

13.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 KES 257

$2.25 ₾5.95

-12.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.60 ₾38.68

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 KES 206

$1.50 ₾3.97

6.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 KES 195

$0.73 ₾1.92

105.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 KES 367

$7.45 ₾19.74

-62.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 KES 138

$1.14 ₾3.01

-7.02%

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

$21.5K KES 2.8M

$18.5K ₾49.0K

16.07%

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

$19.8K KES 2.6M

$20.3K ₾53.6K

-2.07%

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

$34.61 KES 4,488

$73.9 ₾196

-53.15%

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

$17.09 KES 2,216

$11.71 ₾31.01

45.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.46 KES 5,116

$18.16 ₾48.09

117.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 ₾163

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.66 ₾44.12

Cinema Ticket

$6.31 KES 819

$6.61 ₾17.50

-4.54%

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

$205 KES 26.6K

$264 ₾700

-22.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,182 KES 1.1M

$5,145 ₾13.6K

59.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.51 KES 2,400

$74.9 ₾198

-75.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.40 KES 3,164

$43.98 ₾117

-44.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.5 KES 8,626

$118 ₾312

-43.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.5 KES 7,328

$114 ₾301

-50.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 ₾1,833

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₾1,203

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 ₾3,504

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,089

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$612 KES 79.3K

$2,431 ₾6,440

-74.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 ₾3,818

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$645 ₾1,709

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

11.89

-3.28%

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

Last update for Thika: June 9, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Thika versus $44.00 in Tbilisi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $175 vs $204 – 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: $480 in Thika, $1,218 in Tbilisi – roughly 153% apart. Tbilisi costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $721 per month in Thika and $1,827 in Tbilisi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Thika and $44.00 in Tbilisi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% 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 $480, than in Tbilisi at $1,218. 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 $480 in Thika 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 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.