Cost of Living Comparison Between Timaru and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Timaru and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,917 per month in Timaru vs $1,247 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,928 per month in Timaru vs $2,025 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,939 per month in Timaru vs $2,803 in Tbilisi, rent included.

Timaru costs about 54% more than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Timaru sits 40% above the global median, while Tbilisi is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.41 NZ$25.18

$11.33 ₾29.45

27.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 NZ$111

$38.71 ₾101

63.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.17 NZ$19.53

$9.52 ₾24.73

17.33%

Cappuccino

$3.38 NZ$5.91

$3.41 ₾8.85

-0.88%

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

$2.11 NZ$3.69

$1.04 ₾2.71

102.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 NZ$3.19

$0.64 ₾1.66

185.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.76 NZ$10.06

$2.61 ₾6.79

120.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.54 NZ$11.43

$3.24 ₾8.43

101.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 NZ$1.96

$2.17 ₾5.65

-48.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 NZ$3.19

$0.74 ₾1.92

147.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 NZ$2.06

$1.71 ₾4.45

-30.99%

Eggs

$5.87 NZ$10.26

$2.83 ₾7.36

107.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.71 NZ$15.23

$9.22 ₾23.95

-5.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.58 NZ$16.74

$6.76 ₾17.55

41.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.05 NZ$29.81

$12.77 ₾33.17

33.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 NZ$5.32

$1.64 ₾4.26

85.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.41 NZ$4.21

$1.77 ₾4.60

36.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 NZ$5.65

$1.87 ₾4.85

72.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.09 NZ$8.90

$2.44 ₾6.34

108.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 NZ$3.27

$0.87 ₾2.25

114.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 NZ$3.33

$0.65 ₾1.70

192.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 NZ$4.07

$1.40 ₾3.64

66.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 NZ$0.99

$0.74 ₾1.93

-24.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$21.33 NZ$37.28

$3.41 ₾8.86

525.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.93 NZ$10.36

$7.60 ₾19.75

-21.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.32 NZ$5.80

$1.70 ₾4.41

95.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.22 NZ$2.13

$2.38 ₾6.20

-48.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.75 NZ$3.06

$0.36 ₾0.94

386.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.8 NZ$152

$15.24 ₾39.60

469.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.33 NZ$4.07

$1.18 ₾3.07

97.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 NZ$3.21

$0.76 ₾1.97

140.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.99 NZ$50.7

$11.34 ₾29.47

155.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 NZ$2.67

$1.33 ₾3.46

15.04%

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

$25.7K NZ$45.0K

$24.7K ₾64.2K

4.13%

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

$25.6K NZ$44.8K

$22.0K ₾57.2K

16.38%

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

$114 NZ$200

$88.9 ₾231

28.47%

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

$23.35 NZ$40.82

$13.33 ₾34.63

75.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.4 NZ$95.2

$20.12 ₾52.3

170.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.22 NZ$70.3

$68.7 ₾178

-41.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.09 ₾47.01

Cinema Ticket

$10.63 NZ$18.58

$6.72 ₾17.46

58.18%

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

$594 NZ$1,039

$374 ₾971

59.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K NZ$20.9K

$10.7K ₾27.8K

11.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 NZ$107

$101 ₾263

-39.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.99 NZ$62.9

$39.33 ₾102

-8.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.1 NZ$163

$118 ₾305

-20.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 NZ$247

$122 ₾318

15.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,047 NZ$1,831

$682 ₾1,773

53.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$915 NZ$1,599

$456 ₾1,186

100.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,566 NZ$2,738

$1,303 ₾3,385

20.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,510 NZ$2,640

$899 ₾2,337

67.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,274 NZ$7,471

$2,449 ₾6,365

74.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,025 NZ$5,289

$1,452 ₾3,774

108.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 ₾1,695

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.07

12.62

-43.98%

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

Last update for Timaru: September 15, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,047 in Timaru 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 $63.0 in Timaru versus $39.00 in Tbilisi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $307 vs $232 – making Tbilisi 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

Timaru vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,917 in Timaru, $1,247 in Tbilisi – roughly 54% apart. Timaru costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,875 per month in Timaru 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 Tbilisi, 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 $63.0 in Timaru and $39.00 in Tbilisi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,917 in Timaru and $1,247 in Tbilisi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tbilisi, where all-in costs run around $1,247, than in Timaru at $1,917. In Tbilisi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Timaru 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 $1,247 in Tbilisi to $1,917 in Timaru. 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 Tbilisi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Timaru makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.