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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,072 per month in Timaru vs $1,209 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,190 per month in Timaru vs $1,867 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,308 per month in Timaru vs $2,526 in Tbilisi, rent included.

Timaru costs about 71% more than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Timaru sits 55% above the global median, while Tbilisi is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.97 NZ$25.27

$10.80 ₾28.71

38.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.8 NZ$131

$43.18 ₾115

80.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.46 NZ$15.97

$8.29 ₾22.04

14.11%

Cappuccino

$3.44 NZ$5.81

$3.00 ₾7.97

14.67%

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

$2.17 NZ$3.67

$0.82 ₾2.17

164.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 NZ$3.28

$0.46 ₾1.21

321.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 NZ$10.06

$2.23 ₾5.93

167.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.95 NZ$10.05

$2.92 ₾7.75

103.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 NZ$2.66

$1.93 ₾5.12

-18.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.87 NZ$3.16

$0.68 ₾1.81

175.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 NZ$1.98

$1.88 ₾5.00

-37.23%

Eggs

$6.53 NZ$11.02

$2.54 ₾6.74

157.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.80 NZ$16.55

$7.42 ₾19.70

32.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.89 NZ$18.39

$6.19 ₾16.44

75.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.40 NZ$27.68

$9.36 ₾24.87

75.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 NZ$4.33

$1.22 ₾3.25

110.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 NZ$4.27

$1.66 ₾4.40

52.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.05 NZ$5.15

$1.80 ₾4.78

69.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.85 NZ$9.88

$2.24 ₾5.96

161.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 NZ$4.46

$0.71 ₾1.89

271.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 NZ$4.02

$0.67 ₾1.79

255.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.94 NZ$4.97

$1.18 ₾3.13

149.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 NZ$1.88

$0.66 ₾1.76

68.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$28.77 NZ$48.56

$2.98 ₾7.91

865.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.27 NZ$12.27

$7.61 ₾20.22

-4.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.83 NZ$8.16

$1.54 ₾4.08

213.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.11 NZ$12.01

$2.25 ₾5.99

216.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.13 NZ$3.60

$0.36 ₾0.95

491.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.9 NZ$108

$14.44 ₾38.38

342.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 NZ$4.69

$1.49 ₾3.97

86.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 NZ$1.92

$0.68 ₾1.82

67.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.79 NZ$53.7

$7.23 ₾19.20

339.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 NZ$2.80

$1.14 ₾3.04

45.61%

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

$29.4K NZ$49.7K

$18.5K ₾49.1K

59.32%

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

$17.7K NZ$29.9K

$20.0K ₾53.1K

-11.38%

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

$191 NZ$322

$73.7 ₾196

158.97%

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

$23.74 NZ$40.08

$11.64 ₾30.92

103.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.0 NZ$101

$17.84 ₾47.41

236.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.24 NZ$61.2

$60.1 ₾160

-39.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.23 NZ$20.65

$16.80 ₾44.65

-27.20%

Cinema Ticket

$13.53 NZ$22.84

$6.60 ₾17.55

105.00%

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

$492 NZ$831

$266 ₾708

84.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,030 NZ$11.9K

$5,191 ₾13.8K

35.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.4 NZ$146

$77.7 ₾206

11.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.33 NZ$83.3

$44.75 ₾119

10.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 NZ$162

$117 ₾310

-17.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$279 NZ$471

$113 ₾300

147.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$976 NZ$1,648

$693 ₾1,840

40.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$801 NZ$1,352

$462 ₾1,227

73.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,553 NZ$2,622

$1,320 ₾3,507

17.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,452 NZ$2,452

$774 ₾2,057

87.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,560 NZ$7,698

$2,430 ₾6,458

87.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,465 NZ$5,850

$1,446 ₾3,842

139.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 ₾1,788

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.74

11.89

-43.31%

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

Last update for Timaru: June 2, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $976 in Timaru versus $693 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 $78.0 in Timaru versus $43.00 in Tbilisi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $203 – 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: $2,072 in Timaru, $1,209 in Tbilisi – roughly 71% apart. Timaru costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,107 per month in Timaru and $1,813 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 $78.0 in Timaru and $43.00 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 $2,072 in Timaru and $1,209 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 $1,209, than in Timaru at $2,072. 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 $1,209 in Tbilisi to $2,072 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.