Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulan Ude and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulan Ude and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $976 per month in Ulan Ude vs $1,209 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,502 per month in Ulan Ude vs $1,867 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,029 per month in Ulan Ude vs $2,526 in Tbilisi, rent included.

Ulan Ude is about 19% cheaper than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ulan Ude and Tbilisi are more affordable than the global median – Ulan Ude 27% lower, Tbilisi 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.76 ₽712

$10.80 ₾28.71

-9.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.64 ₽2,747

$43.18 ₾115

-12.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.88 ₽429

$8.29 ₾22.04

-29.07%

Cappuccino

$2.29 ₽167

$3.00 ₾7.97

-23.67%

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

$1.19 ₽87.2

$0.82 ₾2.17

45.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 ₽37.76

$0.46 ₾1.21

13.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 ₽98.9

$2.23 ₾5.93

-39.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 ₽190

$2.92 ₾7.75

-10.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 ₽83.7

$1.93 ₾5.12

-40.41%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 ₽32.07

$0.68 ₾1.81

-35.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 ₽101

$1.88 ₾5.00

-26.06%

Eggs

$1.79 ₽131

$2.54 ₾6.74

-29.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.97 ₽801

$7.42 ₾19.70

47.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.82 ₽352

$6.19 ₾16.44

-22.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.72 ₽636

$9.36 ₾24.87

-6.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 ₽132

$1.22 ₾3.25

47.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₽131

$1.66 ₾4.40

8.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ₽138

$1.80 ₾4.78

5.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.77 ₽202

$2.24 ₾5.96

23.66%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 ₽62.0

$0.71 ₾1.89

19.72%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 ₽51.7

$0.67 ₾1.79

5.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 ₽104

$1.18 ₾3.13

20.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₽51.3

$0.66 ₾1.76

6.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 ₽214

$2.98 ₾7.91

-1.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.11 ₽519

$7.61 ₾20.22

-6.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 ₽74.9

$1.54 ₾4.08

-33.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ₽142

$2.25 ₾5.99

-13.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.53 ₽39.03

$0.36 ₾0.95

47.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.44 ₾38.38

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 ₽140

$1.49 ₾3.97

28.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ₽23.59

$0.68 ₾1.82

-52.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.49 ₽474

$7.23 ₾19.20

-10.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 ₽57.9

$1.14 ₾3.04

-30.70%

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

$34.7K ₽2.5M

$18.5K ₾49.1K

87.94%

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

$35.2K ₽2.6M

$20.0K ₾53.1K

76.49%

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

$109 ₽7,921

$73.7 ₾196

47.29%

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

$6.09 ₽445

$11.64 ₾30.92

-47.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.67 ₽560

$17.84 ₾47.41

-57.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.08 ₽2,634

$60.1 ₾160

-40.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ₾44.65

Cinema Ticket

$5.13 ₽375

$6.60 ₾17.55

-22.27%

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

$324 ₽23.7K

$266 ₾708

21.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,896 ₽503.3K

$5,191 ₾13.8K

32.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.2 ₽5,199

$77.7 ₾206

-8.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.84 ₽3,273

$44.75 ₾119

0.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ₽8,389

$117 ₾310

-1.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ₽7,729

$113 ₾300

-6.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 ₽32.1K

$693 ₾1,840

-36.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ₽22.6K

$462 ₾1,227

-32.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 ₽55.0K

$1,320 ₾3,507

-42.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$511 ₽37.3K

$774 ₾2,057

-34.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,532 ₽184.8K

$2,430 ₾6,458

4.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,966 ₽143.5K

$1,446 ₾3,842

35.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$703 ₽51.3K

$673 ₾1,788

4.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.33

11.89

54.16%

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

Last update for Ulan Ude: May 30, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $439 in Ulan Ude 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.

Salaries run about 5% higher in Ulan Ude, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Ulan Ude versus $43.00 in Tbilisi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $194 vs $203 – making Ulan Ude the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ulan Ude vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $976 in Ulan Ude, $1,209 in Tbilisi – roughly 24% apart. Tbilisi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,463 per month in Ulan Ude 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 Ulan Ude, 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 $38.00 in Ulan Ude and $43.00 in Tbilisi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ulan Ude, where all-in costs run around $976, than in Tbilisi at $1,209. In Ulan Ude 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 $976 in Ulan Ude to $1,209 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 Ulan Ude. 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.