Cost of Living Comparison Between Varkaus and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Varkaus and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,623 per month in Varkaus vs $1,209 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,543 per month in Varkaus vs $1,867 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,464 per month in Varkaus vs $2,526 in Tbilisi, rent included.

Varkaus costs about 34% more than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Varkaus sits 21% above the global median, while Tbilisi is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.77 €10.14

$10.80 ₾28.70

8.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.3 €67.4

$43.18 ₾115

81.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.31 €8.01

$8.29 ₾22.03

12.30%

Cappuccino

$4.50 €3.88

$3.00 ₾7.96

50.00%

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

$3.15 €2.71

$0.82 ₾2.17

284.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 €1.36

$0.46 ₾1.21

241.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.09 €6.10

$2.23 ₾5.93

217.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.65 €6.59

$2.92 ₾7.75

161.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 €0.92

$1.93 ₾5.11

-44.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.02 €1.74

$0.68 ₾1.81

197.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 €1.95

$1.88 ₾4.99

20.74%

Eggs

$2.42 €2.09

$2.54 ₾6.73

-4.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.58 €6.53

$7.42 ₾19.70

2.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.04 €10.37

$6.19 ₾16.43

94.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.45 €15.03

$9.36 ₾24.86

86.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 €1.91

$1.22 ₾3.25

81.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$1.66 ₾4.40

15.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.09 €2.66

$1.80 ₾4.78

71.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.89 €3.35

$2.24 ₾5.96

73.66%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 €0.73

$0.71 ₾1.89

19.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 €1.38

$0.67 ₾1.79

140.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 €1.73

$1.18 ₾3.13

69.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$0.66 ₾1.76

127.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.02 €7.76

$2.98 ₾7.91

202.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.02 €12.07

$7.61 ₾20.21

84.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.54 ₾4.08

48.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 €3.19

$2.25 ₾5.98

64.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.45 €2.97

$0.36 ₾0.95

858.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.3 €57.9

$14.44 ₾38.36

366.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.95 €5.99

$1.49 ₾3.96

366.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 €1.37

$0.68 ₾1.82

133.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$46.71 €40.22

$7.23 ₾19.19

546.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 €1.77

$1.14 ₾3.04

79.82%

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

$28.4K €24.4K

$18.5K ₾49.0K

53.61%

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

$28.4K €24.5K

$20.0K ₾53.0K

42.26%

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

$88.0 €75.8

$73.7 ₾196

19.45%

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

$30.53 €26.29

$11.64 ₾30.91

162.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.93 €15.44

$17.84 ₾47.39

0.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.65 €38.45

$60.1 ₾160

-25.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.16 €20.80

$16.80 ₾44.63

43.81%

Cinema Ticket

$11.50 €9.90

$6.60 ₾17.54

74.24%

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

$336 €289

$266 ₾708

26.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,541 €3,910

$5,191 ₾13.8K

-12.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.7 €85.9

$77.7 ₾206

28.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.68 €26.41

$44.75 ₾119

-31.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.3 €73.5

$117 ₾310

-26.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 €102

$113 ₾300

5.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$776 €668

$693 ₾1,839

12.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$648 €558

$462 ₾1,226

40.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 €1,120

$1,320 ₾3,505

-1.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,046 €901

$774 ₾2,056

35.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,164 €3,586

$2,430 ₾6,455

71.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,192 €1,888

$1,446 ₾3,840

51.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 ₾1,787

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.9

11.89

-84.02%

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

Last update for Varkaus: May 31, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $776 in Varkaus 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 Varkaus versus $43.00 in Tbilisi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 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

Varkaus vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,623 in Varkaus, $1,209 in Tbilisi – roughly 34% apart. Varkaus costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,434 per month in Varkaus 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 Varkaus 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 $1,623 in Varkaus 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 Varkaus at $1,623. In Tbilisi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Varkaus 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 $1,623 in Varkaus. 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, Varkaus makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.