Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Veliko Tarnovo and Tbilisi

For one person, living is cheaper in Veliko Tarnovo: $1,006 a month against $1,266 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Veliko Tarnovo
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
$1,006
/mo nomad
Tbilisi
🇬🇪 Georgia
$1,266
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Veliko Tarnovo and in Tbilisi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Veliko Tarnovo and in Tbilisi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,006 per month in Veliko Tarnovo vs $1,266 in Tbilisi, rent included.

  • Veliko Tarnovo $1,006
  • Tbilisi $1,266

A couple spends around $1,574 per month in Veliko Tarnovo vs $2,007 in Tbilisi, rent included.

  • Veliko Tarnovo $1,574
  • Tbilisi $2,007

A family of three spends $2,141 per month in Veliko Tarnovo vs $2,749 in Tbilisi, rent included.

  • Veliko Tarnovo $2,141
  • Tbilisi $2,749

Veliko Tarnovo is about 21% cheaper than Tbilisi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Veliko Tarnovo and Tbilisi are more affordable than the global median – Veliko Tarnovo 25% lower, Tbilisi 6% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Veliko Tarnovo
Tbilisi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.12 BGN 19.35
$11.34 ₾29.35
-1.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$39.76 BGN 69.2
$39.05 ₾101
1.82%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.61 BGN 16.73
$9.63 ₾24.92
-0.21%
Cappuccino
$1.85 BGN 3.21
$3.46 ₾8.95
-46.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31 BGN 2.29
$1.09 ₾2.82
20.18%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88 BGN 1.53
$0.63 ₾1.62
39.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.03 BGN 3.53
$2.77 ₾7.17
-26.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 BGN 4.85
$3.10 ₾8.04
-10.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Veliko Tarnovo
Tbilisi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.86 BGN 3.23
$2.25 ₾5.81
-17.33%
White Bread (500g)
$1.05 BGN 1.83
$0.80 ₾2.07
31.25%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.48 BGN 4.31
$1.76 ₾4.55
40.91%
Eggs
$3.67 BGN 6.39
$2.75 ₾7.11
33.45%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.17 BGN 17.70
$9.39 ₾24.32
8.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.00 BGN 13.92
$6.66 ₾17.23
20.12%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.43 BGN 21.63
$12.92 ₾33.45
-3.79%
Apples (1kg)
$1.60 BGN 2.78
$1.67 ₾4.31
-4.19%
Banana (1kg)
$2.05 BGN 3.57
$1.80 ₾4.65
13.89%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.96 BGN 3.41
$1.92 ₾4.97
2.08%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.58 BGN 4.48
$2.41 ₾6.24
7.05%
Potato (1kg)
$1.09 BGN 1.90
$0.86 ₾2.23
26.74%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 BGN 2.04
$0.69 ₾1.80
69.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.98 BGN 1.70
$1.40 ₾3.62
-30.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.73 BGN 1.27
$0.71 ₾1.85
2.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.10 BGN 7.13
$3.51 ₾9.08
16.81%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.72 BGN 11.69
$7.61 ₾19.69
-11.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 BGN 2.10
$1.63 ₾4.21
-25.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.61 BGN 2.79
$2.31 ₾5.98
-30.30%
🚌 Getting Around
Veliko Tarnovo
Tbilisi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.90 BGN 1.56
$0.37 ₾0.96
143.24%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$23.23 BGN 40.42
$15.67 ₾40.57
48.25%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.16 BGN 2.02
$1.14 ₾2.95
1.75%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.67 BGN 1.17
$0.79 ₾2.05
-15.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.18 BGN 19.46
$11.86 ₾30.70
-5.73%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.56 BGN 2.71
$1.40 ₾3.62
11.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.5K BGN 53.1K
$24.8K ₾64.2K
23.09%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.6K BGN 53.3K
$21.9K ₾56.6K
40.08%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Veliko Tarnovo
Tbilisi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$95.9 BGN 167
$89.1 ₾231
7.55%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.81 BGN 32.73
$13.21 ₾34.19
42.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$15.86 BGN 27.59
$19.76 ₾51.1
-19.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Veliko Tarnovo
Tbilisi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.50 BGN 53.1
$64.9 ₾168
-53.01%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.69 BGN 34.26
$19.02 ₾49.24
3.52%
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 BGN 12.02
$6.57 ₾17.02
5.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Veliko Tarnovo
Tbilisi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$377 ₾975
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$10.8K ₾27.9K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Veliko Tarnovo
Tbilisi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.95 BGN 81.7
$102 ₾265
-54.05%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.58 BGN 53.2
$39.70 ₾103
-22.97%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$122 BGN 213
$118 ₾305
3.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$93.1 BGN 162
$123 ₾320
-24.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Veliko Tarnovo
Tbilisi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$351 BGN 611
$666 ₾1,724
-47.30%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$260 BGN 453
$449 ₾1,163
-42.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$572 BGN 995
$1,284 ₾3,324
-55.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$420 BGN 731
$890 ₾2,303
-52.80%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,407 BGN 4,187
$2,425 ₾6,276
-0.74%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,364 BGN 2,373
$1,380 ₾3,573
-1.20%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Veliko Tarnovo
Tbilisi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$952 BGN 1,657
$680 ₾1,760
40.07%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.74
12.62
-78.29%

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

Last update for Veliko Tarnovo: October 11, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Veliko Tarnovo
$260
Tbilisi
$449 72.6% $189
Groceries & Markets
Veliko Tarnovo
$244
Tbilisi
$234 4% $9.8
Eating Out
Veliko Tarnovo
$164
Tbilisi
$188 14.3% $24
Clothing & Footwear
Veliko Tarnovo
$132
Tbilisi
$172 30.9% $41
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Veliko Tarnovo
$131
Tbilisi
$122 6.5% $8.4
Sport & Entertainment
Veliko Tarnovo
$44
Tbilisi
$78 76.2% $34
Getting Around
Veliko Tarnovo
$31
Tbilisi
$22 29% $9.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $351 in Veliko Tarnovo versus $666 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 40% higher in Veliko Tarnovo, 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 $40.00 in Veliko Tarnovo versus $39.00 in Tbilisi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $234 – making Tbilisi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇧🇬 Veliko Tarnovo
🇬🇪 Tbilisi
🕒 Local time
18:25 6:25 PM
19:25 7:25 PM
1 h ahead of Veliko Tarnovo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
71,150
1,241,700 Capital
💱 Currency
Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.
Exchange rates and currency converter

GEL, USD, EUR to BGN – Bulgarian Lev Converter

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.74 BGN (1 BGN = 0.575 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.511 EUR).

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.386 USD). 1 EUR = 2.91 GEL (1 GEL = 0.344 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Veliko Tarnovo Tbilisi 1,580 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Veliko Tarnovo
  • Tbilisi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Veliko Tarnovo vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Veliko Tarnovo and in Tbilisi compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,006 in Veliko Tarnovo, $1,266 in Tbilisi – roughly 26% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.
What salary covers living expenses in Veliko Tarnovo compared to Tbilisi?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,509 per month in Veliko Tarnovo and $1,899 in Tbilisi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Veliko Tarnovo and Tbilisi?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Veliko Tarnovo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do commuting costs compare in Veliko Tarnovo and in Tbilisi?
Public transport costs about 48% less in Veliko Tarnovo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Tbilisi – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Veliko Tarnovo, where all-in costs run around $1,006, than in Tbilisi at $1,266. In Veliko Tarnovo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Veliko Tarnovo and Tbilisi?
It depends on your priorities. Tbilisi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,006 in Veliko Tarnovo to $1,266 in Tbilisi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Veliko Tarnovo or Tbilisi safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Veliko Tarnovo and Tbilisi?
If budget matters most, go with Veliko Tarnovo. 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.

Veliko Tarnovo vs other spots: cost of living compared

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