The cost of living in Tbilisi is 10.3% higher than in Batumi, according to Numbeo, a platform that analyzes prices. In the global cost-of-living ranking, Tbilisi holds 423rd place and Batumi 464th. For comparison, Moscow is in 328th place, Yerevan in 370th, and St. Petersburg in 404th.
The gap is especially pronounced in rental prices: in the capital, they are on average 26.9% higher than on the coast. For example, a one-bedroom apartment in central Tbilisi costs about 1,750 lari a month, while in Batumi it costs 1,270 lari. For three-bedroom apartments in the city center, the difference is 3,390 lari versus 2,375. Prices in Batumi also depend on the season: in winter, housing and utilities can be cheaper than in summer, owing to tourist demand.
Monthly expenses for one person, excluding rent, are estimated at 1,729 lari in Tbilisi and 1,559 lari in Batumi. A family of four would need about 6,365 lari in the capital and 5,756 lari at the seaside resort.
Groceries in Tbilisi are also mostly more expensive. A kilogram of beef costs an average of 33.4 lari in the capital (25.7 in Batumi), chicken fillet 17.5 lari (16), and oranges 5 lari (3.4). At the same time, some goods, such as bananas, can cost more in Batumi: 5.2 lari per kilogram versus 4.7 in Tbilisi. A bottle of wine in the capital costs an average of 20 lari, and in Batumi, 15.
A meal in an inexpensive café in Tbilisi costs about 29 lari, and dinner for two in a mid-range restaurant, 100 lari. In Batumi, the same items cost 27.5 and 84 lari respectively. Utilities, internet and gym memberships are also more expensive in the capital. However, a cinema ticket, as well as some clothing and footwear, costs slightly more in Batumi: for example, 18 lari for a ticket, against 17 in Tbilisi.
The average salary after taxes is 1,712 lari in Tbilisi and 1,503 lari in Batumi.
Letters