Townleap

Cost of Living: Tbilisi vs Lisbon (2026)

Georgia vs Portugal — relocation comparison

Your passport:
Tbilisi
Lisbon
$681/mo
Rent
$1616/mo
66/100
Livability
79/100
62/100
Safety
83/100
63/100
Healthcare
81/100
6 yr
PR path
5 yr
45 Mbps
Internet
238 Mbps
Tax breaks

Open incentive regimes for newcomers

IFICI (NHR 2.0)
Freelance setup
Small Business Status
  • VAT-free under €33k
  • 2% social
  • €350/yr accountant
Trabalhador Independente
  • VAT-free under €15k
  • 21.4% social
  • €900/yr accountant
WiseStripe

Sourced from Numbeo · Updated April 2026

TL;DRTbilisi is 58% cheaper on rent ($681/mo vs $1616/mo). Portugal gets you to permanent residency a year faster (5 vs 6 years). Both are solid options for settling down — the spreadsheet won't save you from this one.
Lisbon scores 79 to Tbilisi's 66 on livability — the gap is real. Tbilisi has its charms, but the numbers favor Lisbon.
Household
Tbilisi
Metric
Lisbon
$681/mo
🏠
Rent (1BR centre)
$1616/mo
$358/mo
🛒
Living costs (no rent)
$567/mo
$2,453
🧳
Cost to land
$7,362
2.3 / 100k
🔒
Homicides
0.7 / 100k
25 / 100
🚨
Crime perception
lower is better
33 / 100
29°C
☀️
Summer high
27°C
-1°C
❄️
Winter low
9°C
45 Mbps
Internet speed
238 Mbps
10.9 μg/m³
🌬️
Air quality (PM2.5)
10.6 μg/m³
4.7 / 10
🗳️
Democracy
8.1 / 10
39/100
🗣️
Street English
100/100
$28k
💼
GDP per capita
$52k
1.1% · Boringly steady
📈
Inflation
2.4% · Boringly steady
66 / 100
🏅
Livability Score
79 / 100
57/100 — Patchy
Grid reliability
78/100 — Mostly stable
51/100
🗽
Freedom House
96/100
6 years
📋
Time to PR
5 years
See exactly what you keep after taxes in each city

Sources: Numbeo · UNODC · Ookla · WHO · EIU · World Bank · Freedom House · Updated April 2026

💰
Cost of Living
Tbilisi
$935/mo cheaper on rent alone
🔒
Safety
Lisbon
0.7 homicides per 100k
🗳️
Democracy
Lisbon
8.1/10 EIU index
🗣️
English
Lisbon
higher proficiency score
📋
Residency
Lisbon
PR in 5 years

Sun

How much sky you actually get

62% clear
Win
Spr
Sum
Fall
Sky clear
avg daytime
65% clear
Win
Spr
Sum
Fall
9.1h
Shortest day
Dec
9.5h
15.2h
Longest day
Jun
14.9h

Sun clocks out before 5pm in both cities come December. Plan accordingly.

Source: WeatherSpark (clear-sky share of daytime hours)

Settler Essentials

declining
Democracy trend
stable
improving
Inflation trend
improving
tech-outsourcingfintechtourismigaming
Industries
fintechhealthtechgreentechai
nascent
Startup ecosystem
active
57/100
Grid reliability
78/100
6 yrs
Time to PR
5 yrs
Easy
🇺🇸 Your visa
Moderate
Easy
EU visa
Easy
Easy
RU visa
Complex
Easy
UA visa
Moderate
⚠️ Needs a separate work permit
Spouse works
Partner can work immediately
Partner pathway
Recognized (2+ yr)
união de facto
Retiree visa
920/mo
Tax breaks
IFICI (NHR 2.0)

Visa stamps:Easy <90 daysModerate 3–6 moComplex 6+ mo

Sources: EIU · Freedom House · Startup Genome · IEA · official immigration portals

Reproductive Rights

Because your body shouldn't need a visa too

On request
Abortion access
On request
12 wk
Gestational limit
10 wk

On request up to 12 weeks. 2024 anti-LGBTQ legislation worsened overall rights climate.

On request up to 10 weeks since 2007 referendum. Mandatory 3-day reflection period.

Source: Center for Reproductive Rights

LGBTQ+ Rights

Can you hold hands without doing a risk assessment first

12/100
Rainbow Index
67/100
Not recognized
Marriage
Legal
Not allowed
Adoption
Joint adoption
No
Job protection
Yes
No
Hate crime law
Yes

Source: Rainbow Europe (ILGA-Europe)

The Short Version

  • Rent is 58% cheaper in Tbilisi ($681/mo vs $1616/mo for a 1BR city centre).
  • Summers are slightly warmer in Tbilisi (29°C vs 27°C).
  • Lisbon is safer by homicide rate (0.7 vs 2.3 per 100k).
  • Lisbon scores higher on democracy (8.1 vs 4.7 / 10 EIU).
  • Street-level English is easier in Lisbon (100/100 vs 39/100).

Tbilisi vs Lisbon — Common Questions

Is Tbilisi cheaper than Lisbon?

Tbilisi is cheaper. A 1-bedroom apartment in city centre costs around $681/month in Tbilisi vs $1616/month in the other city (Numbeo data).

Which is safer, Tbilisi or Lisbon?

Lisbon is statistically safer based on UNODC homicide data. Tbilisi has a rate of 2.33 per 100,000 and Lisbon has 0.69 per 100,000.

Should I move to Tbilisi or Lisbon?

Lisbon scores 79 to Tbilisi's 66 on livability — the gap is real. Tbilisi has its charms, but the numbers favor Lisbon. See the full comparison above for rent, safety, internet speed, climate, and democracy scores to decide which city fits your priorities.

Is it easier to get residency in Tbilisi or Lisbon?

Tbilisi: Remotely from Georgia (easy to get, Up to 1 year). Lisbon: Portugal Digital Nomad Visa (moderate requirements, 2 years (renewable for 3-year periods)). See each city's profile page for full requirements.

Can I live in Tbilisi or Lisbon without speaking the local language?

Lisbon is easier for street-level English (100/100) than Tbilisi (39/100). That's the score that matters for doctors, landlords, and bureaucracy. Office English can still run higher than street English in both cities.

What's the cost of rent in Tbilisi vs Lisbon?

A 1-bedroom in the centre: $681/month in Tbilisi, $1616/month in Lisbon (Numbeo). That's 58% cheaper rent in Tbilisi.

Is Tbilisi or Lisbon better for democracy and rule of law?

Lisbon scores 8.1/10 on the EIU Democracy Index vs 4.7/10 for Tbilisi. That puts it in 'full democracy' territory — free press, independent courts, the works.

Is healthcare better in Tbilisi or Lisbon?

Lisbon scores higher on our composite healthcare index (81/100 vs 63/100 for Tbilisi). That score combines clinical outcomes (IHME), universal coverage (WHO), and resident perception (Numbeo) — not just whether hospitals exist but whether the system actually works for settlers.

Plot twist: other matchups exist

Maybe the real city was the comparisons we made along the way.

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