Tbilisi vs Tirana for Expats
Cross-border city comparison — Georgia vs Albania — across 7 dimensions using granular city-level data.
Last updated: February 2026
Quick Verdict
- •Tbilisi has stronger healthcare (+5 points)
- •Tbilisi leads in transport & infrastructure (+10 points)
- •Tirana has a more favorable climate (+7 points)
Overall, Tbilisi edges ahead on aggregate scoring, but the best choice depends on your personal priorities.
Score Comparison
Affordability index -- lower cost of living scores higher
Crime rates, safety perceptions, and neighborhood security
Hospital access, quality of care, and insurance options
School quality, university access, and language programs
Job market, co-working spaces, and remote work infrastructure
Temperature, sunshine hours, and air quality
Public transit, walkability, and ride-hailing availability
Key Metrics
| Metric | 🇬🇪 Tbilisi | 🇦🇱 Tirana |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Index | 85 | 88 |
| Safety Index | 72 | 68 |
| Healthcare Index | 55 | 50 |
| Education Index | 58 | 52 |
| Career Index | 35 | 32 |
| Climate Index | 65 | 72 |
| Transport Index | 55 | 45 |
| Air Quality Index | 62 | 58 |
| Family Index | 58 | 52 |
Price Comparison (USD)
| Item | 🇬🇪 Tbilisi | 🇦🇱 Tirana |
|---|---|---|
| 1-Bed Rent (City Centre) | $500/mo | $450/mo |
| 1-Bed Rent (Outside Centre) | $300/mo | $280/mo |
| Inexpensive Meal | $5 | $5 |
| Cappuccino | $2 | $1 |
| Monthly Transport Pass | $15 | $20 |
| Coworking (Monthly) | $100 | $90 |
| Internet Speed | 55 Mbps | 50 Mbps |
The Expat Vibe
🇬🇪 Tbilisi
An ancient, chaotic, beautiful city that became an unlikely digital nomad hotspot post-2020 — insanely cheap, visa-free for a year for most nationalities, with phenomenal food, wine, and a thriving international community.
🇦🇱 Tirana
Europe's most underrated capital — chaotic, colourful, and absurdly cheap, with a youthful energy, booming cafe culture, and a small but tight-knit community of digital nomads discovering it before the crowds.
Housing & Rentals
🇬🇪 Tbilisi
Unregulated rental market — no formal contracts are common, landlords are often individuals on Facebook groups or SS.ge. A furnished 1-bed in the centre runs USD 400-700. Short-term Airbnb is often cheaper long-term than hotels.
Top neighborhoods: Vera, Vake, Saburtalo, Old Town (Kala), Sololaki
🇦🇱 Tirana
Extremely affordable. A modern furnished 1-bed in Blloku runs EUR 350-550. Contracts are informal and often negotiated directly with landlords. No formal guarantor system — deposits of 1 month are standard. Check for recent renovation; older buildings can be rough.
Top neighborhoods: Blloku, Pazari i Ri (New Bazaar), Don Bosko, Komuna e Parisit
Getting Around
🇬🇪 Tbilisi
Metro has 2 lines and is absurdly cheap (0.50 GEL / ~USD 0.18). Bolt is the dominant ride-hailing app. Marshrutkas (minibuses) cover routes the metro doesn't. The city is very hilly — walking can be exhausting. Traffic is chaotic.
🇦🇱 Tirana
No metro or tram. Municipal buses exist but are unreliable. Most expats walk (the centre is compact) or use Bolt/local taxis, which are very cheap (EUR 2-4 across the city). Traffic is genuinely chaotic.
Cost of Living Details
🇬🇪 Tbilisi
Remarkably cheap. A couple can live very comfortably on USD 1,500-2,500/mo including rent. A massive khinkali lunch costs USD 3-5. A bottle of excellent Georgian wine is USD 5-8 at a shop.
🇦🇱 Tirana
One of the cheapest capitals in Europe. A couple can live well on EUR 1,200-1,800/mo including rent. A macchiato costs EUR 0.50-0.80. A full dinner at a good restaurant costs EUR 8-15 per person.
Climate & Weather
🇬🇪 Tbilisi
Hot, humid summers (30-38°C) and moderately cold winters (0-7°C with occasional snow). Spring and autumn are gorgeous. Air pollution can spike in winter due to heating.
🇦🇱 Tirana
Mediterranean with hot summers (30-38°C) and mild, wet winters (5-12°C). Spring and autumn are lovely. The coast (Durres) is just 40 minutes away for beach days.
Food & Dining
🇬🇪 Tbilisi
Khinkali (dumplings — hold the top knob, don't eat it) at Zakhar Zakharich. Khachapuri adjaruli (cheese-filled bread with egg and butter) is life-changing. Sakhachapure No. 1 near Dry Bridge. Ghvino Underground for natural wine. Dezerter Bazaar for the freshest produce and churchkhela (walnut candy).
🇦🇱 Tirana
Pazari i Ri (New Bazaar) is the culinary heart — renovated Ottoman-era market with restaurants and fresh produce. Byrek (flaky pastry with spinach, cheese, or meat) is the quintessential street food at EUR 0.50-1. Tave kosi (lamb baked with yogurt) is the national dish. Oda restaurant in Blloku for traditional Albanian cuisine in a beautiful Ottoman house.
Insider Tips
🇬🇪 Tbilisi
Georgia offers a 1-year visa-free stay for citizens of 95+ countries — no paperwork, no registration, just show up. But you do need to exit and re-enter to reset the clock. A quick flight to Yerevan or Kutaisi works. Also, sulfur baths in the Old Town are a mandatory experience — go to the cheaper public section of Chreli Abano for the authentic experience.
🇦🇱 Tirana
Albania has applied for EU membership and prices are still pre-tourism-boom — those who come now get 2015 Lisbon prices with improving infrastructure. Also, the 1-year Digital Nomad Visa is straightforward (prove USD 30,000/year income). The coastal towns (Saranda, Himara, Vlora) are stunning weekend escapes via cheap buses.
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