Should you visit Saint Petersburg or Tbilisi?
Should I visit Saint Petersburg or Tbilisi? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a beautiful city that sits on the eastern edge of the Baltic Sea. Its historical city center is threaded with canals and architecturally impressive buildings, leaving little doubt as to why this city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is the second largest city in Russia, but perhaps a favorite among travelers. The metropolitan area has a population of over 5 million as well as an impressive culture with fascinating museums, restaurants, and architecture. The city has no shortage of sights and attractions, and many days can be passed while you wander its intricate streets.
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital of the country of Georgia. Its cobblestoned old town reflects a long, complicated history, with periods under Persian and Russian rule. Its diverse architecture encompasses Eastern Orthodox churches, ornate art nouveau buildings and Soviet Modernist structures. Looming over it all are Narikala, a reconstructed 4th-century fortress, and Kartlis Deda, an iconic statue of the "Mother of Georgia." Tbilisi’s eternal charms of a dramatic setting in the deep valley of the swift Mtkvari River, picturesque architecture, an ever-lively arts and cultural scene, and the welcoming Georgian lifestyle have been added a whole new 21st-century dimension of inviting cafes and restaurants serving ever better food, up-to-date lodgings from backpacker hostels to international five-stars, interesting bars and clubs, spruced-up museums, galleries, parks, plazas and whole streets, modernized transport and a sprinkling of eye-catching contemporary architecture. The mix of modern and ancient elements makes Tbilisi the beating heart of the South Caucasus and it is well worth a visit.
Which city is cheaper, Tbilisi or Saint Petersburg?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Saint Petersburg is $65, while the average daily cost in Tbilisi is $20. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Saint Petersburg and Tbilisi in more detail.
Accommodation
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about $74 in Saint Petersburg For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
An average hotel room with basic furnishings costs about $17 in Tbilisi For the most convenient locations and nicer amenities you can expect to pay a bit more.
Food
Food in Saint Petersburg costs travelers about $19 per day on average. Restaurants can vary significantly in price, so choose wisely if you're trying to save money. Fast food and street stalls are typically your cheapest options, which sit down restaurants can be significantly more expensive.
The average traveler spends about $5.50 per day in Tbilisi for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
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Food
Meals for one day
Saint Petersburg $19
Tbilisi $5.50
Typical Food prices in Saint Petersburg
For Saint Petersburg, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Saint Petersburg
For Saint Petersburg, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Enjoy Russian Delicacies in St Petersburg: Cooking Demo and Meal with a Local:
$80
-
Private Dining: Russian dinner in a traditional St. Petersburg apartment:
$91
-
Cooking Class and a Dinner with a Local Family (8 people max):
$92
-
Off-the-tourist Path Food Tour:
$103
-
Local Market Tour and Cooking Demo with a Homemade Russian Meal in St Petersburg:
$107
-
Borscht and cabbage pie cooking class and dinner for small private groups:
$109
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FOOD TOUR. St.Petersburg:
$150
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Private Cooking Class: Learn the secrets of Borsch and Beef Stroganoff:
$166
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Private Cooking Class: Russian Blini with Red Caviar and Shchi soup:
$179
-
Private Cooking Class: Russian Shchi soup and Blini with Red Caviar:
$187
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Private Cooking Class: Hands-on Siberian Pelmeni Making Workshop:
$188
-
Private Cooking Class: Siberian Pelmeni, Stolichny salad and Borsch:
$212
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tbilisi
For Tbilisi, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Adjarian Khachapuri Making Private Online Cooking Class:
$27
-
Traveling Spoon Georgian Dumplings Private Online Cooking Class:
$27
-
Dinner in a Georgian family plus a cooking master class:
$44
-
Private Cooking Class with a Georgian Grandmother in Tbilisi:
$62
-
Private Cooking Class with a Tbilisi Food and City Expert:
$62
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Enjoy a Traditional Georgian Cooking Class and Meal with a Local in Tbilisi:
$70
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Authentic Georgian Cooking Lesson and Meal with a Mother-Daughter Duo in Tbilisi:
$71
-
Join a Local for a Market Tour, Cooking Class and Meal in her Tbilisi Home:
$82
-
Georgian Genuine Wine And Food Tour with Eqskursion in kakheti Region:
$90
-
Private Authentic Georgian Cooking Class with Cookbook Authors in Tbilisi:
$110
-
Kazbegi Adventure - Private Day Trip From Tbilisi with a Dinner + Masterclass:
$121
-
Private Wine Tour with Dance Show Dinner to Signagi from Tbilisi:
$182
Local Transportation
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Saint Petersburg than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $7.43 on transportation in Saint Petersburg on average per day.
Tbilisi's transportation costs can vary by the type of transport chosen by visitors. Naturally, taxis and private drivers cost much more than public transportation options. On average, visitors spend $4.25 per person, per day on transportation in Tbilisi.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Saint Petersburg
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Saint Petersburg:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Saint Petersburg
Also for Saint Petersburg, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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St. Petersburg to St.Petersburg Pulkovo Airport - Departure Private Transfer:
$36
-
St. Petersburg Pulkovo Airport (LED) to hotel - Arrival Private Transfer:
$36
-
St Petersburg Transfer from city hotels or Cruise port to Pulkovo Airport (LED):
$68
-
St Petersburg Departure Private Transfers from St Petersburg City to Airport LED:
$84
-
St Petersburg Airport Transfers : St Petersburg to Airport LED in Luxury Van:
$89
-
St Petersburg Airport Transfers : St Petersburg to Airport LED in Luxury Car:
$103
-
St Petersburg Airport Transfers : St Petersburg to Airport LED by Business Car:
$63
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Private Transfer from St. Petersburg City Center to Peterhof Palace:
$37
-
Private Transfer from Peterhof Palace to St. Petersburg City Center:
$36
-
Private Airport Transfer: from St Petersburg to Pulkovo Airport (LED):
$28
-
Departure Private Transfer St. Petersburg to Pulkovo Airport LED by Business Car:
$61
-
Departure Private Transfer St Petersburg City to Pulkovo Airport LED - LuxuryVan:
$39
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tbilisi
Also for Tbilisi, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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ツ ✌ Shuttle & Transfer Service To & From The Tbilisi International Airport:
$18
-
Трансфер Аэропорт - Тбилиси, Transfer Airport - Tbilisi:
$17
-
transfer from Tbilisi International Airport:
$15
-
private Transfer to Kutaisi Airport (KUT):
$99
-
Transfers from Tbilisi to skiing resort Bakuriani:
$64
-
Transfers all regions of Georgia:
$13
-
Transfers From Tbilisi Airport By Minivan:
$26
-
Transfers & tours in Georgia:
$57
-
Transfer: Tbilisi - Kazbegi:
$57
-
Transfer: Tbilisi - Batumi:
$79
-
Transfer: From Tbilisi Airport to Gudauri Winter Resort:
$22
-
Transfer to Ski resort Bakuriani:
$181
Is it cheaper to fly into Saint Petersburg or Tbilisi?
Prices for flights to both Tbilisi and Saint Petersburg change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Entertainment
Sightseeing expenses in Saint Petersburg, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $18 per day, per person.
Sightseeing, admission tickets, things to do, and other entertainment expenses in Tbilisi can vary widely by price. On average, visitors spend around $9.98 per person, per day on entertainment and sightseeing here.
Tours and Activities in Saint Petersburg
For Saint Petersburg, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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1-Day Visa-Free Tour in St Petersburg with Faberge Collection:
$265
-
1-day private Visa-Free tour in St Petersburg with Peterhof:
$257
-
1.5-Hours Saint Petersburg's Metro Tour Hidden Treasures:
$25
-
2-Day Small-Group Visa-Free Tour - Top Highlights of St Petersburg:
$20
-
3 Hour Photo Shoot Tours St. Petersburg, Russia:
$564
-
Basic 2-day tour in St Petersburg for cruise passengers:
$425
-
Catherine Palace and Park: Private tour to Tsarskoe Selo:
$120
-
Classic 2 Day Tour of St Petersburg Russia.No hidden costs.9 years of experience:
$349
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Daily Canon Shot at Peter and Paul Fortress + Museum of Revolution Private Tour:
$162
-
Essential 2-Day Visa-Free Tour for Cruise Ships in St Petersburg:
$465
-
Evening River and Canal Cruise Visas Included:
$86
-
Guided Tour Peter and Paul Fortress, Cathedral and Prison:
$56
Tours and Activities in Tbilisi
For Tbilisi, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
-
'Uplistsikhe'-Borjomi 1 Day Tour:
$51
-
1 Day Cycling Tour at Didgori Monument (Tbilisi, Georgia):
$128
-
1 Day Kakheti Private Tour:
$36
-
1 Day Mtskheta-Uplistsikhe private Tour:
$36
-
1 Day Tour In Shiny Mountains of Kazbegi:
$161
-
1 Day Tour, Tbilisi- Mtskheta:
$32
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1 Day Tour, of Amazing Kakheti:
$51
-
1 Full Day Kakheti Private tour:
$54
-
1 day Gudauri and Kazbegi private tour-By Travel master (Georgia):
$179
-
1-Day Kazbegi Private tour:
$36
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10 Day Tour of Armenia and Georgia - Guaranteed Departure:
$1,795
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10 Dayes Explore Georgia Tour:
$1,397
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Saint Petersburg spend on average $9.88 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Typically, people visiting Tbilisi spend on average $12 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Sample the Local Flavors in Tbilisi
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Tbilisi:
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Online Wine Tour,all about Georgian Qvevri&wine making method.Soon In real life!:
$9.00
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ツ ✌ Tbilisi Walking Tour - City Sightseeings! Cable Car, Wine Tasting:
$10
-
Wine tasting tour in Kakheti region:
$31
-
Private Tbilisi Walking Tour including Cable Car, Wine Tasting and Old Bakery:
$33
-
Group Wine Tour to Kakheti:
$34
-
Wine tour to Kakheti:
$35
-
Wine tour of Tbilisi:
$36
-
Kakheti: Signagi, Bodbe Monastery, Wine Tour. Private tour:
$37
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Kakheti Wine Tour, Кахетия -Винный Тур:
$37
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Culinary & Wine tour in Kakheti region:
$43
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Signagi-Bodbe Kakheti Wine Tour:
$43
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Culinary and Wine Tour in Tbilisi:
$44
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Saint Petersburg and Tbilisi, we can see that Saint Petersburg is more expensive. And not only is Tbilisi much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Tbilisi would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Tbilisi and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Saint Petersburg would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Saint Petersburg than you might in Tbilisi.
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