A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Tbilisi vs. San Francisco for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Tbilisi or San Francisco?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Tbilisi or San Francisco? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Where Should I go: Tbilisi or San Francisco?

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.

San Francisco

San Francisco is a beautiful city that is famous for it's picturesque neighborhoods, liberal character, and stunning location on the bay. Some people describe San Francisco as the United State's most "European City." This title most likely comes from its compact development and its easy walkability. It also has no shortage of parks and public spaces where you can pass some time. The city sits on the end of a peninsula and offers stunning views of the blue bay, rolling green hills, and the striking Golden Gate Bridge.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Wildlife Tours to United States of America, and The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in United States of America.


Which place is cheaper, San Francisco or Tbilisi?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Tbilisi is $29, while the average daily cost in San Francisco is $222. 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 destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Tbilisi and San Francisco in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Tbilisi $13
    San Francisco $130
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Tbilisi $26
    San Francisco $260
Compare Hotels in Tbilisi and San Francisco

Looking for a hotel in Tbilisi or San Francisco? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in Tbilisi


Hotels in San Francisco


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: San Francisco Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Tbilisi $6.20
    San Francisco $16

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Tbilisi

Also for Tbilisi, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Private transfer: Yerevan-Tbilisi: $248
  • From Tbilisi:Private Transfer service To Batumi: $242
  • 4 Days Private Tour in Georgia With Free Airport Transfers: $237
  • Tbilisi-Batumi Private Transfer: $220
  • Transfer to Ski resort Bakuriani: $181
  • Transfer Georgia To Armenia With Tour: $175
  • Transfer from Tbilisi to Yerevan whith tour.: $175
  • Private Effortless transfer from Tbilisi to Gudauri ski resort: $169
  • 3-Day Tbilisi & Mtskheta Discovery + Airport Transfers: $159
  • Tbilisi to Batumi Private Transfer : $155
  • Private Transfer: From Tbilisi to Gudauri Ski Resort: $150
  • Private Transfer from Tbilisi to Bakuriani: $150

Typical Local Transportation Prices in San Francisco

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in San Francisco:


  • Taxi to SFO
    $45
  • Golden Gate Bridge Toll
    $6.00
  • Alcatraz Tour
    $30

Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Francisco

Also for San Francisco, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer in San Francisco HTL-APT (SFO): $119
  • Transfer in private vehicle from San Francisco City to Airport: $55
  • Transfer in private vehicle from San Francisco Airport to City: $35
  • Sedan Airport Transfer from Vallejo to SFO (one way): $259
  • Sedan Airport Transfer from SFO to East Bay (one way): $262
  • SFO Airport Private Transfer to Downtown: $120
  • San Francisco to/from Yosemite National Park: 1-Way Transfer: $169
  • San Francisco to Yosemite One-Way Transfer: $169
  • San Francisco to San Francisco Airport (SFO) - Departure Private Transfer: $111
  • San Francisco to Oakland Airport (OAK) Private Departure Transfer: $64
  • San Francisco Airport to San Francisco Private Arrival Transfer: $79
  • San Francisco Airport 1-Way Transfer to/from the City: $150

Is it cheaper to fly into Tbilisi or San Francisco?

Prices for flights to both San Francisco and Tbilisi 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.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Tbilisi $8.03
    San Francisco $46

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Tbilisi

For Tbilisi, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Natural Wine Degustation and Tasting with Georgian Dinner Option: $20
  • Small-Group Khinkali and Khachapuri Cooking Class in Tbilisi: $24
  • Georgian Cooking Class with Khinkali and Khachapuri: $25
  • Adjarian Khachapuri Making Private Virtual Cooking Class: $40
  • Traveling Spoon Georgian Dumplings Private Online Cooking Class: $40
  • Cooking Class with a Local Family: $49
  • Tbilisi Street Food Tour: $70
  • Food Tour with 9 Tastings and Wine: $70
  • Full Day Tbilisi Tour with Cooking Class & Wine Tasting Activity: $95
  • In Georgian Cooking Masterclass by Local: $102
  • Half-Day Food Tour of Tbilisi Dezerter's Bazaar: $125
  • Private Cooking Class with a Georgian Grandmother in Tbilisi: $130

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Francisco

For San Francisco, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • San Francisco Virtual Food Tour with Local Guide: $19
  • North Beach and Little Italy Food Tour: $79
  • Buffet Lunch or Dinner Cruise on the Bay: $82
  • Secret Food Tours San Francisco: $84
  • Mission District Food Tour with Tastings: $85
  • Farmers' Market & Ferry Building Food Tour: $87
  • San Francisco North Beach and Chinatown - Secret Food Tours: $89
  • San Francisco Chinatown Food Tour: $89
  • San Francisco Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours: $89
  • San Francisco North Beach Food Tour: $89
  • Mission District Walking Food Tour: $89
  • Chinatown Walking Food Tour: $89

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Tbilisi $15
    San Francisco $46

Tours and Activities in Tbilisi

For Tbilisi, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Borjomi city tour,Тур по Городу Боржоми: $70
  • Full Day Private Tour in Vardzia, Rabati and Borjomi with Guide: $90
  • Kakheti One Day Tour: $17
  • Private Adorable City Tour of Tbilisi: $34
  • "Tbilisi to Borjomi Rabati Vardzia:Full-Day GuidedGroupTour: $38
  • "Tbilisi to Kazbegi, Gudauri, Ananuri Group Guided Tour": $16
  • "Bodbe,Signaghi,Telavi:GuidedTour FreeWineTasting: $17
  • 002 | Kakheti Wine Region Full Day Tour -Group: $25
  • 1 Day Guided Express Shared Tour in Tbilisi in Georgia: $219
  • 1 Day Tour in Dashbashi Canyon: $50
  • 1 Full Day Kakheti Private tour: $67
  • 1-Day Kazbegi Private tour : $36

Tours and Activities in San Francisco

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for San Francisco.

  • 2hr - SUNSET Sailing Experience on San Francisco Bay: $149
  • Private Walking Tour in Muir Woods and Tickets : $20
  • Streets and Stairways of San Francisco with Local Guided Tour: $50
  • "Summer of Love" tour in Haight-Ashbury in French: $63
  • 1 Day Hop-On Hop-Off Tour: $73
  • 1HR San Francisco Chinatown and Downtown GoCar Tour: $97
  • 2 Day Hop-On Hop-Off Tour: $85
  • 2 or 3 Hour Private Group San Francisco City Tour Open-air Jeep: $169
  • 2-Hour Double Decker City Tour of San Francisco: $73
  • 2-Hour Sunset or Evening Private Jeep Tour of San Francisco: $169
  • 2HR Golden Gate Bridge and Lombard Loop GoCar Tour: $172
  • 2hr - INTERACTIVE Sailing Experience on San Francisco Bay: $149

For more ideas for your next trip, check out The Best Museums in San Francisco, The Best Outdoor Activities in San Francisco, and Things to Do In San Francisco on a Rainy Day.


Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Tbilisi $18
    San Francisco $22

Sample the Local Flavors in Tbilisi

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Tbilisi:

  • 3 Hours Walk Around Wine Tasting of 12 Different Wines in Tbilisi: $10
  • Tbilisi.First impression of Tbilisi-evening walking,wine tasting: $11
  • One-day tour of Kakheti from Tbilisi, free wine tasting: $14
  • Tbilisi Walking Tour Including Wine Tasting Cable Car and Bakery: $14
  • Tbilisi Walking Tour with Cable Cars, Wine Tasting and Traditional Bakery: $15
  • Kakheti Day Group Tour: Free Wine Tasting: $15
  • Full Day Wine Tour Bodbe , Sighnaghi , Telavi: $16
  • Wine Tasting Feel the Difference of Qvevri or Classical Wine: $16
  • Kakheti Wine Tour, Кахетия -Винный Тур: $19
  • Kakheti: Sighnaghi city of love, Bodbe, Telavi, Free wine tasting: $19
  • Full Day Bodbe Sighnaghi and Telavi Wine Tasting Tour: $20
  • Whole day Wine Tour to Kakheti from Tbilisi: $20

Sample the Local Flavors in San Francisco

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in San Francisco:

  • Chinatown San Francisco’s Bar Crawl: An Audio Tour: $4.99
  • SF Pub Crawl and Clubbing Experience: $27
  • Ghosts, Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl: $35
  • San Francisco Ghosts Boos and Booze Haunted Pub Crawl : $35
  • Walk with Spirits: A Haunted Pub Crawl in San Francisco: $45
  • 2 to 3 Hour Bar Crawl in Castro San Francisco: $49
  • Wine Tasting on the Bay: $85
  • Private Wine Tour Napa or Sonoma from $99 per person up to 7 & Concierge Service: $99
  • Small Group: Ultimate Napa and Sonoma Wine Tour- San Francisco: $109
  • Small Group: The Ultimate Napa & Sonoma Wine Tour: $109
  • Big Bus Napa and Sonoma Valley Wine Tour: $125
  • Half-Day Wine Country Tour with Wine Tastings: $126


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Tbilisi and San Francisco, we can see that San Francisco is more expensive. And not only is Tbilisi much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Tbilisi is in Europe and San Francisco is in North America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. 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 San Francisco would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in San Francisco than you might in Tbilisi.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Tbilisi Expensive? and Is San Francisco Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Tbilisi or San Francisco?

Tbilisi has a larger population, and is about 43% larger than the population of San Francisco. When comparing the sizes of Tbilisi and San Francisco, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.