---
title: "San José vs Tbilisi for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/san-jose-vs-tbilisi
description: "Under balanced weights Tbilisi edges it, 59 to 58, winning 5 of the 9 factors. San José is stronger on healthcare; Tbilisi on air quality, cost of living. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you."
dataset: 2026.09.4 (2026-09-26)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# San José vs Tbilisi for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Tbilisi edges it, 59 to 58, winning 5 of the 9 factors. San José is stronger on healthcare; Tbilisi on air quality, cost of living. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

## Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)

| Metric | San José | Tbilisi | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 50 | 63 | Tbilisi |
| Safety | 62 | 58 | San José |
| Healthcare | 81 | 61 | San José |
| Internet | 60 | 51 | San José |
| Visa ease | 89 | 90 | Tbilisi |
| Getting there & around | 22 | 29 | Tbilisi |
| Climate | 42 | 42 | tie |
| Air quality | 47 | 67 | Tbilisi |
| Quality of life | 68 | 69 | Tbilisi |

## Cost

| Metric | San José | Tbilisi | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $1,479 | $1,094 | Tbilisi |
| Central one-bedroom rent | $738 | $802 | San José |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | San José | Tbilisi | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 13.5 | 1.9 | Tbilisi |
| Political stability (0–100) | 86 | 55.4 | San José |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 84 | 71 | San José |
| Life expectancy | 78.6 yrs | 71.2 yrs | San José |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | San José | Tbilisi | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 32.5 Mbps | 19.5 Mbps | San José |
| Upload | 10.2 Mbps | 9.6 Mbps | San José |

## Visa

| Metric | San José | Tbilisi | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | Estancia para Trabajador y Prestador Remoto de Servicios | none listed | San José |
| Minimum income for the visa | $2,999/mo | no data | — |
| Visa-free days, US passport | 180 days | 360 days | Tbilisi |
| Visa-free days, EU passport | 180 days | 360 days | Tbilisi |
| Visa-free days, UK passport | 180 days | 360 days | Tbilisi |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | San José | Tbilisi | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 52 | 64 | Tbilisi |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 3 | 3 | tie |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 2 | 3 | Tbilisi |

## Climate and air

| Metric | San José | Tbilisi | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 5 | 5 | tie |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 29 µg/m³ | 20 µg/m³ | Tbilisi |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, San José or Tbilisi?

Tbilisi is cheaper: about $1,094 per month versus $1,479 for one person.

### Is San José or Tbilisi safer?

San José scores higher on safety (62 vs 58), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.

### Where is the internet faster, San José or Tbilisi?

San José: a measured median of 32.5 Mbps versus 19.5 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).

City pages: [San José](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/san-jose) · [Tbilisi](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/tbilisi). Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Digital Nomad Visas 2026; Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Estimates of rates of homicides per 100 000 population; UHC service coverage index; Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes; M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024); Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables); NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means); WHO Ambient Air Quality Database, June 2026 update (V8); Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023); EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band); Walkability and transit ratings (editorial); Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations); WhereNext city cost estimates 2026 (city pages).

HTML page: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/san-jose-vs-tbilisi