Cost of Living Comparison Between Gwangju and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Gwangju and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,421 in Gwangju versus $1,197 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,185 in Gwangju versus $1,868 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,948 in Gwangju versus $2,538 in Tbilisi.

Living in Gwangju is roughly 19% more expensive than in Tbilisi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Gwangju is 6% above, Tbilisi is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.49 ₩11.2K

$10.82 ₾28.39

-30.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 ₩77.7K

$43.85 ₾115

19.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.99 ₩8,916

$8.31 ₾21.80

-27.92%

Cappuccino

$3.88 ₩5,774

$2.97 ₾7.78

30.64%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ₩2,237

$0.77 ₾2.01

94.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 ₩1,085

$0.46 ₾1.20

58.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 ₩4,473

$2.14 ₾5.63

40.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 ₩5,485

$2.87 ₾7.52

28.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ₩2,670

$1.90 ₾4.99

-5.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.35 ₩3,500

$0.71 ₾1.86

230.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.02 ₩4,492

$1.91 ₾5.00

58.12%

Eggs

$2.69 ₩4,008

$2.48 ₾6.52

8.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.37 ₩11.0K

$7.74 ₾20.29

-4.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.14 ₩10.6K

$6.18 ₾16.21

15.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.27 ₩51.0K

$9.57 ₾25.12

258.10%

Apples (1kg)

$7.73 ₩11.5K

$1.17 ₾3.06

560.68%

Banana (1kg)

$3.43 ₩5,100

$1.65 ₾4.34

107.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.60 ₩8,332

$1.85 ₾4.84

202.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.74 ₩8,536

$2.33 ₾6.11

146.35%

Potato (1kg)

$4.01 ₩5,971

$0.71 ₾1.85

464.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 ₩3,724

$0.67 ₾1.76

273.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 ₩3,772

$1.19 ₾3.12

113.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ₩1,736

$0.66 ₾1.72

77.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 ₩5,049

$2.92 ₾7.65

16.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.05 ₩15.0K

$7.69 ₾20.18

30.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 ₩2,415

$1.59 ₾4.18

1.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 ₩3,402

$2.31 ₾6.06

-0.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ₩1,428

$0.38 ₾1.01

152.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.2 ₩98.5K

$14.76 ₾38.72

348.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 ₩4,406

$1.50 ₾3.92

97.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 ₩784

$0.68 ₾1.77

-22.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.50 ₩12.6K

$7.26 ₾19.04

17.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₩1,867

$1.09 ₾2.87

14.68%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.2K ₩40.5M

$18.6K ₾48.8K

46.36%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$22.1K ₩32.8M

$20.5K ₾53.7K

7.78%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$161 ₩239.1K

$73.0 ₾192

120.08%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$35.37 ₩52.6K

$11.97 ₾31.41

195.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.67 ₩32.2K

$18.00 ₾47.22

20.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 ₩71.3K

$61.0 ₾160

-21.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.88 ₩22.1K

$16.52 ₾43.34

-9.93%

Cinema Ticket

$8.84 ₩13.2K

$6.70 ₾17.58

31.94%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$421 ₩626.9K

$269 ₾705

56.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K ₩34.8M

$5,152 ₾13.5K

353.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.2 ₩74.8K

$76.5 ₾201

-34.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.53 ₩54.4K

$43.41 ₾114

-15.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.4 ₩95.7K

$120 ₾316

-46.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 ₩150.0K

$111 ₾290

-8.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$457 ₩680.0K

$687 ₾1,803

-33.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$353 ₩525.7K

$470 ₾1,234

-24.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$854 ₩1.3M

$1,353 ₾3,550

-36.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$595 ₩885.0K

$789 ₾2,069

-24.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,984 ₩10.4M

$2,468 ₾6,473

183.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,742 ₩8.5M

$1,456 ₾3,818

294.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,564 ₩3.8M

$659 ₾1,729

289.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.9

11.89

-67.20%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Gwangju: July 12, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $457 in Gwangju and $687 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gwangju pays 289% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $52.0 in Gwangju vs $44.00 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $409 vs $205 per month, with Tbilisi cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Gwangju vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tbilisi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 289% higher in Gwangju, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $457 in Gwangju versus $687 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Tbilisi – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $52.0 in Gwangju. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,421 per month in Gwangju versus $1,197 in Tbilisi – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,197 in Tbilisi versus $1,421 in Gwangju, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Gwangju. The gap between the two cities makes Tbilisi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Tbilisi is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Gwangju, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Gwangju and Tbilisi are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Tbilisi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Gwangju. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.