Cost of Living Comparison Between Koh Samui and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Koh Samui and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,242 per month in Koh Samui vs $1,185 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,228 per month in Koh Samui vs $1,834 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,215 per month in Koh Samui vs $2,483 in Tbilisi, rent included.

Koh Samui costs about 5% more than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Koh Samui and Tbilisi are more affordable than the global median – Koh Samui 7% lower, Tbilisi 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$11.15 ₾30.00

-59.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.54 ฿1,480

$43.13 ₾116

5.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.77 ฿285

$8.22 ₾22.11

6.69%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ฿95.9

$3.13 ₾8.42

-5.75%

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

$0.68 ฿22.12

$0.74 ₾2.00

-8.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.77

$0.45 ₾1.22

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿80.5

$2.13 ₾5.74

16.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$2.99 ₾8.06

21.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿69.9

$1.89 ₾5.09

13.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 ฿60.6

$0.73 ₾1.97

154.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿73.0

$1.85 ₾4.98

21.62%

Eggs

$2.34 ฿76.0

$2.45 ₾6.58

-4.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.40 ฿631

$7.85 ₾21.12

147.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$6.25 ₾16.82

-41.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.55 ฿440

$9.77 ₾26.28

38.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 ฿105

$1.21 ₾3.26

166.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿55.0

$1.59 ₾4.28

6.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 ฿74.3

$1.79 ₾4.81

27.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 ฿66.8

$2.32 ₾6.25

-11.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.86

$0.71 ₾1.91

115.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.81

$0.67 ₾1.81

123.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.07

$1.18 ₾3.16

-13.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.80

$0.71 ₾1.92

-26.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.39 ฿143

$2.92 ₾7.85

50.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.64 ฿639

$7.25 ₾19.50

170.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.55 ₾4.17

13.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 ฿90.1

$2.31 ₾6.21

19.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 ฿48.55

$0.38 ₾1.03

292.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.03 ฿1,529

$14.81 ₾39.83

217.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿103

$1.48 ₾3.98

114.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 ฿35.64

$0.69 ₾1.86

59.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.28 ฿464

$7.45 ₾20.05

91.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.26

$1.15 ₾3.10

18.26%

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

$29.5K ฿960.6K

$18.0K ₾48.4K

64.10%

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

$34.9K ฿1.1M

$19.8K ₾53.4K

75.78%

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

$131 ฿4,245

$73.4 ₾198

77.81%

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

$14.15 ฿460

$11.64 ₾31.32

21.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.24 ฿625

$17.77 ₾47.79

8.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.5 ฿2,063

$60.6 ₾163

4.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.08 ฿588

$16.44 ₾44.21

9.98%

Cinema Ticket

$9.41 ฿306

$6.51 ₾17.52

44.55%

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

$776 ฿25.2K

$263 ₾707

195.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K ฿576.5K

$5,136 ₾13.8K

245.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.4 ฿1,867

$77.7 ₾209

-26.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.57 ฿1,124

$44.39 ₾119

-22.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 ฿3,780

$118 ₾317

-1.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.0 ฿2,795

$114 ₾307

-24.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$521 ฿16.9K

$693 ₾1,865

-24.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 ฿12.3K

$462 ₾1,244

-18.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,775 ฿57.7K

$1,337 ₾3,597

32.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,255 ฿40.8K

$779 ₾2,096

61.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,140 ฿102.1K

$2,530 ₾6,805

24.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,254 ฿73.3K

$1,430 ₾3,847

57.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$404 ฿13.1K

$633 ₾1,702

-36.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.89

-55.17%

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

Last update for Koh Samui: April 26, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $521 in Koh Samui versus $693 in Tbilisi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 57% higher in Tbilisi, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Koh Samui versus $43.00 in Tbilisi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $206 – making Tbilisi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Koh Samui vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,242 in Koh Samui, $1,185 in Tbilisi – roughly 5% apart. Koh Samui costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,863 per month in Koh Samui and $1,777 in Tbilisi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tbilisi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% more in Koh Samui, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Koh Samui and $43.00 in Tbilisi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tbilisi, where all-in costs run around $1,185, than in Koh Samui at $1,242. In Tbilisi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Koh Samui it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Koh Samui has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,185 in Tbilisi to $1,242 in Koh Samui. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Tbilisi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Koh Samui makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.