Cost of Living Comparison Between Kyoto and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Kyoto and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Kyoto vs $1,209 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,155 per month in Kyoto vs $1,867 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,022 per month in Kyoto vs $2,526 in Tbilisi, rent included.

Kyoto costs about 6% more than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kyoto and Tbilisi are more affordable than the global median – Kyoto 4% lower, Tbilisi 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.45 ¥1,671

$10.80 ₾28.70

-3.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.99 ¥5,437

$43.18 ₾115

-21.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.68 ¥909

$8.29 ₾22.03

-31.48%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥568

$3.00 ₾7.96

18.33%

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

$0.88 ¥141

$0.82 ₾2.17

7.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥126

$0.46 ₾1.21

71.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 ¥544

$2.23 ₾5.93

52.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.41 ¥1,026

$2.92 ₾7.75

119.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ¥259

$1.93 ₾5.11

-16.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 ¥285

$0.68 ₾1.81

161.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.17 ¥506

$1.88 ₾4.99

68.62%

Eggs

$2.26 ¥362

$2.54 ₾6.73

-11.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.39 ¥1,502

$7.42 ₾19.70

26.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.49 ¥1,199

$6.19 ₾16.43

21.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.41 ¥2,464

$9.36 ₾24.86

64.64%

Apples (1kg)

$5.59 ¥894

$1.22 ₾3.25

358.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ¥411

$1.66 ₾4.40

54.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.66 ¥1,065

$1.80 ₾4.78

270.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.99 ¥639

$2.24 ₾5.96

78.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ¥254

$0.71 ₾1.89

123.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 ¥361

$0.67 ₾1.79

235.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 ¥200

$1.18 ₾3.13

5.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ¥160

$0.66 ₾1.76

51.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ¥679

$2.98 ₾7.91

42.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.42 ¥1,186

$7.61 ₾20.21

-2.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ¥277

$1.54 ₾4.08

12.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 ¥579

$2.25 ₾5.98

60.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.61 ¥258

$0.36 ₾0.95

347.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.6 ¥11.1K

$14.44 ₾38.36

381.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 ¥562

$1.49 ₾3.96

135.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.95 ¥473

$0.68 ₾1.82

333.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 ¥2,828

$7.23 ₾19.19

144.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥190

$1.14 ₾3.04

4.39%

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

$23.4K ¥3.7M

$18.5K ₾49.0K

26.93%

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

$17.3K ¥2.8M

$20.0K ₾53.0K

-13.24%

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

$114 ¥18.2K

$73.7 ₾196

54.33%

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

$25.95 ¥4,151

$11.64 ₾30.91

122.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.05 ¥5,447

$17.84 ₾47.39

90.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.3 ¥9,323

$60.1 ₾160

-3.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 ¥3,317

$16.80 ₾44.63

23.45%

Cinema Ticket

$13.14 ¥2,101

$6.60 ₾17.54

99.09%

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

$370 ¥59.2K

$266 ₾708

38.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,400 ¥1.2M

$5,191 ₾13.8K

42.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.61 ¥7,295

$77.7 ₾206

-41.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.15 ¥5,142

$44.75 ₾119

-28.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.2 ¥11.7K

$117 ₾310

-37.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.8 ¥14.5K

$113 ₾300

-19.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥95.4K

$693 ₾1,839

-13.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$352 ¥56.3K

$462 ₾1,226

-23.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,686 ¥269.6K

$1,320 ₾3,505

27.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$915 ¥146.4K

$774 ₾2,056

18.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,430 ₾6,455

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 ₾3,840

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,875 ¥299.9K

$673 ₾1,787

178.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.78

11.89

-85.03%

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

Last update for Kyoto: June 1, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $596 in Kyoto 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 179% higher in Kyoto, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Kyoto versus $43.00 in Tbilisi. Groceries tell a different story – $315 in Kyoto vs $203 in Tbilisi – so Tbilisi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Kyoto vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,287 in Kyoto, $1,209 in Tbilisi – roughly 6% apart. Kyoto costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,931 per month in Kyoto and $1,813 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 55% more in Kyoto, 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 $34.00 in Kyoto 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 $1,209, than in Kyoto at $1,287. In Tbilisi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kyoto it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Kyoto has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,209 in Tbilisi to $1,287 in Kyoto. 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, Kyoto makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.