Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tbilisi

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,208 a month against $1,270 in Tbilisi, rent and utilities included – about $740 less a year. The total is higher in Tbilisi despite lower rent and utilities.

Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,208
/mo nomad
Tbilisi
🇬🇪 Georgia
$1,270
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Tbilisi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Tbilisi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,208 in Phuket versus $1,270 in Tbilisi.

  • Phuket $1,208
  • Tbilisi $1,270

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,027 in Phuket versus $2,008 in Tbilisi.

  • Phuket $2,027
  • Tbilisi $2,008

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,845 in Phuket versus $2,745 in Tbilisi.

  • Phuket $2,845
  • Tbilisi $2,745

Living in Phuket costs roughly 5% less than in Tbilisi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 11% lower, Tbilisi 6% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Tbilisi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.40 ฿147
$11.51 ₾29.79
-61.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26 ฿1,078
$38.27 ₾99.1
-15.70%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.76 ฿293
$9.80 ₾25.36
-10.61%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿94.5
$3.55 ₾9.19
-20.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 ฿30.14
$1.06 ₾2.74
-15.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.47 ฿15.56
$0.62 ₾1.60
-24.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.55 ฿85.2
$2.76 ₾7.16
-7.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.83 ฿128
$3.00 ₾7.77
27.67%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Tbilisi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.73 ฿57.7
$2.16 ₾5.59
-19.91%
White Bread (500g)
$1.47 ฿49.11
$0.76 ₾1.96
93.42%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 ฿50.6
$1.74 ₾4.51
-13.22%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿72.7
$2.79 ₾7.21
-22.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.70 ฿658
$9.20 ₾23.83
114.13%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.34 ฿112
$6.53 ₾16.89
-48.85%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.16 ฿373
$12.81 ₾33.17
-12.88%
Apples (1kg)
$2.85 ฿95.1
$1.67 ₾4.31
70.66%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 ฿56.9
$1.85 ₾4.79
-8.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 ฿73.3
$1.98 ₾5.13
10.61%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.05 ฿68.4
$2.51 ₾6.49
-18.33%
Potato (1kg)
$1.45 ฿48.57
$0.87 ₾2.26
66.67%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.16
$0.73 ₾1.89
89.04%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.69
$1.42 ₾3.67
-24.65%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿16.91
$0.72 ₾1.88
-29.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 ฿142
$3.38 ₾8.74
26.04%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.58 ฿621
$7.84 ₾20.31
136.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 ฿59.7
$1.62 ₾4.19
9.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 ฿95.2
$2.38 ₾6.15
19.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Tbilisi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.26 ฿75.6
$0.37 ₾0.96
510.81%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.10 ฿738
$15.52 ₾40.16
42.40%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.01 ฿101
$1.14 ₾2.94
164.04%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.06 ฿35.34
$0.79 ₾2.05
34.18%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.86 ฿129
$11.57 ₾29.96
-66.64%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.45
$1.50 ₾3.87
-3.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.3K ฿879.9K
$24.6K ₾63.7K
6.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿900.4K
$22.4K ₾57.9K
20.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Tbilisi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,221
$88.3 ₾228
9.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.04 ฿369
$13.08 ₾33.86
-15.60%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.14 ฿573
$19.53 ₾50.6
-12.24%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Tbilisi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.2 ฿1,744
$64.2 ₾166
-18.70%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.16 ฿373
$19.18 ₾49.66
-41.81%
Cinema Ticket
$7.81 ฿261
$6.99 ₾18.10
11.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Tbilisi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$556 ฿18.6K
$373 ₾966
48.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.6K ฿387.0K
$10.7K ₾27.7K
8.34%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Tbilisi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.2 ฿2,146
$103 ₾266
-37.47%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.69 ฿959
$40.48 ₾105
-29.13%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$95.4 ฿3,187
$116 ₾301
-18.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.0 ฿2,940
$122 ₾316
-27.85%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Tbilisi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$737 ฿24.6K
$677 ₾1,753
8.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$462 ฿15.5K
$454 ₾1,176
1.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,095 ฿70.0K
$1,277 ₾3,305
64.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,201 ฿40.1K
$890 ₾2,304
34.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,488 ฿116.6K
$2,410 ₾6,238
44.74%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,523 ฿84.3K
$1,418 ₾3,670
77.97%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Tbilisi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$501 ฿16.7K
$703 ₾1,819
-28.76%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
12.62
-55.86%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$462
Tbilisi
$454 1.8% $8.1
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$269
Tbilisi
$233 13.3% $36
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$125
Tbilisi
$121 3% $3.7
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$124
Tbilisi
$172 38.1% $47
Eating Out
Phuket
$121
Tbilisi
$191 57.2% $69
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$68
Tbilisi
$78 15.3% $10
Getting Around
Phuket
$39
Tbilisi
$22 44% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $737 in Phuket and $677 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tbilisi pays 40% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $38.00 in Tbilisi. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 vs $233, with Tbilisi cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇬🇪 Tbilisi
🕒 Local time
22:00 10:00 PM
19:00 7:00 PM
3 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
1,241,700 Capital
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

GEL, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Georgian Lari exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 2.59 GEL (1 GEL = 0.386 USD). 1 EUR = 2.91 GEL (1 GEL = 0.344 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Tbilisi 6,450 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Tbilisi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Phuket vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tbilisi cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in clothing, eating out, and leisure. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Tbilisi?
On paper, salaries run 40% lower in Tbilisi. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Tbilisi?
Rent for a central apartment: $737 in Phuket versus $677 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $556 in Phuket versus $373 in Tbilisi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and in Tbilisi?
Shoppers in Tbilisi pay roughly 15% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Tbilisi?
At $1,208 in Phuket versus $1,270 in Tbilisi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Tbilisi more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tbilisi, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Tbilisi?
Safety-wise, Phuket 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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