Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Seoul and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,742 per month in Seoul vs $1,209 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,892 per month in Seoul vs $1,867 in Tbilisi, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,043 per month in Seoul vs $2,526 in Tbilisi, rent included.

Seoul costs about 44% more than Tbilisi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Seoul sits 30% above the global median, while Tbilisi is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.59 ₩13.0K

$10.80 ₾28.71

-20.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.3 ₩82.2K

$43.18 ₾115

25.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.30 ₩9,550

$8.29 ₾22.04

-24.00%

Cappuccino

$3.88 ₩5,886

$3.00 ₾7.97

29.33%

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

$1.72 ₩2,613

$0.82 ₾2.17

109.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ₩1,296

$0.46 ₾1.21

86.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 ₩5,448

$2.23 ₾5.93

61.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 ₩8,998

$2.92 ₾7.75

103.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ₩3,371

$1.93 ₾5.12

15.03%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 ₩5,228

$0.68 ₾1.81

407.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 ₩4,749

$1.88 ₾5.00

66.49%

Eggs

$3.19 ₩4,830

$2.54 ₾6.74

25.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.21 ₩21.5K

$7.42 ₾19.70

91.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.99 ₩16.6K

$6.19 ₾16.44

77.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.74 ₩52.6K

$9.36 ₾24.87

271.15%

Apples (1kg)

$7.97 ₩12.1K

$1.22 ₾3.25

553.28%

Banana (1kg)

$3.46 ₩5,247

$1.66 ₾4.40

108.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.43 ₩8,229

$1.80 ₾4.78

201.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.69 ₩10.1K

$2.24 ₾5.96

198.66%

Potato (1kg)

$3.80 ₩5,763

$0.71 ₾1.89

435.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 ₩4,465

$0.67 ₾1.79

340.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.63 ₩3,978

$1.18 ₾3.13

122.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₩1,924

$0.66 ₾1.76

92.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.23 ₩4,893

$2.98 ₾7.91

8.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.49 ₩29.5K

$7.61 ₾20.22

156.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 ₩3,668

$1.54 ₾4.08

57.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₩4,921

$2.25 ₾5.99

44.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,691

$0.36 ₾0.95

211.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.88 ₩72.6K

$14.44 ₾38.38

231.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 ₩5,396

$1.49 ₾3.97

138.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 ₩818

$0.68 ₾1.82

-20.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.72 ₩13.2K

$7.23 ₾19.20

20.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₩1,889

$1.14 ₾3.04

9.65%

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

$28.3K ₩42.8M

$18.5K ₾49.1K

53.09%

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

$25.3K ₩38.4M

$20.0K ₾53.1K

26.88%

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

$161 ₩243.4K

$73.7 ₾196

117.97%

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

$34.38 ₩52.1K

$11.64 ₾30.92

195.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 ₩34.0K

$17.84 ₾47.41

25.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 ₩86.4K

$60.1 ₾160

-5.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.23 ₩35.2K

$16.80 ₾44.65

38.27%

Cinema Ticket

$11.19 ₩17.0K

$6.60 ₾17.55

69.55%

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

$412 ₩624.5K

$266 ₾708

54.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K ₩35.8M

$5,191 ₾13.8K

355.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 ₩88.9K

$77.7 ₾206

-24.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.80 ₩70.9K

$44.75 ₾119

4.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 ₩118.6K

$117 ₾310

-32.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₩173.0K

$113 ₾300

1.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 ₩1.4M

$693 ₾1,840

38.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 ₩914.5K

$462 ₾1,227

30.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,580 ₩3.9M

$1,320 ₾3,507

95.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,308 ₩2.0M

$774 ₾2,057

68.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.2K ₩27.5M

$2,430 ₾6,458

647.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,223 ₩14.0M

$1,446 ₾3,842

537.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,095 ₩4.7M

$673 ₾1,788

359.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.14

11.89

-65.18%

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

Last update for Seoul: June 2, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $957 in Seoul 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 360% higher in Seoul, 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 $54.0 in Seoul versus $43.00 in Tbilisi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $500 vs $203 – 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

Seoul vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seoul costs about 44% more than Tbilisi, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,613 per month in Seoul 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.

Public transport costs about 232% less in Tbilisi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $412 per month in Seoul and $266 in Tbilisi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tbilisi, where all-in costs run around $1,209, than in Seoul at $1,742. In Tbilisi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Seoul it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tbilisi costs $1,209 versus $1,742 in Seoul. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Seoul makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.