Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,209 in Shanghai versus $1,209 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,979 in Shanghai versus $1,867 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,749 in Shanghai versus $2,526 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs are close between Shanghai and Tbilisi; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 10% lower, Tbilisi 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.90 ¥33.21

$10.80 ₾28.69

-54.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.30 ¥246

$43.18 ₾115

-15.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ¥37.88

$8.29 ₾22.02

-32.57%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥24.06

$3.00 ₾7.96

18.33%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.82 ₾2.17

-30.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.46

$0.46 ₾1.21

-21.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 ¥9.67

$2.23 ₾5.93

-35.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ¥19.27

$2.92 ₾7.74

-2.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ¥14.62

$1.93 ₾5.11

11.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 ¥12.04

$0.68 ₾1.81

161.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.43

$1.88 ₾4.99

-41.49%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.45

$2.54 ₾6.73

-33.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.30 ¥104

$7.42 ₾19.69

106.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ¥21.15

$6.19 ₾16.43

-49.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 ¥72.9

$9.36 ₾24.86

14.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 ¥15.31

$1.22 ₾3.25

85.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ¥11.33

$1.66 ₾4.40

0.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.18

$1.80 ₾4.78

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.36

$2.24 ₾5.95

-31.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.47

$0.71 ₾1.89

14.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.53

$0.67 ₾1.79

65.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.62

$1.18 ₾3.13

-42.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.76

$0.66 ₾1.76

-15.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ¥19.22

$2.98 ₾7.91

-4.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 ¥78.6

$7.61 ₾20.20

52.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.32

$1.54 ₾4.08

-48.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.08

$2.25 ₾5.98

-27.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.94

$0.36 ₾0.95

19.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.41 ¥233

$14.44 ₾38.35

138.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ¥14.94

$1.49 ₾3.96

48.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.56

$0.68 ₾1.82

-44.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 ¥56.7

$7.23 ₾19.19

15.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.72

$1.14 ₾3.04

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

$19.5K ¥132.3K

$18.5K ₾49.0K

5.85%

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

$18.1K ¥122.9K

$20.0K ₾53.0K

-9.10%

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

$52.8 ¥358

$73.7 ₾196

-28.33%

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

$8.53 ¥57.8

$11.64 ₾30.90

-26.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.84 ¥93.7

$17.84 ₾47.38

-22.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.02 ¥318

$60.1 ₾160

-21.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.81 ¥134

$16.80 ₾44.62

17.92%

Cinema Ticket

$8.46 ¥57.3

$6.60 ₾17.54

28.18%

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

$1,303 ¥8,823

$266 ₾707

388.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K ¥213.8K

$5,191 ₾13.8K

508.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 ¥404

$77.7 ₾206

-23.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 ¥258

$44.75 ₾119

-14.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ¥534

$117 ₾310

-32.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.3 ¥672

$113 ₾300

-12.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 ¥6,317

$693 ₾1,839

34.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 ¥3,861

$462 ₾1,226

23.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 ¥16.9K

$1,320 ₾3,504

88.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ¥8,075

$774 ₾2,056

54.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.0K ¥94.7K

$2,430 ₾6,454

475.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,729 ¥45.6K

$1,446 ₾3,839

365.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 ¥11.4K

$673 ₾1,786

151.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

11.89

-69.89%

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

Last update for Shanghai: June 2, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $933 in Shanghai and $693 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 151% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $36.00 in Shanghai vs $43.00 in Tbilisi. Groceries flip the comparison at $225 vs $203, with Tbilisi cheaper for home cooking.

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

Shanghai vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shanghai pays 151% more on average, 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: $933 in Shanghai versus $693 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tbilisi runs roughly 138% less than in Shanghai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,209 in Tbilisi versus $1,209 in Shanghai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tbilisi but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Tbilisi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Shanghai 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.

It comes down to priorities – Tbilisi wins on affordability, Shanghai on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.