Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,037 in Shenzhen versus $1,209 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,659 in Shenzhen versus $1,867 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,280 in Shenzhen versus $2,526 in Tbilisi.

Living in Shenzhen costs roughly 14% less than in Tbilisi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 23% lower, Tbilisi 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 ¥21.18

$10.80 ₾28.70

-71.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.51 ¥186

$43.18 ₾115

-36.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 ¥34.26

$8.29 ₾22.03

-38.96%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥22.52

$3.00 ₾7.96

11.00%

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

$0.48 ¥3.25

$0.82 ₾2.17

-41.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.46 ₾1.21

-39.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ¥8.29

$2.23 ₾5.93

-45.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 ¥19.14

$2.92 ₾7.75

-3.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ¥11.72

$1.93 ₾5.11

-10.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.36

$0.68 ₾1.81

189.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.35

$1.88 ₾4.99

-34.57%

Eggs

$1.94 ¥13.10

$2.54 ₾6.73

-23.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 ¥86.3

$7.42 ₾19.70

71.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 ¥27.43

$6.19 ₾16.43

-34.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ¥91.2

$9.36 ₾24.86

43.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 ¥12.69

$1.22 ₾3.25

54.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.54

$1.66 ₾4.40

-15.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.33

$1.80 ₾4.78

1.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 ¥9.09

$2.24 ₾5.96

-40.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.10

$0.71 ₾1.89

47.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.91

$0.67 ₾1.79

117.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.78

$1.18 ₾3.13

-39.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.83

$0.66 ₾1.76

-13.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ¥22.88

$2.98 ₾7.91

13.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.92 ¥87.4

$7.61 ₾20.21

69.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.39

$1.54 ₾4.08

-38.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥12.65

$2.25 ₾5.98

-16.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ¥2.72

$0.36 ₾0.95

11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.76 ¥147

$14.44 ₾38.36

50.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 ¥11.02

$1.49 ₾3.96

9.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.36

$0.68 ₾1.82

-48.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.02 ¥47.49

$7.23 ₾19.19

-2.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥7.99

$1.14 ₾3.04

3.51%

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

$22.9K ¥154.9K

$18.5K ₾49.0K

24.00%

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

$20.7K ¥140.3K

$20.0K ₾53.0K

3.83%

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

$65.3 ¥442

$73.7 ₾196

-11.33%

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

$8.20 ¥55.5

$11.64 ₾30.91

-29.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.05 ¥88.3

$17.84 ₾47.39

-26.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 ¥340

$60.1 ₾160

-16.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.39 ¥118

$16.80 ₾44.63

3.51%

Cinema Ticket

$6.86 ¥46.46

$6.60 ₾17.54

3.94%

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

$457 ¥3,092

$266 ₾708

71.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K ¥141.1K

$5,191 ₾13.8K

301.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.25 ¥333

$77.7 ₾206

-36.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.67 ¥208

$44.75 ₾119

-31.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 ¥502

$117 ₾310

-36.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.2 ¥543

$113 ₾300

-29.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ¥4,987

$693 ₾1,839

6.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥2,783

$462 ₾1,226

-10.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,692 ¥11.4K

$1,320 ₾3,505

28.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$903 ¥6,112

$774 ₾2,056

16.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K ¥89.0K

$2,430 ₾6,455

440.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,222 ¥42.1K

$1,446 ₾3,840

330.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,665 ¥11.3K

$673 ₾1,787

147.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

11.89

-66.02%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: May 31, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $737 in Shenzhen and $693 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 148% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $28.00 in Shenzhen vs $43.00 in Tbilisi. Groceries flip the comparison at $230 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

Shenzhen vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shenzhen wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Tbilisi. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Shenzhen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Shenzhen pays 148% 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: $737 in Shenzhen versus $693 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Shenzhen runs roughly 51% less than in Tbilisi. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $457 in Shenzhen versus $266 in Tbilisi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,037 in Shenzhen versus $1,209 in Tbilisi, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Shenzhen but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Shenzhen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Shenzhen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,037 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Shenzhen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Shenzhen 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.

Expats usually find Shenzhen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.