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: $1,032 in Shenzhen versus $1,197 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,649 in Shenzhen versus $1,868 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,266 in Shenzhen versus $2,538 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 ¥21.17

$10.82 ₾28.39

-71.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.60 ¥187

$43.85 ₾115

-37.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.87 ¥32.97

$8.31 ₾21.80

-41.40%

Cappuccino

$3.32 ¥22.46

$2.97 ₾7.78

11.78%

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

$0.48 ¥3.27

$0.77 ₾2.01

-37.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.46 ₾1.20

-39.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 ¥8.22

$2.14 ₾5.63

-43.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 ¥18.76

$2.87 ₾7.52

-3.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ¥11.83

$1.90 ₾4.99

-7.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.33

$0.71 ₾1.86

177.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.97

$1.91 ₾5.00

-38.22%

Eggs

$1.92 ¥12.96

$2.48 ₾6.52

-22.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.69 ¥85.9

$7.74 ₾20.29

63.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.93 ¥26.61

$6.18 ₾16.21

-36.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.38 ¥90.6

$9.57 ₾25.12

39.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.87 ¥12.63

$1.17 ₾3.06

59.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.90

$1.65 ₾4.34

-11.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.29

$1.85 ₾4.84

-1.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 ¥9.44

$2.33 ₾6.11

-40.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 ¥7.40

$0.71 ₾1.85

53.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.61

$0.67 ₾1.76

111.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 ¥5.05

$1.19 ₾3.12

-36.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.85

$0.66 ₾1.72

-13.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 ¥22.94

$2.92 ₾7.65

16.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.61 ¥85.4

$7.69 ₾20.18

63.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥6.27

$1.59 ₾4.18

-41.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 ¥12.87

$2.31 ₾6.06

-17.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥2.98

$0.38 ₾1.01

15.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.23 ¥150

$14.76 ₾38.72

50.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 ¥11.40

$1.50 ₾3.92

12.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.54

$0.68 ₾1.77

-45.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 ¥45.65

$7.26 ₾19.04

-7.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.72

$1.09 ₾2.87

4.59%

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

$22.7K ¥153.7K

$18.6K ₾48.8K

22.03%

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

$20.7K ¥140.0K

$20.5K ₾53.7K

1.04%

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

$65.3 ¥442

$73.0 ₾192

-10.49%

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

$8.39 ¥56.8

$11.97 ₾31.41

-29.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.08 ¥88.5

$18.00 ₾47.22

-27.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 ¥345

$61.0 ₾160

-16.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.60 ¥119

$16.52 ₾43.34

6.54%

Cinema Ticket

$7.08 ¥47.89

$6.70 ₾17.58

5.67%

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

$467 ¥3,159

$269 ₾705

73.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.7K ¥140.0K

$5,152 ₾13.5K

301.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.53 ¥328

$76.5 ₾201

-36.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.27 ¥205

$43.41 ₾114

-30.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.7 ¥506

$120 ₾316

-37.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.3 ¥537

$111 ₾290

-28.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 ¥4,953

$687 ₾1,803

6.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 ¥2,777

$470 ₾1,234

-12.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,699 ¥11.5K

$1,353 ₾3,550

25.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$910 ¥6,157

$789 ₾2,069

15.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.9K ¥87.4K

$2,468 ₾6,473

423.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,000 ¥40.6K

$1,456 ₾3,818

312.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,720 ¥11.6K

$659 ₾1,729

160.93%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $732 in Shenzhen and $687 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 161% 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 $44.00 in Tbilisi. Groceries flip the comparison at $229 vs $205, 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 16% 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.

Average pay runs 161% higher in Shenzhen, 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: $732 in Shenzhen versus $687 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 $467 in Shenzhen versus $269 in Tbilisi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,032 in Shenzhen versus $1,197 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 $1,032 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 16% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.